Performance Mindset

I’m delighted and honoured to share that this November I will be taking part in The Listening Room – Season Three, organised by the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA).

The Listening Room brings together professionals working with performing artists, creating a space for professional exchange, discussion and learning.

On 10 November, I’ll be contributing my perspective from the field of performance mindset and psychological preparation for musicians — an area that has become the central focus of my work over the past years.

I strongly believe that preparing musicians for a life on stage means going beyond technical and artistic preparation. We also need to help them develop the psychological skills that allow them to perform, make decisions and respond effectively when the pressure is real.

I’m very grateful to PAMA for the invitation and looking forward to being part of this conversation.
If you are a PAMA member, I warmly invite you to join us on 10 November.

Plan to attend the Listening Room. These forums are for mental health practitioners working with performing artists. Enjoy this space for peer support, professional development, and shared inquiry. All sessions are moderated by Heather O'Donnell - 9 October 2026 with Dr. Mark Seton; 10 November 2026 with Joanna Latala; and 20 November 2026 with Dr. Devin Nikki Thomas. For PAMA members. https://vist.ly/5jm54

🎻 My new article has just been published in The Strad The Strad.

Beyond the Repertoire: Preparing Young Musicians for a Major Competition

Preparing for a major competition is often thought of as a question of repertoire, technique and musical interpretation.

But there is another part of preparation that deserves much more attention:

How do we prepare the musician for the experience of performing under pressure?

A young musician may know the repertoire extremely well and still struggle to access that preparation when the stakes are high.

What happens when a mistake occurs?

How do you regain your focus?

How do you manage the thoughts and emotions that appear before and during a performance?

How do you build confidence that comes from preparation rather than simply trying to “feel confident”?

These are some of the questions I explore in my new article for The Strad.

They are also at the heart of my work through Achieve Performance Mindset, where I help musicians develop practical psychological skills that support performance — including attention, confidence, pressure management, performance routines and recovery after mistakes.

I believe we need to move beyond the idea that psychological preparation is something a musician turns to only when there is a problem.

It can — and perhaps should — be part of how musicians learn to perform from the very beginning.

I’m very grateful to **The Strad** for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this conversation.

📖 Read the full article here:

And if you work with young musicians, teach at a conservatory or music school, or are involved in performance education, I would love to hear your thoughts:

How much psychological preparation do you think young musicians receive as part of their musical education?

'The human experience of standing on a stage, knowing that people are listening and evaluating, is something every competitor must learn to navigate'

Cellist and researcher Joanna Latała examines how preparation for competitions requires more than just learning the notes in the practice room. Link in comments 🎻

Performance Mindset

🎻 Preparing for an important competition is about more than preparing the repertoire.

You can know your music by heart.
You can be technically well prepared.
You can spend months working on every detail.

And still find yourself wondering before walking on stage:

Will I be able to perform at my real level when the pressure is on?

This is where individual performance mindset coaching can make a difference.

In my individual work with musicians preparing for competitions, auditions and other high-stakes performances, we focus on:

🎯 attention and concentration
🧠 managing pressure and performance anxiety
🎻 developing a personalised pre-performance routine
🔄 recovering quickly after mistakes
💭 working with thoughts and emotions during performance
⭐ building confidence and trust in your preparation

The goal is not to eliminate stress.

It is to develop the skills to **perform effectively even when pressure is present** — and to have a clear strategy for the moments when it matters most.

I work individually with young musicians preparing for important competitions, auditions, exams and performances.

If you are preparing for an important performance and want to prepare not only the music, but also **yourself as a performer**, you can find more information about individual coaching through the link in my bio.

Joanna Latała
Performance Mindset Coach

🎻 What should you actually do in the final 21 days before an important performance?

When a competition, audition or major performance is getting closer, it’s tempting to think:

I just need to practise more.

But the final weeks before a high-stakes performance are not only about learning more notes.

They are about learning how to use what you have already prepared — under pressure.

In my latest article for The Strad , I explore what happens psychologically during the final 21 days before an important performance and how musicians can structure this period more intentionally.

We look at questions such as:

✨ How should psychological preparation change as the performance approaches?
✨ How can you train your focus and confidence alongside your repertoire?
✨ What should you do when anxiety starts increasing?
✨ How can you prepare for mistakes instead of hoping they won't happen?
✨ And how can you use the final weeks without constantly feeling that you should be doing more?

