Objective: Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) may affect up to 60% of professional musicians, yet little research has explored how performance anxiety may be perceived by audition panelists. This study examines co-regulation, defined as the physiological and emotional synchronization that can occur between individuals, to determine whether performers’ anxiety elicits measurable physiological and perceptual responses in audition panel members. The goal is to illuminate how interpersonal nervous-system attunement may shape the audition experience for both performer and evaluator.

Methods: Conservatory students in voice, pedagogy, and musical theatre will be invited to complete the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI) and the Musician’s Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (MAAQ). Participants aged 18 or older who demonstrate elevated MPA scores may opt into a simulated audition study. Approximately 8–10 singers and three faculty panelists will participate in an audition featuring two repertoire conditions: (1) a newly assigned piece designed to evoke increased stress and (2) a familiar, self-selected work. Performers and panelists will wear monitors to collect heart-rate (HR) and heart-rate-variability (HRV) data, time-synchronized with audio and video recordings to analyze patterns of autonomic co-regulation. Post-performance surveys will assess confidence, authenticity, emotional connection, and enjoyment through parallel performer–panelist questionnaires.

Results: Data collection is ongoing. It is hypothesized that unfamiliar repertoire will elicit higher physiological arousal and reduced HRV in both performers and panelists, whereas familiar repertoire will yield greater physiological synchrony and perceived connection. Correlations between performer and panelist HRV patterns and mirrored self-report measures would indicate co-regulatory alignment during audition contexts.

Conclusions: By integrating physiological and perceptual data, this study advances understanding of how MPA may be dynamically shared between performer and evaluator. Findings may inform pedagogical strategies that emphasize nervous-system regulation and interpersonal awareness, supporting healthier audition practices and more compassionate assessment models within conservatory and professional settings.