How I Learned to Think & Train Like an Olympian: The Importance of Mental Skills for Musicians with Lara Deutsch

Like athletes who spend a lifetime training for an Olympic race, musicians spend years practicing for auditions which sometimes last only minutes. However, most of us focus completely on musical preparation for these opportunities, even though the ability to perform at our best in high-stakes situations is largely a result of mental strength. In this presentation, I share how I’ve learned to optimize my performance from my work with renowned Olympic mental coach, Jean-François Ménard. This work has been life-changing for me and, as such, I am a passionate advocate for mental skills coaching in conjunction with all performing arts training.

Topics Covered:

The subconscious impact of language on our self-talk

Optimizing preparation

Pre-performance routines

Q&A, as well as suggested reading & viewing