Folks, trumpeter, Jon Gorrie has written a wonderful little book called “Performance in the Zone.” This is a book that deals with getting one’s mental house in order for performance.
There are many books that performers have used as a guide to get ready for a concert, recital or gig. Books that come to mind are Zen and the Art of Archery, and the Mental Game of Tennis. Gorrie’s book is specifically geared towards performers in the arts, though it could apply even to sports.
In reading this book, ideas that resonated with me are the following: 1.) You are what you think. 2.) Your performance should add value to your own life and the life of others. 3.) Avoid excessive talk about yourself. 4.) Keep a performance journal. These are only a few of the many salient points Gorrie addresses.
The book also has a work-book component. Gorrie wants you to develop a solid repeatable method for getting yourself into the zone.
This book is very well thought out. Like similar books (Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner comes to mind), there is reference to Eastern philosophies, though it is not a book on religion by any means. There is also considerable reference to the psychological underpinnings of Gorrie’s ideas. There are many fine references at the end of the book.
This is a very thorough treatise on performance preparation. I would recommend it to anyone working along these lines.
Respectfully,
Nick Drozdoff
(Internationally renowned trumpet performing artist, former trumpet player with the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra. More info at http://www.nickdrozdoff.com )
I recently received an email from Jessica Ford. She is a vocal coach based in the U.S. and has a pretty impressive bio at her site thesingingstudio.net
Worth a look for all U.S. based commercial vocalists!
I’ve recently had the privilege of corresponding with Warrior (formerly The Ultimate Warrior, from the world of professional wrestling and sports entertainment). Warrior is a man with strong, no nonsense views, and he’s allowed me to reproduce one of his blog posts here.
At first, this post might not seem like it is totally in line with the other posts on The Zone blog, but there are a lot of truths and wisdom in what Warrior is saying here. If you’ve read Performing in The Zone, you’ll remember the quotes I use to begin every week of The 12 Week Performance Success Programme. The quote for Week 11 (pg.166) is “Knowledge is everywhere – in every book, in every person, in every situation. All you have to do is be open enough to receive it”.
When you read Warrior’s post, or *any* text, if you have the attitude, “What can I learn from this?” you’ll always be on the road to progress and self-improvement, and that’s what Performing in The Zone is all about.
“The Greatest Good to the Greatest Number will obviously be reached when each individual of the greatest number is doing the greatest good to himself.”
“Individualism has the strength to resist all attacks.”
The subject of beta blockers can be a rather sensitive one amongst performers and doctors alike.
If you are considering taking beta blockers (with or without a prescription) to get ahead in your next audition, think twice. With possible side-effects such as dizziness, fatigue, diarrhea, impotence, and even anaphylactic shock (sudden death!), beta-blockers are far from a cure-all!
Well, we’ve been going through some pretty big subjects over the past couple of weeks – performance arousal, stress, and so on. So today, I thought I’d post this youtube video to lighten things up a bit. It is a world-record breaking performance! Watch closely, the basketball-trampoline athlete is definitely performing in The Zone
In surveys conducted around the world, it has been discovered that the act of speaking in public is something many people have an intense fear about. In fact, public speaking often ranks higher on our list of fears than death itself!
If your palms start to sweat, your legs turn to jelly, and you start to feel faint just at the thought of speaking to an audience, help is at hand!
“Going peripheral” – a technique from “Performing in The Zone”, can help you to feel calm, in control, and confident when you are speaking in public.
Be careful though, you might end up enjoying public speaking engagements
Interested in Bass Books, CD’s and DVD’s? If so, Join the discussion in the Bass Musician Magazine Community!
Have you ever gone to a concert, a play, a sports event or even your favorite restaurant and just been blown away by how amazing it was? Superior performance in all aspects of life is much more that a mere coincidence! Performing in the Zone by Jon Gorrie was written to help you take a thorough look at yourself and take your performing (and anything in your life) to the next level.
First we are presented with the ‘Theory behind this Process where we get acquainted with the parameters of performance. Next we are given the many techniques we can use to get situated where we need to be for optimal performance. Next, we formalize the process by establishing a program to accomplish our goals. Lastly, we are given the keys to dig even deeper in the pursuit of that “Zone”
All in all, the clear and concise text and numerous exercises make this an excellent “workbook for success”. Anyone can apply the many lessons here to achieving a superior result in anything they choose.
I’ve been in touch recently with Cari Cole of Cari Cole Voice Studios, NYC.
Cari is based in New York City, and is a vocal teacher and coach of Grammy winners, Major & Indie Label Recording Artists, American Idol finalists, Star Search 2003/04 winners, Broadway performers, Major Motion Picture Actors, Award-winning Songwriters, Grammy winning Producers, Record labels and musicians around the globe.
