EFT - A NEW TOOL FOR AUDITIONS.

Mandy you’ve been teaching and preparing students for auditions for many years.

Why are you now incorporating EFT-tapping into this process?

Well, auditions of any sort can be one of the most stressful playing situations for any performer and they are unavoidable if you want an orchestral job or casual work with an orchestra.

EFT fundamentally is a stress reduction technique. It brings down cortisol (a stress hormone) by 37% and reduces anxiety by 40%. This makes it an ideal tool as you prepare for an audition. From the day you get the excerpts the pressure starts to build and using EFT can bring you to audition day in a much calmer, less activated state so you can then manage any performance anxiety more effectively.

Can you talk a bit more about how stress affects performers and why we need tools to manage it.

Some stress can be motivating, energizing but if the pressures of the audition aren’t managed there are many ways that stress can show up. And I know this from having done many auditions in the past without having any stress reduction tools.

Stress can affect us physically, mentally, emotionally and behaviorally.

Overwhelm, dread, disturbed sleep, digestion issues, muscle tension, panicked practice, unhelpful thoughts.

 EFT can address stress on all these levels helping you to be calmer and to practice more productively in the run up to the audition.

How do you use EFT in an instrument specific way to help students prepare for auditions?

One of the pressures of auditions is having only a short amount of time to play and nailing a difficult excerpt first time is challenging. So first, I spend a lot of time teaching effective practice techniques. But sometimes a difficult passage just doesn’t respond. So, I check first that the student is using deliberate practice techniques and are being specific enough in their problem solving, finding solutions.

Then we address whatever else is going on.

What emotions have built up? Is there muscle tension in response to their tussle with the passage? Frustration is common and can block effective learning. Muscle tension can show up anywhere in the body. After acknowledging what is going on tapping can quickly bring down the intensity of the emotion and release the tension. This means the student can then practice the passage more deeply, feeling more relaxed physically, mentally and emotionally.

They can then perform it without anticipating any issues – being more at ease and connected to the music.

Are there any other ways you use EFT for auditions?

I really like the way EFT can be used for goal setting. The process of goal setting can help a student clarify what they want to achieve, what their purpose is in playing music, in doing the audition. With EFT though we always tap on the “buts”. These “buts” are our beliefs or self -talk which can block us from preparing effectively and playing at our best.

“But I don’t have time to practice, but I always stuff up this excerpt in auditions, but I’m too young/too old/not experienced enough… but I’m not even sure I want to do this…”

Neutralising the “buts” gives you the clarity to approach the audition from a place of learning and empowerment. No audition panel can take that away from you and you can build on this in the future.

What about on the day of the audition. Can EFT be useful?

Most players are going to be nervous for an audition and of course this can serve you, give your playing energy and spark. However, for wind players especially if performance anxiety affects your breathing adversely this is going to be a worry – feeling you can’t support, can’t breathe deeply. This creates more tension and anxiety.

One of the EFT techniques is for constricted breathing. EFT calms the nervous system and as this happens the breath naturally lengthens and deepens. It’s then much easier and more effective to use the breathing techniques you already know such as the Box breath or Physiological sigh.

EFT will also help you release muscle tension before you play, calm your mind and help you stay present.

And what about after the audition?

You may have got the job!

For the player who have “won” the audition this is just the start of the process. I will write about orchestral trials another time…

But for the majority of players who didn’t, it can be a time of frustration, anger, soul searching. I have written a blog on the audition aftermath which goes into this.

Can EFT be used with other performers or other high-pressure situations?

Yes for sure. All performers have similar challenges and of course public speaking is another high-pressure situation. Research on EFT and public speaking has found that it quickly and significantly reduces anxiety and increases confidence, both in academic and professional situations. So this also includes school /Uni or work presenting.

Do you teach EFT?

Yes I teach EFT for personal use and incorporate this into lessons where appropriate and coaching sessions. Deeper issues like trauma are best worked through with an EFT practitioner but for everyday use I encourage people to use EFT themselves and teach them how to do this effectively.

What happens in a typical audition coaching session?

First we identify what your specific needs are. If you are new to the audition process I will incorporate practical tools – practice techniques to help you nail your excerpts first time, performance anxiety and pre-performance routine strategies. Then use EFT for whatever may be holding you back.

If you have been doing auditions and aren’t progressing you may need more EFT if the practical knowledge and strategies are already in place. As you do the EFT with me I can teach you how to follow up with it yourself.

How does someone know if audition coaching and EFT are right for them?

If you are just starting out and feel unprepared for professional auditions it’s good to learn these skills early on so you can continue to build on them.

If you have done many auditions and kept being knocked back that is a great time to explore what is going on – what is your preparation missing?  How can you manage the whole situation better so you can play your best on the day? Are auditions even the right path for you right now?

How does someone get in touch with you to have a chat about this?

Send me a message through my website contact page. We can set up a time for a chat so you can ask any questions you have, the number of sessions you may need, pricing etc

Then you can make an informed decision about whether audition coaching and EFT are right for you.