Should musicians play in pain?

Musculoskeletal symptoms, including pain, are often experienced by musicians at all levels. These symptoms may have a detrimental impact on musicians' personal and work lives, and may also impact upon the ensembles they work within. Providing musicians with appropriate, evidence-based advice regarding pain management is therefore paramount. In this review, we aim to improve the advice given to musicians regarding playing when in pain, by answering the question 'should musicians play in pain?'. This multidisciplinary narrative review draws upon contemporary pain science, including factors associated with poorer prognoses for those in pain, as well as the reported experiences of musicians with pain (including those who have taken time off from playing). Our current understanding of pain science provides further support for the potential for consequences related to avoiding activities due to pain. Pain is modulated by a number of neuro-immunological processes and is influenced by a range of psychosocial factors. Taking time off from playing might therefore not have any benefit. Importantly, one of the leading causes of a transition from acute to chronic pain is fear-avoidance behaviour (e.g. not playing when in pain); hence, encouraging such behaviour cannot be supported. Musicians who have taken time off from playing due to pain have experienced a range of consequences, including emotional and financial consequences. These experiences indicate that there are potential negative consequences related to taking time off from playing which need to be weighed against any benefits. We conclude that musicians should not necessarily be advised to take time off from playing to manage their pain, in keeping with current best practice for pain management. Instead, we recommend that musicians be educated on contemporary pain science and when to seek treatment from a health professional for individualised advice to reduce the burden of musicians' pain.

Balancing Performing and Teaching Roles: The Voice of Classical Singers

How do classical singers combine performing and teaching, two highly challenging and consuming careers? The life of a performer combines reward with intense challenging commitment. Furthermore, for the classical vocalist whose body is the instrument, maintaining good health is a priority. Teachers of singing have demanding roles, with the responsibility of guiding their students' vocal technique, in addition to providing inspiration, emotional support and career guidance. Moreover, their work can be taxing on their voices. There is research pertaining to musicians who balance teaching and performing, however the literature reviewed did not present a study which focused solely on classical singers who also teach, whose operatic engagements can be lengthy and travel-orientated. This gap in the literature provided an opportunity to contribute further to the field and examine the relationship between successfully balancing a performance and teaching career for classical vocalists. My aim was to explore: (1) how classical vocalists with extensive performance schedules maintain a commitment to their teaching studio; and (2) how teachers of singing who manage large private studios, and/or teach at high-level music institutions, balance performance careers with their responsibilities to their students. A phenomenological approach was selected for my exploratory study, using a qualitative method to devise an interview guide and analyze data. The procedure used for selecting the sample group was to invite participants representing a range of professional involvement in both teaching and performing. Diversity with regards to gender, base location and experience was also considered. Participants mainly responded via e-mail interviews. They were invited to discuss the following themes: balancing performing obligations with commitments to students, benefits of performing on pedagogy, and maintaining vocal health. Overall, participants felt that their performance experience was essential to their work in the teaching studio, with performing seen as a source of learning to be transmitted to students. On the other hand, for some, teaching was also seen as a source of learning, enhancing performances. Although demanding, the benefits of maintaining and enjoying both a teaching role and an active performing life were affirmed by participants. Attempting to balance both roles becomes a constant quest.

Expertise among professional magicians: an interview study

The purpose of the present investigation was to analyse interviews of highly regarded Finnish magicians. Social network analysis (N = 120) was used to identify Finland's most highly regarded magicians (N = 16). The selected participants' careers in professional magic and various aspects of their professional conduct were examined by relying on semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that cultivation of professional level competence in magic usually requires an extensive period of time compared with other domains of expertise. Magic is a unique performing art and it differs from other professions focusing on deceiving the audience. A distinctive feature of magical expertise is that the process takes place entirely through informal training supported by communities of magical practitioners. Three interrelated aspects of magical activity were distinguished: magic tricks, performance, and audience. Although magic tricks constitute a central aspect of magic activity, the participants did not talk about their tricks extensively; this is in accordance with the secretive nature of magic culture. The interviews revealed that a core aspect of the magicians' activity is performance in front of an audience that repeatedly validates competence cultivated through years of practice. The interviewees reported investing a great deal of effort in planning, orchestrating, and reflecting on their performances. Close interaction with the audience plays an important role in most interviewees' activity. Many participants put a great deal of effort in developing novel magic tricks. It is common to borrow magic effects from fellow magicians and develop novel methods of implementation. Because magic tricks or programs are not copyrighted, many interviewees considered “stealing” an unacceptable and unethical aspect of magical activity. The interviewees highlighted the importance of personality and charisma in the successful pursuit of magic activity.