📖 The Final 21 Days: Structuring Psychological Preparation Before High-Stakes Performance

I wrote this article not only to explain the psychology behind this period, but also to give musicians a more practical way of thinking about their final preparation.

And because I wanted to turn these ideas into something you can actually work with, I created a dedicated 21-Day Performance Preparation Workbook.

🎯 The workbook is designed to help you structure your final three weeks before a competition, audition, exam or important performance — with practical exercises and prompts focused on preparation, concentration, confidence, performance routines and managing pressure.

Instead of simply thinking “I should practise more”, you can use the final 21 days to prepare both the music and the mind you will bring onto the stage.**

📖 Read the full article — link in comment

📘 The 21-Day Performance Preparation Workbook is also available through the link in my web - link in Comment, if you would like to put the ideas from the article into practice.

Your final weeks of preparation can be more than a countdown.

They can be a structured part of your performance training. 🎻

TheStrad

🎻 The Wieniawski Competition is getting closer and closer.

With only a few weeks left before the competition, many young musicians are entering one of the most important stages of their preparation.

At this point, it’s not only about learning more notes.

It’s about how you use the time you have left.

A while ago, I wrote an article for The Strad about exactly this stage of preparation:

“The Final 21 Days: Structuring Psychological Preparation Before High-Stakes Performance.”

What happens in our mind during the final weeks before an important performance?

How can we use this time to prepare not only the repertoire, but also our focus, confidence and ability to perform under pressure?

And what should we actually be doing when the competition is getting closer and there is no time to completely reinvent our preparation?

If you are preparing for Wieniawski — or for another important competition — you may find the article useful at this stage.

📖 I’m sharing the article in bio

Wishing everyone preparing for the competition a focused and meaningful final few weeks. 🎻

You’ve done so much work already. Now it’s time to prepare not only the music, but also the mind you will bring onto the stage.
Wieniawski Society

🎉 Akademia Performance Mindset ma już swój polski profil na Instagramie! 🇵🇱🎻

Właśnie otworzyłam profil polskiego oddziału Akademii, gdzie będę dzielić się treściami dotyczącymi przygotowania mentalnego młodych muzyków, pracy ze stresem, koncentracją, pewnością siebie i przygotowaniem do występów, konkursów oraz egzaminów.

Jeśli jesteście związani ze szkołami muzycznymi, macie dzieci, które uczą się muzyki, albo sami jesteście młodymi muzykami — **zapraszam Was do obserwowania profilu**. ❤️

Będzie mi bardzo miło, jeśli dołączycie i pomożecie mi rozwijać tę społeczność również na Instagramie.

👉 Znajdziecie mnie na Instagramie jako Akademia Performance Mindset.

https://www.instagram.com/akademiaperformancemindset/

Do zobaczenia tam! 🎻✨

What an incredible few days at the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA)PAMA Symposium!

I feel truly grateful to have been part of this inspiring event once again.

Over the past few days, I had the opportunity to learn from outstanding researchers, clinicians, educators, and performing artists from around the world. Every presentation brought new perspectives, practical ideas, and the latest research that will stay with me long after the symposium has ended.

Thank you to all the speakers for generously sharing your knowledge, experience, and passion. Unfortunately, it was impossible to attend every session live, but I am already looking forward to watching the recordings of the presentations I missed. The quality of the programme was simply outstanding.

The knowledge I gain during the PAMA Symposium supports my work throughout the entire year. I truly value the opportunity to learn about the newest research in performing arts medicine, musicians' health, mental health, injury prevention, performance psychology, and education.

One of the things I appreciate most is being able to translate this research into practice. I am excited to incorporate many of the latest findings into my own teaching programmes, my **Performance Mindset Academy**, and the educational workshops I deliver for young musicians, helping them perform with greater confidence while protecting both their physical and mental well-being.

Thank you to everyone who made this symposium possible—to the organisers, presenters, volunteers, and participants—for creating such an inspiring community dedicated to improving the health and well-being of performing artists.

I am leaving with new knowledge, new ideas, new connections, and even more motivation to continue supporting musicians through evidence-based education.

See you next year, PAMA! 💙