“What a terrific review article on performance anxiety in music! Not only does it articulate an important perspective that opens up additional paths to productive solutions for musicians, but it connects the research on musicians with the latest understanding of optimal performance in the sport psychology literature as well. And I really appreciated how a bit of personality and humour came through at various points too! :)”

— Dr Noa Kageyama, The Bulletproof Musician

Bex Herman research performance anxiety phd music

“Bex is the sort of researcher who doesn’t come along that often. She brings a clarity of focus that is mirrored by an impressive ability to synthesise, critique, and propose new ways forwards from the existing literature. Rooted in her experiences as a performer, Bex’s research is rigorous, innovative, and firmly focused on supporting musicians and enhancing music education. I’ll be watching with keen interest to see what trail-blazing research Bex conducts next!”

—Professor Rosie Perkins, Royal College of Music

Rethinking Performance Anxiety

I research performance anxiety from the inside out — combining lived experience as a professional musician with rigorous scientific inquiry.

For over 50 years, performance anxiety has been framed primarily as a problem to reduce or manage.
And yet, despite decades of research and intervention, rates of performance anxiety remain consistently high.

My research asks a different question:
what if the problem isn’t the anxiety — but how we understand it?

The Core Idea

Performance anxiety is not a disorder to eliminate.

It is:
→ a natural response to evaluative environments
→ shaped by context, interpretation and resources
→ something to work with, not eliminate

This shifts us away from:
→ control, suppression and avoidance

And towards:
→ adaptability, flexibility and freedom under pressure

A group of people, including women and a young man, are engaged in conversation at an indoor event. A woman with a name tag that reads 'Bex Herman' is smiling and talking to another woman. The background features a white wall with a clock and a door.

Why This Matters

This is not just a theoretical shift — it has real-world consequences.

When we stop trying to “get rid” of anxiety, more effective approaches become possible.

This allows musicians to:
→ perform more reliably under pressure
→ reduce cycles of fear and avoidance
→ reconnect with presence, expression and enjoyment

The problem isn’t the anxiety.
It’s how we’ve been taught to understand it.

Close-up of a woman with gray hair in a ponytail, smiling, wearing a dark blue zippered shirt, against a plain light gray background.

From Experience to Research

While grounded in scientific literature and empirical data, my work is also deeply personal.

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, I spent my twenties performing internationally with leading ensembles.

From the outside, it looked like a dream.

In reality, I was experiencing severe, debilitating performance anxiety.

In 2017, I stepped away from performing entirely, losing my identity, my livelihood and my community overnight.

That moment led me to the Royal College of Music Centre for Performance Science, where I began researching performance anxiety in depth.

What followed was a period of exploration — through performance psychology, mindfulness, somatic techniques and other modalities.

In 2022, I returned to the stage with a fundamentally different relationship to performance.

That journey now underpins everything I do.

A group of people talking and smiling at an indoor event, with a woman in the center wearing a name tag that reads 'Bex Herman'.

Research in Practice

My work sits at the intersection of:

theoretical critique (challenging dominant models of MPA)

empirical research (investigating how anxiety operates in real performance contexts)

applied practice (translating research into tools for musicians)

This integration is central to everything I do. It also forms the foundation of my performance coaching and workshops.

Selected Publications

Matei et al. (in press). Health Promotion in Tertiary Music Institutions: A Position Paper.

Herman, R., & Clark, T. (2023). It’s not a virus! Reconceptualizing and de-pathologizing music performance anxiety. Frontiers in Psychology.

Selected Talks & Conferences

I regularly present my research internationally, both within and beyond academia.

Recent / forthcoming presentations include:

Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA), New York (2026)
Australian Music Psychology Society, Gold Coast (2026)
International Symposium of Performance Science — Shanghai (2025), Warsaw (2023)
International Mindfulness Conference, Aarhus (2021)

I also give invited talks and workshops across conservatoires, universities, and professional music organisations in the UK and Australia.

Beyond Academia

“I listened to your podcast and it genuinely gave me the strength to keep going during a really hideously anxious patch… thank you.”

— Cellist

I am passionate about making research accessible and meaningful beyond academic contexts.

My work aims to:

challenge stigma around performance anxiety
shift unhelpful narratives in music culture
equip musicians with practical, evidence-based tools to support their music-making

Work With Me

This research directly informs my applied work with musicians.

If you’re interested in translating these ideas into your own performance:

→ Visit the Performance Coaching & Workshops page or email me!