Definition of Terms
Attention
Attention "is the taking possession by the mind in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seems several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. It implies withdrawal from some things to deal effectively with others.” (James, 1890, p. 404)
Musical performance anxiety
Musical performance anxiety or performance anxiety (MPA) is "the experience of intense and persistent anxious apprehension related to musical performance" (Kenny, 2010, p. 433).
Working memory
This construct refers to the structures and processes that allow information to be temporarily stored and manipulated when it is no longer accessible to the senses. For information to pass into long-term memory, it must be rehearsed in a meaningful way and must be grouped.
Mind- wandering
It is a state that has been associated with the activation of the default neural network and is characterized by the generation of self-centered thoughts. These thoughts would not be related to the present task or external sensory stimuli, but would only be part of the internal train of thought (Mason et al., 2007). Mind wandering has been associated with perceptual decoupling (Levinson et al., 2012) or executive control failure (McVay & Kane, 2009) during tasks that rely on working memory.
Mindfulness
Full attention or mindfulness is a state of consciousness that is characterized by deliberate attention, nonjudgmental following of experience, and self-inquiry (Diaz, 2021; Kabat-Zinn et al., 1985). It, therefore, consists of maintaining attention in the present moment, freeing the mind from internal and external distractions through accepting the present moment as it is. Mindfulness can be considered either a trait (i.e., something that remains constant over time) or a state (i.e., something that fluctuates from one situation to another like hunger or happiness (Smalley & Winston, 2010). There are two main types of mediation practices attending to how the practitioner employs attention:
Focus of Attention Meditation (FA)
Focus of attention meditation (FA) is a Buddhist practice that consists of sustaining attention on a chosen object such as breathing, body sensations, or visual objects. To sustain focus, the practitioner must monitor his awareness throughout the meditation, detecting those moments when attention drifts away from the selected object of focus.
Open monitoring meditation (OM)
Open monitoring (OM) meditation aims for a state of observation of thoughts entering awareness without intervention. In other words, the practitioner aims for an “effortless” sustaining of awareness without coming back to an object of focus, like in FA meditation.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy course (MBCT)
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is one of the most popular and well-established mindfulness courses. This type of mindfulness is defined by Kabat-Zinn as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment" (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 4). Practical exercises in this course include breath awareness, body scanning, awareness of thought patterns, and applying mindfulness strategies to difficult situations. The Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy course (MBCT) is largely based on the MBSR format but is tailored for clinical participants with chronic depression by focusing on moods and thoughts.
Chan Meditation
The practice of Chan meditation (Chang et al., 2003; Lin et al., 2008) cultivates concentration and mindfulness and may be beneficial for musicians suffering from MPA. The purpose of meditation is to learn to experience life moment by moment. This practice will develop greater calm and clarity to face experiences. This type of meditation process is described as "silent illumination" (Lin et al., 2008, p .140). The word "silent" would indicate calm, referring to serenity in the face of external events, and the word "enlightenment" indicates being aware of external and internal events, such as irrational thoughts. Of course, silent illumination is intended to be practiced without judgment towards such external and external factors.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), teaches mindful observation of inner experiences without changing them. In other words, it does not attempt to reduce unwanted internal experiences but instead teaches psychological flexibility in the presence of those experiences. Psychological flexibility is achieved through the combination of six processes known as "Hexaflex" (Juncos et al., 2017, p. 3). These include flexible attention to the present moment, acceptance of one's experience, cognitive defusion, adoption of a contextual sense of self rather than a fixed self, identification of values, and commitment to actions that are consistent with one's values of the individual. Cognitive defusion consists of reducing the emotional charge of words associated with anxiety and worries. This occurs by repeating those words until they lose their literalness or verbalizing negative thoughts with the antecedent "I realize that" (p. 3). On the other hand, the experience of the contextual self consists of observing negative emotions in context and as passing experiences.
Flow
Flow is “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” (Csikszenmihalyi, 1990, p. 4)