It’s a positive thing to be excited about a performance because it indicates that you’re ready for what’s about to happen. Different people react differently to excitement when it comes to performance, and we should all learn our personal tendencies so we can stay in control.
We’ve all heard stories about athletes, astronauts or performers who stay calm, cool and collected in high stress environments. We’ve also heard stories about very capable people who don’t do well under pressure.
The key to controlling and harnessing your excitement is to make the stage your natural habitat. That’s your space where you’re at home and relaxed. That comes through getting more and more experience on stage and with great preparation.
Uncontrolled excitement can manifest in rushing tempos, crowding notes and playing without dynamics. None of that is good.
Work on recognizing the signs that you’re too amped up to perform well, and practice staying calm and relaxed. Some of this calm will naturally come through experience, but you should also be intentional about dialing back the excitement and keeping yourself cool on stage.
