A few days ago, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich published a post on their Facebook page promoting their upcoming concert. They probably had no idea that this amazing reel would become an incredibly vivid film depicting what musicians and athletes have in common.
Both athletes and musicians spend weeks, months, and years preparing for their performances. They endure long hours of physical exercise to prepare themselves to perform here and now at the best and highest level, whether it's a runner competing in the Olympics or an oboist playing a solo. Behind the best performance stands a person, with their own strengths and weaknesses, overcoming the physical challenges of their bodies. Just as athletes have their mental trainers to help them, musicians can draw from these achievements as well.
There's little difference in feeling the pressure of performing at the Olympics and beginning a solo trumpet performance of the fifth symphony Gustav Mahler. Both have practiced for years to present their skills as best as possible here and now, for the first time on a given day and at a specific time. Many years ago, American coaches wondered what sets apart the athletes who win gold at the Olympics from those who return home unfulfilled. Relatively speaking, all are qualified at a similar physical level, with similar achievements and capabilities. So what makes one of them win gold? The answer lies in the mental approach, in skills that have little to do with physical preparation but help our minds overcome fear and difficulties and present the best abilities at that moment in time.
After years of research, the American Olympic Institute has no doubt that mental training is a key element in helping achieve success in competitions or performances under pressure. Thanks to the achievements of mental trainers, musicians today can also benefit from this knowledge and apply it to their exercises. Not only can they, but they should. Why? Because the world around us demands absolute resilience and stress resistance, perfect recordings, and cultural and continental exchange, providing easy access to highly talented musicians or orchestras.
Being a member of one of the best orchestras in the world brings with it great passion and love for playing, talent, and energy. It also carries with it the responsibility of hard work and perseverance to constantly be at the highest level and present their 100% at daily rehearsals and weekly concerts... which, in the context of an entire demanding season or tour, can pose truly significant challenges. However, we are aided by the latest methods and research. The world is rapidly advancing, and musicians must also keep pace with cutting-edge methods because, as Thomas Jefferson said,
"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done."
While the world of music may seem closed to new teaching methods, many world-class orchestras are already using mental training methods. Their members themselves talk about how incredibly effective their exercises are and how they help them in their daily lives and performance practices. It might seem that it is precisely the use of mental training methods that helps distinguish the best orchestras from the very good ones, just as in sports, where gold is won by those who are best mentally prepared.
Although some individuals may naturally possess mental training skills, many athletes learn specific methods or concepts from the beginning. Learning and mastering all the elements at once and gradually developing these skills contribute to the overall results of performance. Many renowned tennis players like Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic directly respond that to be the best, they had to learn methods of mastering mental training and perfect them over a long time to meet the demanding and long-lasting training and to stay at the top of their game.
While the United States leads in achievements and applications of mental training methods, European countries have quickly decided to introduce them in their teams and squads, knowing how American athletes are starting to "escape" with results and winning advantages. Many members of American orchestras have also started to apply these practices, realizing how they facilitate their daily work and maintaining top form. Looking at this general trend, I begin to wonder when European orchestras will realize that they don't have much choice if they want to continue to have a chance and opportunity to compete among the best performers. We have many soloists who play well or very well, but how many of them are able to withstand the long-term pressure and burden of a soloist's profession if they do not find support in mental training? No athlete wins the Olympics alone; they have a team of several people supporting them in their development and building form for years...
Musicians, however, mostly work alone, relying on their talent. which they have a lot of, but sometimes the body refuses to obey, exhausted by travel and constant tension. It may seem that we could significantly bypass many problems by applying the achievements of our colleagues in sports and simply facilitating our lives and work. Therefore, I have great hope that the benefits of mental training, developed by me , will also serve my other colleagues in orchestras in the future, and that they will see the potential hidden within them, which would simply help me easily overcome the difficulties and challenges of daily life and performance at the highest level during each concert.