Max Garrard

Max plays Fourth Horn with Welsh National Opera, having been previously based at Opera North (2010-2019). As a freelance musician (2002-2010), Max was based in London and regularly worked with orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Opera House. 

Whenever possible Max continues to work on a freelance basis in addition to his work at WNO.

Performance training

As a professional musician for over 20 years as well as psychology graduate, Max is well positioned to help guide musicians towards a healthier, happier, more positive and successful performing experience.

Since 2015 he has worked as a performance coach at the Conservatoire to help guide students on their journey into the music profession, tackling vital areas such as performance anxiety, managing stressful situations and developing preparation strategies for performance.

Max is fascinated in the uniqueness of every musician and why some find the experience of performing under pressure more challenging than others, and how this can be helped. He believes everyone get better at managing themselves under pressure and performing better as a result.

Drawing on theories, ideas and techniques used in performance psychology Max offers a tailored approach to help guide musicians in understanding their own performance anxiety and develop personal strategies to manage it.

Key areas Max explores with musicians include:

• Understanding and tackling performance anxiety
• Mental toughness and resilience
• Preparation strategies for performance
• Developing a performance mindset
• Dealing with perfectionism

Individual sessions are available to undergraduate students or, if desired, group sessions may be possible.

If you would like to explore Performance Training, you can get in touch with Max directly to arrange sessions or book through the Conservatoire.