We’ve all had students who walk into our studio with confidence, excited and ready to tackle anything from day one. They’re happy, eager and seem to own the place. 

But then there’s another type – the ones who shuffle in nervously, filled with uncertainty, fear or the need to cling to a parent.

Now, I’m no therapist or expert on anxiety. But after more than thirty-five years of teaching, I’ve encountered my fair share of nervous students. 

From the independent piano studio and kindergarten/first grade classrooms to the elementary music classroom and the high school choir, I’ve witnessed many kinds of anxiety.

Let’s talk about some ways to stop our music students’ anxiety before it runs amok, and look at a few examples I’ve encountered.

Stop Nerves Before They Grow

Although we teachers can’t offer a cure to anxiety, we can help manage the symptoms and create calm for our music students from the very beginning.

Action 1: Spot the Signs

Students’ nerves can manifest themselves in countless ways, and it’s crucial to recognise the signs early. Other than the usual shaky hands, sweaty palms and tense posture, watch out for signs like these:

• Shutting down completely and avoiding participation
• Acting out or getting silly to mask their nervousness
• Speaking in whispers – or not at all
• Displaying frustration, anger or even tears

Action 2: Make Students Comfortable

I take extra care to make students feel comfortable. Other than being super nice (my partner jokes that my superhero name is “Super Nice”), I employ a few other strategies:

• Don’t rush. It’s important to take the time to establish a rhythm with each student.
• During the first few months, overplan so you never run out of activities.
• Play games! Students – especially beginners – love a good game, and it makes learning fun.
• Teach plenty of rote pieces in the beginning lessons. Almost everyone learns ‘Hot Cross Buns’ at our first lesson, or ‘Beginner Blacks, Level One’ from Samantha Coates’ ’Blitz! Rote Repertoire’.

If you’re a member of Vibrant Music Teaching, remember to use your member discount code to save 10% on ‘Blitz! Rote Repertoire’.

Action 3: Build Rapport

From day one, I make it a point to understand each student’s world – what’s going on outside of lessons.

Try building rapport with questions like:

• How was your weekend?
• What kinds of things interest you?
• Who’s your favourite singer/artist/band?

These small conversations help create a safe space where students feel heard and understood. Trust in me is the first step in helping manage nervousness in lessons.

Action 4: Take an Emotional Temperature

My new go-to phrase is, “Tell me how you’re feeling about this.” This simple question gives students a chance to express what’s on their minds, whether they feel nervous, frustrated or something else entirely. 

Taking a student’s emotional temperature opens the door for conversation. Even if they don’t respond immediately, it lets them know I’m listening.

Action 5: Plan for Productive Lessons

I find that students who face anxiety in music lessons can create less-than-productive lessons. When that happens, I make sure my lesson plans allow for every conceivable hiccup.

• Take responsibility if students aren’t figuring something out. Tell them you need to do a better job of teaching that concept, and ask them to let you try a different way.
• Teach the same concept in multiple ways over multiple lessons.
• Use roleplay to show making mistakes with exaggerated reactions using humor and overacting.
• Remind students that no one in your studio has ever died from making a mistake in a piano piece. Not even once!

Need a fun way for music students with anxiety to practise embracing mistakes? ‘Unicorn Horncraft’ is the perfect game to make this fun. Enter your info below and the Vibrant Music Teaching team will send a free copy directly to your inbox.

Already a VMT member? Download ‘Unicorn Horncraft’ from the Printable Library. Not a member yet? What are you waiting for? Games aren’t just for teaching theory – we have loads of games and other resources to help you with anxious or nervous students. Visit www.vibrantmusicteaching.com to learn more and join the global movement.

The Many Faces of Anxiety

Stress in learning is a normal part of the process. But with patience, empathy and trust, we can help our music students navigate their anxiety.

Every student is different, and each will need a unique approach. Let’s look at a few case studies you might encounter in your own teaching studio.

Student 1: Mark’s Performance Anxiety

Mark had a pretty typical case of performing anxiety. He was terrified of…dun dun duuun…

THE RECITAL. 😱

His parents didn’t want to push it, but I wanted him to at least try to play his piece, and they were on board with me working with him on that goal.

Tackling the Issue

Mark, his mother and I made a plan with baby steps.

To start, he got to play his absolute favourite piece of all time: an arrangement of Vivaldi’s ‘Spring Theme’.

His first assignment? Call his grandmother and play it for her. She was his biggest fan, and we all knew she would adore it. 

After a few more phone calls to family members, Mark agreed to play for a neighbour, then my own family, whom he was already familiar with. By then, Mark had built enough confidence that he decided to give the recital a try.

The Result

He did it! He played too fast, missed a few rests and was as nervous as ever – but he played. And the applause was deafening, especially from his family and me. The best part? Mark found himself addicted to performing.

Student 2: Theresa’s Comparison-itis

I’ve been teaching Theresa for almost ten years. She has some learning challenges, and exhibits some signs of mild to moderate anxiety.

She also has a very loving but very accomplished older sister. Bailey is Theresa’s biggest cheerleader. BUT, Bailey is good at everything: at school, at piano, at swimming, at friendships…. and while Theresa loves her sister very much, she feels like she’ll never measure up. 

Theresa does like piano, but she LOVES singing. Even still, she…

Does. Not. Sing. In. Public.

Tackling the Issue

In the last few years, we’ve been spending a little of her 45-minute lesson block on vocal instruction to give her more confidence in a wider variety of her abilities.

The Results

Not only is Theresa advancing in her piano skills, she’s gaining the confidence needed to pursue her passion for singing due to the time spent on her voice during lessons. This spring she wants to play the piano and sing at the recital!

Watching Theresa overcome her fear and step up to the challenge has been one of my proudest moments.

Check out the Colourful Keys ‘Planning Lessons’ hub page for more ideas on tackling your biggest planning problems.

Student 3: Derek’s Practice Qualms

Let’s be honest: we all have students who just don’t practise enough. They show up to lessons feeling stressed and unprepared, and it’s not a fun experience for anyone. 

But sometimes a lack of practice isn’t just about being overscheduled or uninterested.

Derek is a student who’s been taking lessons with me for many years. His anxieties are quite severe and medically documented, and have gotten much worse as he’s moved into his teen years.

Tackling the Issue

As a result, I offered his parents the option of “no practice lessons”. Derek is now working on some simple rote pieces during his lessons, and sometimes we just work on improv, games or music theory.

The Results

After a few lessons using this method, Derek said, “Hey, Miss Dana, I actually kind of had fun today!” This little win meant everything to me.

Student 4: Nicky’s Lesson-Time Anxiety

When anxiousness shows up during lessons, I know I have to be proactive. But over time, I’ve figured out that it’s crucial not to rush in with big solutions right away. Take a while to observe and gauge the situation.

Nicky is a six-year-old diagnosed with Selective Mutism. She loves to read, but can only speak to three people in her life: her parents and her only friend, Francis.

Tackling the Issue

I worked with her parents and psychiatrist on strategies to help her succeed in our classroom. We mostly used white boards and simple sign language. I never made her lack of speech a big deal, so no one else in the group classes did, either. She was just Nicky.

The Results

Many years later, Nicky’s parents told me that I was still her favourite teacher because I helped her and didn’t make her feel worse. That’s definitely one of our goals as teachers, isn’t it?

What do you do when you spot anxiety in your teaching studio?

Tell us about it in the comments.