The Bulletproof Musician
Ever wonder why you can practice for hours, sound great in the practice room, and still be frustratingly hit or miss on stage? Join performance psychologist and Juilliard alumnus/faculty Noa Kageyama, and explore research-based “practice hacks” for beating anxiety, practicing more effectively, and playing up to your full abilities when it matters most.
The Bulletproof Musician
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice?
The use of mental practice or mental imagery to enhance learning and performance is extremely common amongst athletes in sports. And it’s something that musicians like Horowitz, Rubinstein, Glenn Gould, and learners at all levels have been known to use in music as well.
But I’ve had students and professional musicians alike tell me that they sometimes have difficulty making the imagery feel real. Or that they have difficulty staying engaged with it. As in, one minute they’re visualizing some music, and the next, their mind has drifted off to food. Or they fall asleep. 🤣
Could there be a better way to do visualization?
Get all the nerdy details and study links here:
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice?
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Has performance anxiety been a nagging issue that tends to get in the way of your playing, no matter how prepared you feel before performances, auditions - or even lessons? Or have you just been feeling a little stuck, like you’re not making much progress in the practice room?
If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and play more like yourself on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting April 6, 2025, I’ll be teaching a live, online, 4-week class on the most essential mental skills and practice strategies that can make a difference in your practicing and performing.
We’ll meet once a week via Zoom and explore the relevant research in four essential areas, experiment with a curated set of exercises and techniques together as a group, and to make sure the ideas become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through bite-sized practice challenges alongside a supportive group of practice buddies from around the world.
Registration closes Sunday, March 30, 2024.
Over 2000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have participated in the course to date. You can get all the details and learn how to join Cohort 22 at: