It worked in rehearsal. What happened on stage?
Performance psychology for musicians – sport psychology methods, evidence-based.
You’re not supposed to talk about it
To change something, first of all you have to admit it exists.
I’m probably just not good enough
The greatest performers struggle with this too. I know, because some of them have worked with me.
Hello! I’m Kaya Ariel
I trained as a singer. I still make music, and I know from the inside what it feels like when your voice simply won’t come out. I’ve also spent years in the theatre wings and in dressing rooms, beside those who stand in the spotlight even on their worst days – because they chose this beautiful, demanding profession. That’s where I found my true calling:
I provide professional, evidence-based, empathetic psychological support to musicians.
Music Performance Anxiety
Not a weakness. Not a beginner’s problem. Not something you just “push through.”
Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a persistent, recurring anxiety linked to musical performance. It’s a combination of biological, psychological and behavioural symptoms: trembling hands, choking, spiralling thoughts, a sense of losing control.
It tends to be most severe when the stakes are highest — at auditions, exams, competitions. When the audience’s judgment, the possibility of failure, and your own deep desire to do well are all present at once.
Why does it develop? According to DBT’s biosocial theory, it emerges from the meeting of two things: an emotionally sensitive nervous system – which is not a flaw, but an asset in a performing artist – and an environment that failed to recognise or actively punished that sensitivity. Traditional music education is precisely this kind of environment: mistakes are met with shame, emotions aren’t discussed, anxiety is treated as weakness. From this combination, what we call MPA develops almost inevitably.
It doesn’t necessarily go away with practice. It doesn’t depend on how many years you’ve been playing or what level you’re at. It can affect performance — but not always, and not inevitably.
The good news: it’s understandable, it’s manageable, and you don’t have to face it alone.
The first step towards confident performance is a conversation
You don’t need to know exactly what you need help with. It’s enough if something here felt familiar.