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By Yun Suh-young
Recent research shows that classical musicians experience health problems such as music performance anxiety (MPA) and playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs).
According to the Health and Social Welfare Review published by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on Jan. 9, one in three (34 percent) of classical musicians suffers from physical pain and two in five feel anxiety during performances. The highest cause of anxiety is lack of practice (37 percent), followed by personality (33 percent) and lack of stage experience (18 percent).
The cause of health problems suffered by classical musicians came from uncomfortable positions and repetitive practice. The research findings also showed that these "music performance pains were significantly related to both depression and suicidal ideation."
Those who have experienced physical pain and depression amounted to 61 percent, higher than those who experienced depression but not physical pain (42 percent).
Among those who said they experienced anxiety, 39 percent said at least once in their lives, they experienced anxiety to the point they couldn't perform. Also, 47 percent reported suffering from depression over the past 12 months, and 11 percent of them reported having had suicidal thoughts. This number is higher than the average depression rate of 11 percent of the adult Korean population.
For their research paper titled "Physical and Mental Health Problems in Classical Musicians," Cho Kyung-sook of OECD Korea Policy Centre and Jang Eun-je of Kookmin University surveyed 198 graduate and undergraduate students majoring in classical music at a university in Seoul.
Among those surveyed, the musicians who complained most about physical pain were string players followed by players of wind instruments, vocalists and pianists.
"The findings suggest the need not only to develop consultation and treatment programs, but also to improve the music education curriculum to help instrumental musicians and music students cope with their mental and physical problems," the survey said.
