[ipnon]

When I was trying out for the state high school orchestra I was so nervous I couldn't speak to the judge. My shirt was soaked with sweat. We never made eye contact, it was easier to try pretending he wasn't there. I had practiced the tune a thousand times. Every scale was completely memorized, every rhythmic variation was a reflex. I had practiced so much practically all I knew anymore was breathing and playing the trumpet. I could have played that tune perfectly if I was in a burning airplane falling out of the sky.

You have to be so good at what you do that it doesn't matter how nervous you are. Focus on the content, and deliver. All the audience wants is a good show. Once you realize you're as good as you're supposed to be, all the anxiety and pressure slowly fades away.