The Triangle of Tension

A text comes in

” Tim, we have a concert tonight and one of our percussion crew is sick can you fill in?”

Tim is an accomplished accompanist. 

Not so much work these days. 

He often wakes with anxiety and struggles to eat breakfast although he rushes out to buy coffee which is when he starts to calm down and face the day.

The last time he joined the percussion was to wield cymbals.

He miscounted and where there should have been an almighty clash there was a mortifying quiet.

His alarm system is consistently on amber and frequently spikes into red….. which is where we see him.

Thin, nervy and ready to offer his two quavers at bar 76.

All went well.

He went home and nearly cried with relief.

Months later he was invited back to a more regular position with the orchestra.

In the mean time there has been a transformation.

He is eating and sleeping a little better.

He has become more aware of the strain he was under and has more control over his anxiety.

His parasympathetic nervous system is more balanced and he has discovered that he can trust himself more under pressure. 

In the concert hall, he no longer waits with such grim determination and even enjoys being able to hear the music around him…. He pretty much knows his cue by ear and he finds he can count as well as notice the quality of contact with his feet on the floor.

He lets the intimidating looks from the conductor fly past him like a ball he no longer has to catch.

What happened?

A friend suggested he take a class in the Alexander Technique…… obviously!