An additional notion, if you're shy about making a chat, is to ask your date on herself. It'll serve to show that you're interested in learning about her, as well as remove part of the pressure of talking, off you, until you're more comfort. By making them do the to talk you may feel less stressed and eventually you will relax adequatly to talk about yourself.
Last point, take into account that Most humans love to talk mainly all about their life, actually, what they would like most is someone that would hear them attentively, therefore if you are a good listener you will find A lot of people feel most at ease with you.
Remember, you should do anythging you can to put your shyness in the corner, otherwise it will put you in the corner...