“You Know It, You Can Do It—Good Luck!”: Managing Music Performance Anxiety in the Context of Transforming Music Performance Ecosystems

Music performance anxiety (MPA) can be examined within the framework of music performance ecosystems, wherein performers' musical self-concept is shaped through complex social and cultural interactions. This research aims to identify ecosystemic interactions contributing to the emergence of MPA, and to promote a shift in its understanding, from a focus on individual symptomatology to the recognition of collective influences. A qualitative analysis was conducted using biographical-narrative interviews with 11 established musical performers (six female, five male), aged 23 to 62, representing a range of instruments, including violin, viola, cello, flute, piano, harp, and voice. Their experience encompasses solo, chamber, and orchestral performance, as well as pedagogical work, all rooted in the traditional educational framework of Western classical music. The analysis, based on the grounded theory methodology, highlights four key dimensions: the demanding stage; the development of psychological resilience in performers; the musical self-concept as a reflection of the performer's experience; and performance as a process of transformation. The findings suggest that an ecosystemic perspective may support preventive interventions for MPA, particularly by reframing the traditional virtuoso performance model. Often internalized early in music education, this prestigious ideal continues to shape professional careers, placing heavy self-reflective demands on performers. To support healthier artistic development, music performance ecosystems can bridge the gap between skill acquisition and performer attunement. This is not merely a divide between learning and performing, but a structural loop in which training-oriented processes-such as analysis, self-criticism, and control-may hinder stage performance if not transformed into holistic, embodied execution.