Dr. Diana Allan

Peak Performance Coach Helps Musicians Enhance Performance

Dr. Diana Allan is a soprano who has appeared in operatic and concert performances throughout the Mid- and Southwest. She has also performed in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Brazil. Dr. Allan has sung such leading operatic roles as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata, Rosalinda in Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus, Despina in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Leatitia in Gian Carlo Menotti's The Old Maid and the Thief and has extensive oratorio experience. In addition to operatic and oratorio performances, Dr. Allan created the role of Eeba Streeba, a character in the children's television program, Cat Paws in Motion, which has aired on Public Broadcasting Stations throughout the United States.

In addition to her own public performing, Dr. Allan has over 20 years university level teaching experience and currently teaches on the faculty of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Her current research interests include mindfulness, mindful learning, cognitive strategies for performers and incorporating the teaching of those strategies in applied music instruction.

With over two decades of teaching experience Dr. Allan has worked with performers of all ages and all performance levels who have achieved great success, however, many have struggled with performance issues such as confidence, trust, limiting beliefs, focus, motivation, fear and anxiety. In her experience, it became increasingly apparent that technical practice was not the only kind of skill development that was necessary for all performers to enjoy strong and successful performances. The development of effective mental skills was an area that musicians did not really pay much attention to. This motivated Dr. Allan to study counseling, cognitive-behavioral strategies, sport psychology, and to eventually become a certified Mental Game Coaching Professional (MGCP). Using her MGCP training, Dr. Allan, Peak Performance Coach, works with musicians to help them identify and assess their performance strengths and challenges, to formulate customized mental game plans, and to learn and improve effective mental skills that can lead to peak performances.