The bassoon, with its rich expressive capabilities, is an instrument where performance anxiety can noticeably affect tone and control on stage. Many players have experienced their fingers freezing up or their breathing becoming shallow, causing their sound to waver during performances. However, there is no need to label nervousness as inherently bad. Even professional players commonly experience anxiety intense enough to make their legs tremble. What truly matters is how you interpret that anxiety and how you learn to coexist with it—it is all about your mental approach. The more you try to suppress your nervousness, the more your body tenses up, and the more you lose the natural resonance of the bassoon. Start by not judging yourself for being nervous, and instead prepare your mind to accept it as part of the performance experience.

One effective technique for overcoming performance anxiety is "creating a third-person self." This is a psychological approach where you observe your nervous self from a calm, detached perspective, as if another version of you is watching from a slight distance. By objectively observing yourself—thinking things like "I'm really nervous right now" or "My legs are shaking"—as though it were happening to someone else, you can step out of the whirlpool of emotions. Simply imagining this "calm self" as a separate persona in your mind can prevent panic and help you regain the composure needed for performance. For executing the bassoon's complex fingerings and delicate reed control during a performance, this "self-objectification" is an extremely effective form of mental protection.

It is also worth reconsidering your pre-performance "routines." Routines such as wearing a particular perfume or putting on a specific bracelet can help calm your nerves. However, if you become overly dependent on them, forgetting one can trigger intense anxiety—"Today is going to be a disaster"—and there is a risk (a pitfall) of your performance falling apart. Having a routine is a good thing, but it is equally important to maintain the flexible mindset that "I can deliver a great performance even without my routine." Even if you forget your favorite item, you can still make music as long as you have your bassoon and yourself. Cultivating this strong mindset builds the true resilience to remain unfazed by unexpected setbacks.

As a key point for ideal breath control—building sustainable breathing and support to reduce fatigue—let us understand how your mental state affects your breathing. When you are nervous, your breathing becomes shallow, and the abdominal support needed to sustain the bassoon tends to weaken. If you notice during a performance that you are feeling tense, start by consciously taking deep, long breaths and re-establishing your core support from the base of your abdomen. Calming your mind is directly linked to stabilizing your physical breath control. When your mind settles, your breathing deepens; when your breathing deepens, your bassoon tone stabilizes, which in turn builds confidence—creating a virtuous cycle. Transform your performance anxiety into the energy source that drives this positive cycle.

Finally, take time to carefully observe when you tend to feel the most anxious. Knowing your own tendencies—such as "My anxiety peaks right before this particular phrase" or "I feel uneasy in this register"—is the first step toward developing strategies. A poor performance at a concert does not mean your life is over. Start by enjoying the moment and focusing on delivering the best bassoon sound you are capable of right now. Through the process of turning anxiety into an ally and developing a deeper understanding of yourself, your playing will surely evolve into something more profound and compelling. At your next performance, try stepping onto the stage together with your "other self" and enjoy the experience.

1. Analyze when you tend to feel nervous and deepen your self-understanding
2. During a performance, bring your "calm self" to mind and observe yourself objectively
3. Reframe nervousness as "energy" and make an effort to enjoy the situation itself
4. Visualize yourself delivering an outstanding performance even without your routine, and take the stage with confidence