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Nerves, Joy, and What Changes Everything

Dear ,

I still get nervous before performing.

Standing backstage. Waiting to walk out. Running the opening line through my head one more time.

When I was performing mostly classical music, those nerves sometimes felt heavy. Classical performance demands precision.

There is beauty in that discipline, but there were times when my inner voice tried to take over the performance.

Don’t rush.
Don’t miss that entrance.
Don’t mess this up.

It is amazing how quickly something you love can start to feel like a test.

Songwriting changed that for me.

The first time I performed one of my own songs, I was still nervous. But instead of trying not to fail, I felt excited to share something that was mine. Even if a note wavered, the meaning stayed intact.

The nerves did not disappear.
They shifted.

That shift is what this week’s blog is about.

In this week’s blog, Mark Grundhoefer, our senior instructor and Rock Band Camp Director, shares what stood out to him while watching Alysa Liu compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics and what it teaches us about building confident performers.

Because confidence is not the absence of nerves.

It is trust.

If you have ever watched your child walk onto a stage and held your breath, I think this will resonate.

👉 Read: Building Confident Performers: What Musicians Can Learn from Alysa Liu 🏅

With gratitude and love,

Allison Jarrell 🎵

Founder & CEO

Welcoming another new teacher to our team!

Our hiring spree continues as we add more fantastic teachers to our lineup. Today, meet AK Skillin!

AK Skillin is a music therapist and music instructor across various instruments, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, ukulele, and piano. She teaches across multiple genres, including alternative, rock, indie, pop, blues, and country.

A Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), AK received her Master of Arts in Music Therapy from Immaculata University and her Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Georgia College & State University.

As both a DBT-informed trained therapist and a music instructor, AK has a unique way of teaching that reaches the whole person. “I wish to build people’s self-esteem and collaborative skills through music, teach Dialectic Behavioral skills, and foster a deep love of music,” they explain.

“I always find common ground with my clients and help them cultivate a deep love of music,” she continues. “I try to get my clients thinking like a music theorist from the beginning, and show them how important having fun can be while practicing.”

AK has made an album with some friends to use as a puzzle for a Dungeons & Dragons game she was leading. But AK’s creative expression expands beyond music. “I love to take things from my mind and make them a reality, whether that’s in the form of crochet, costume design, collage making, drawing, or writing,” they explain. AK has two cats named Saturn and Venus. 

AK shares that she shows her love through book recommendations and playlist curation. Similarly, their advice for students is, “Love the music you make, and find ways to make your music sound like you.”