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Are you the type of person that gets stressed out easily? Are you afraid of crowds, afraid of speaking, or even singing in front of others?
As cantors, we oftentimes have to face our fears. There are several factors of the job that could stress us out, not even limited to the aforementioned potential stressors.
Let me put a scenario in your mind. When I was a cantor in Branson, one of the requirements of a cantor was welcoming the people and also reading the announcements at the end of Mass.
For me, that was the scariest part. I was terrified I would say something wrong or stumble on a word. More often than not, the announcements took a long time to relay. The accompanist and I would go through and cross out unnecessary words and phrases to shorten them.
I am going to venture to say there is a part of the job that you don’t enjoy immensely, either. What is it? And how do you manage it?
Here are a few practical and spiritual ways to combat the stress we might feel before or during singing.
Yes, literally. A deep, deep breath can really help put things into perspective. In this case, it would be focusing on our undesirable task in order to complete the task given to us.
We must look at the higher purpose, and realize that some things have to be done, no matter what or how we feel.
Tip: Breathe slowly through your nose for 6 seconds, hold it for 6 seconds, and then slowly breathe out of your mouth for 6 seconds. Repeating this simple exercise is a great way to calm your nerves and lower your blood pressure.
The more you practice, the more comfortable you are going to feel with the material. That confidence can make a huge difference when you are suddenly put on the spot.
[bctt tweet=”The more you practice, the more comfortable with the material you are going to be!” username=”SpiritualCantor”]
Perhaps a difficult section in a song comes up, and the congregation has no idea how to sing it. With your ability and the practice you put in, you won’t have to stress about leading them through that spot.
Instead, you can sing it with passion and hopefully teach the congregation exactly how it goes (for the next time you sing the song)
Tip: While practicing is great, don’t overdo it, because often it will cause you to forget something because you practiced too much. It happens to me all the time. You also don’t want to lose your voice from practicing too much!
No matter how many years you have as a cantor, it seems to me that someone has more experience in something.
Often it’s the organist or pianist who has a wealth of knowledge about everything music ministry in the Church.
Other times you might ask your priest. There are many priests who are avid musicians themselves and would know a thing or two about best practices and managing the stress of a job with much responsibility.
You might even connect with other ministers, like the readers and the lay communion ministers. They also play a vital role in the Mass, and seeing how they cope with their duty (if they have any anxieties about it) may help you put yours into perspective.
Tip: Make sure you ask in humbleness and not out of spite or prying. Have it come up naturally in a conversation.
There comes a point in time where you have done what you can and you have to trust the work you put in it. You have to rely on what you have done. Don’t mistake this as not relying on God at all. That should be just as important.
What I’m saying is that you need to exude confidence, even if you don’t always have it. It helps you provide a dignified presence as a music leader in the Church.
Just make sure you admit your downfalls and don’t be prideful. But be trusting in the abilities that God gave you. Always work hard to improve what skills you already have.
Tip: Trust that you are where you are meant to be. God has great ways of placing us where we need to be in life.
Oftentimes we forget to do this in order to release stress. Taking deep cleansing breaths and saying the name of Jesus can often be relaxing.
There are many prayers for musicians and saints that have a special devotion as a patron of music. You can take advantage of those beautiful opportunities to become one with the music and with its mission. I will be working on a post about this soon!
Of course, it’s a great way to release your music-related stress as well.
Tip: Arriving early for Mass than you usually do to take time to reflect before you have to practice for Mass or prepare might be something to try. This might help especially if you need that quiet time with God to center yourself.
This might be an old saying, but I believe it still holds its value.
There are many things a human can do. Predict the future and what “could go wrong” during Mass as a cantor is not one of them.
If you have practiced and have confidently prepared yourself physically and mentally for the responsibility, then you can do nothing further.
At this point, it is in God’s hands. Always. Let it go and let Him get the glory for it. Let Him shine through you as you sing His praises.
Glory to God in the Highest!
[bctt tweet=”At this point, it is in God’s hands. Always. Let it go and let Him get the glory for it. Let Him shine through you as you sing His praises.” username=”SpiritualCantor”]
Tip: This might take some practicing. You can repeat a phrase like, “Jesus, I trust in You!” or visualize giving him your stressors. Write your stressors on a piece of paper, wad it up, and throw it like you are giving God the control of what happens. Making it a physical motion does the trick for a lot of people.
Pardon me for borrowing this phrase from Nike, but it seems to fit well here. Sometimes the key is just getting in there and doing the job!
Just sing. Once you start, your fears and worries melt away. You wonder why you were fretting in the first place.
Plus, the more you do cantor as Mass, the more comfortable and confident you are going to feel. The more you realize it’s about the Eucharist and not about your abilities. That it’s not about when you mess up or say something wrong.
It’s more than just a song.
Tip: On an awesome side-note, did you know that singing actually reduces stress naturally?
Singing can do many great things for us and for our bodies. It can calm your nerves, release endorphins, and ease symptoms of panic attacks.
There are even classes given just for the release of emotion and fear through singing or sing-like techniques. This article is super interesting to check out about it.
Singing has also been proven to reduce stress and can leave you feeling happy, rested, and connected.
All super cool things, right?
[bctt tweet=”Singing has been proven to reduce stress and can leave you feeling happy, rested, and connected.” username=”SpiritualCantor”]
With all of these helpful tips, it is easy to sing stress-free. Or just remember that singing itself it good for your stress levels.
While we don’t always get stressed out about the singing portion of our cantoring duties, it is something to take into account when we are preparing for Mass in our respective ways.
It is okay to have stress about singing in front of others, or not knowing what your exact role is, or even becoming a cantor in the first place. You might be the kind of person who stresses about what to wear (like me), losing your voice, or forgetting something that you need while singing at Mass.
In any event, prepare and be confident in your learned abilities! It is a big responsibility, being a cantor, but also one to not get stressed out about.
I hope you experience relaxed and content Mass times.
What do you do about your stressful singing situations?
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