Stage Fright: Its Causes and Cures

Stage Fright: Its Causes and Cures with Special Reference to Violin Playing by renowned violinist and teacher Kato Havas is a music-focused book exploring the physical and psychological causes of performance anxiety in violin playing. Drawing from her own experience performing as a child prodigy before composers Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, Havas examines the connection between tension, concentration, confidence, and musical expression while presenting practical exercises designed to help violinists approach performance with greater ease and control.This book is written for violin players, teachers, performers, and musicians interested in understanding how physical strain and mental pressure can affect playing during recitals, auditions, concerts, examinations, and public performance situations. The content combines thoughtful discussion with focused exercises that encourage improved body awareness, relaxation, concentration, and stage presence while supporting a more natural approach to violin performance.Rather than approaching performance anxiety as an isolated issue, Kato Havas connects technical strain, mental focus, and body awareness in a way that encourages more natural and expressive violin playing. The book offers valuable perspective for musicians preparing for recitals, auditions, concerts, examinations, or personal musical development. Its emphasis on practical application allows readers to reflect on their playing habits while building a calmer and more centered approach to performance situations.The material is especially meaningful for violinists interested in the relationship between musical expression and physical ease. Readers will find discussions surrounding tension, confidence, preparation, and performance mindset presented in an accessible and experience-driven voice shaped by Havas’s celebrated career as a violinist and teacher. Read more