Body language can shape who you are. What kind of piper do you want to be? It might just start with how you stand and how you present yourself to your audience.
When we walk up to the judge, are you comparing your past performances as an indicator of how you will do now? Chances are, you are thinking of that last performance where you broke down, made a blunder or went off the tune. Does that make you feel afraid it might happen again? Of course it does. Your heart rate increases and the adrenaline starts pumping. You start up and it is all downhill from there.
A piper who is fumbling with their instrument with their hands sliding all over the place making weird chanter noises does not project authority or confidence. In fact, I would expect a judge to be predicting at that moment how long it will be until you break down during the performance.
What if you were told that by simply standing differently you would be able to overcome this fear and reduce the stress reaction that will get in the way of an optimal performance?
Our body can affect our brain and influence our mental state, our hormone levels, and our behavior. We don’t just think with our minds, we also think with our bodies. We’ve all heard the term “body language.” It is a valid means of expression and we read it in others all the time. Our body language projects real intention that is interpreted by others. We’ve all judged others based on the way they look, sit, move, etc. Music is also a means of expression and made as much by our heads as it is by our bodies. Our mind may influence our body but our body also affects our mind. There is  much to suggest that  our body language may have a large effect on our music making. Read More
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