Noa Kageyama

Noa Kageyama is a performance psychologist and faculty member at The Juilliard School, where he specializes in teaching performing artists how to apply sports psychology principles to enhance their performance under pressure. Born in Marysville, Ohio, Kageyama initially trained as a violinist, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Oberlin College and a Master of Music in Violin Performance from Juilliard. He later obtained his MS and PhD in Counseling and Counseling Psychology from Indiana University.12

Kageyama's journey into performance psychology began during his own struggles with performance anxiety as a student at Juilliard. He was introduced to sports psychology through a course taught by Don Greene, which significantly transformed his approach to both practice and performance. This experience led him to pivot from a career as a violinist to one focused on helping others manage performance anxiety and improve their mental resilience.34

In addition to his role at Juilliard, Kageyama serves as the performance psychology coach for the New World Symphony and has conducted workshops at various prestigious institutions, including Northwestern University and the U.S. Armed Forces School of Music. He also maintains a private coaching practice and writes a popular blog titled The Bulletproof Musician, which attracts over 100,000 monthly readers.125

Kageyama's work emphasizes the importance of mental training for performers, helping them develop skills that allow them to perform consistently at their best, regardless of external pressures. His contributions to the field have been featured in notable publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Strings Magazine.13