Serena Paese

2 papers in the library · 9 citations · publishing 2023-2025

Papers

Meditation as a tool to counteract music performance anxiety from the experts’ perspective

Psychology of Music March 29, 2023 Serena Paese, Hauke Egermann 8 citations

Music performance anxiety (MPA) prevents many musicians from performing at their best, and meditation is one coping tool. This qualitative study explored experts' experiences with meditative techniques for MPA through 16 semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified three main themes: how experts describe MPA, factors influencing meditation's effectiveness, and which techniques reduce MPA. Body-centered meditations, breathing techniques, visualizations, and Vipassana meditation were prominent. Affect-centered meditations showed promise for counteracting perfectionism and self-criticism. Findings may help educational institutions and musicians seeking emotional awareness and self-regulation strategies to improve performance.

DOI: 10.1177/03057356231155968 Meditation Anxiety Mindfulness Thematic analysis +8

Meditating musicians: investigating the experience of music students and professional musicians in a brief mindfulness course to address music performance anxiety.

Frontiers in Psychology January 1, 2025 Serena Paese, Andrea Schiavio 1 citation

A four-week mindfulness course that includes body-centered meditation, meditation on thoughts, and affect-centered meditation can enhance wellbeing, boost emotional balance, and reduce the occurrence of music performance anxiety. Qualitative data from 12 musicians who participated in two short mindfulness courses and provided diary entries and open-ended responses support these benefits. The findings suggest that these meditation types positively impact musicians' wellbeing and performance skills, though further research is warranted to explore additional methods.

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1567988 Full text Music performance anxiety Music practice Meditation & mindfulness Musicians' wellbeing