Ansiedade na performance musical: uma intervenção pedagógica no contexto dos cursos de graduação da Escola de Música da UFMG

Abstract

This research investigated Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) in the context of Undergraduate Music courses at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. The literature reviewed has shown that MPA is a disorder that affects musicians of different ages and levels of expertise. Within the research gap on MPA coping strategies, this study developed MPA coping strategies through a Pedagogical Intervention that was conducted with instrumentalists and singers from UFMG's Undergraduate Music courses, in the discipline Workshop Music Performance Anxiety. First, we tested the hypothesis that the symptoms of MPA developed could be mitigated through the insertion of 4 educational processes within the Degree in Music: (1) The “Alexander Technique”, (2) Mentalization, (3) Mindfulness Meditation, and (4) Lectures with health professionals. After a Pilot Study, with the participation of 17 undergraduate students, the Main Study was conducted with 26 participants. The following categories of content analysis addressed by the research participants were created: (1) Psychological symptoms felt in the performances; (2) Physical symptoms felt in the performances; (3) the Performance context; (4) Demand inherent to the profession of the musician; (5) Context challenges; (6) MPA coping strategies adopted by the participants. After analyzing the qualitative data along with the final discussion with the participants, it was found that MPA is a condition caused by multiple factors and that MPA symptoms can be mitigated through a discipline that offers well-planned coping strategies.