Playing Scared: A History and Memoir of Stage Fright, by Sara Solovitch
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Playing Scared: A History and Memoir of Stage Fright, by Sara Solovitch
Read and Download Playing Scared: A History and Memoir of Stage Fright, by Sara Solovitch
Stage fright is one of the human psyche's deepest fears. Laurence Olivier learned to adapt to it, as have actors Salma Hayek and Hugh Grant. Musicians such as George Harrison and Adele have battled it and learned to cope. Others never do: In 1973, Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star pitcher Steve Blass suddenly could no longer find the strike zone; his career ended soon after. Surveys in the United States repeatedly rank public speaking as one of the top fears, affecting up to 74 percent of people.
Sara Solovitch studied piano as a young child and fell in love with music. At ten, she played Bach and Mozart in her hometown's annual music festival, but was overwhelmed by fear. As a teen, she attended Eastman School of Music, where stage fright led her to give up aspirations of becoming a professional pianist. In her late fifties, Sara gave herself a one-year deadline to tame performance anxiety and play before an audience. She resumed music lessons, while exploring meditation, exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, biofeedback, beta blockers, and other remedies. She performed in airports, hospitals, and retirement homes before renting a public hall and performing for fifty guests on her sixtieth birthday.
Using her own journey as inspiration, Solovitch has written a thoughtful and insightful examination of the myriad causes of stage fright and the equally diverse ways to overcome it, and a tribute to pursuing personal growth at any age.
Playing Scared: A History and Memoir of Stage Fright, by Sara Solovitch - Amazon Sales Rank: #453017 in Books
- Brand: Solovitch, Sara
- Published on: 2015-06-16
- Released on: 2015-06-16
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.43" h x 1.04" w x 5.85" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 288 pages
Playing Scared: A History and Memoir of Stage Fright, by Sara Solovitch Review
“Interspersed with her own story, Solovitch provides plenty of context on performance anxiety in general . . . For those who similarly suffer, and they are legion, the book suggests, the memoir offers comfort and hope.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“There is a wide range of behavioral and mental exercises that might help [the physical symptoms of anxiety], and these are the main subject of Sara Solovitch's PLAYING SCARED.” ―The New Yorker
“Readers will find her story fascinating.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Solovitch's book is not just a memoir, but a practical guide for the multitudes who share her . . . performing fears. One of the unexpected pleasures of the book is Solovitch's description of playing the piano . . . her dedication to her craft and the joy she experiences as she immerses herself in the music.” ―BookPage
“One of the strengths of this book is the clarity and confidence of Solovitch's prose.” ―Weekly Standard
“Not only has Sara Solovitch written a gripping and compelling tale of her own journey as a musical performer confronting stage fright, Playing Scared will hold significance for anyone who fears the spotlight, whether in the boardroom, on the playing field or on stage. Masterfully done!” ―Jennifer L. Eberhardt, associate professor of psychology at Stanford University and a 2014 MacArthur Fellow
“Who knew that stage fright was so widespread--the sad secret of many musicians, athletes, actors, and people from all walks of life who dissolve when giving a talk to a dozen people? Brava to Solovitch for weaving the fascinating history of stage fright together with her own experience of playing the piano literally scared stiff, and for enriching all of us by sharing her triumphant story.” ―Katie Hafner, author of MOTHER DUGHTER ME and A ROMANCE ON THREE LEGS: GLENN GOULD'S OBSESSIVE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT PIANO
“If your knees knock, your heart races and your sweat glands become hydrants at the terrifying prospect of taking the stage, you're in good company. I once had stage fright. So did Sara Solovitch. If you're in the club, fear not. This book will set you free.” ―Steve Lopez, author of THE SOLOIST: A LOST DREAM, AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP AND THE REDEMPTIVE POWER OF MUSIC
“This fascinating book is a memoir of the author's journey from uncontrollable stage fright as a young pianist to the joy of recovery in middle age . . . and there are quite a few useful tips along the way.” ―Stephen Hough, concert pianist and composer
About the Author Sara Solovitch is a former reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer whose articles have appeared in Esquire, Wired, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. She has been a health columnist for the San Jose Mercury News and worked as a medical writer at Stanford University. This is her first book. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Stage Fright is made into a very human, very fascinating subject in this interesting book! By I'd rather be at the Beach Sara Solovitch takes a dry, almost documentary-like subject like stage fright and makes it into a very human, very interesting book. She was a child prodigy at the age of 2 playing the piano but finally gave into her her awful stage fright by her 20s and quit. She has studied the subject and given us fascinating examples here. Did you know that Carly Simon, who was famous for her phobia, would stab herself with safety pins before performing to distract herself? There are many more examples of how people managed to overcome stage fright…or not…in this fascinating book.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Do You Play Scared? By RNJ I’m not sure why I was drawn to this book, except that the chords it struck by way of a recent New Yorker article (August 3, 2015, “I Can’t Go On!” by Joan Acocella) told me I must read it. I began studying piano when I was ten, and then at age thirteen I set about the study of classical organ, which continued throughout my successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in music. I’d suffered certain moments of stage fright, not only while playing organ (I, like the author, gave up playing), but also when I taught Advanced Placement English classes (Pre-AP to be exact) each morning for ten years, always wondering if I would say something wrong, or worse, something stupid. The most difficult situation for me was speaking before a group of adults, reading from my own writing! By sharing with us her life-long battle with stage fright, Solovitch has created a fine primer on how to approach the affliction that affects millions of people, whether, musicians, actors, athletes, or other public figures:“A 2014 survey by the online research and consulting firm YouGov reported that 56 percent of Americans were ‘very’ or ‘a little’ afraid of public speaking. But it wasn’t their top-ranking fear; snakes and heights ranked higher. Among the British, YouGov found the same prevalence of public-speaking anxiety, but that figure exceeded a fear of heights and snakes” (177). Whoo!Or, allow this to soak in: “By 1987, a survey by the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, which represents instrumentalists in dozens of major orchestras, revealed that 27 percent of its members used beta-blockers. Of those, 70 percent got the drug from colleagues”(108). For those who don’t know, beta-blockers are a medicine that slows down the heart, gives the person a physical sense of calm.Solovitch’s journey is a long one. She begins studying piano as a young child and continues throughout college. As an adult, she gives up performance and actually becomes a journalist, creating a successful career. However, she reaches a point where she feels she not only wishes to play again but wishes to conquer her extreme stage fright (sweaty palms, limbs that quake/my most dreadful symptom seems to be the emission of rather acrid farts). Over a number of years Solovitch must consult scores of experts: other musicians, therapists, both physical and psychological, sports coaches and many more. In the end she sets a goal for herself: to play at age sixty a challenging piano recital in front of a large audience of family, friends, and other musicians. Her journey is a remarkable one, one that’s instructive for all of us, whether we’re musicians, performers, speakers, or even audience members. Important to remember are those who appear before us, that they may be suffering from performance anxiety, the preferred term, and we can by our very understanding help them by being attentive and understanding and most of all, forgiving, something performers often cannot do themselves.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Help for Stage Fright By Joyce I started reading this book at a piano workshop and decided to order a copy for myself. In a humorous and entertaining way, it provides a thorough examination of stage fright, which all musicians are familiar with. It helps a person begin to let go of perfectionism and fear.
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