Achieving professional success in music involves more than just technical and musical excellence. It requires a set of psychological tools that will ensure the musician's emotional well-being and prevent the common experience of burnout.
There is a significant amount of stress involved in a professional career in music. At times, stress is inevitable; however, it can be substantially managed by raising awareness and preparing for high demands during musicians' training. For example, injuries or strains are very common in musicians. The process of recovery can be time-consuming and set one's career back. Proper training on how to avoid straining and injuries, the relationship between anxiety and injuries and knowing how to prepare for such setbacks can help musicians handle stress, thus decreasing the chances of experiencing burnout.
Another explanation for the phenomenon of musicians' burnout is the very young age at which formal training begins. Typical age begins at around 4-5 years old. By the time some of these children reach adolescence or adulthood, they start to confront the effects of their unique lifestyles: rigorous schedules, lack of balance with other life areas (such as social and academic), highly competitive environment etc. Incorporating "wellness skills" courses in young musicians' training can be very beneficial later on.
In addition, formal musical training needs to address the anxiety and mental demands associated with performing. Identifying and coping with the susceptibility to performance anxiety is instrumental in preventing burnout. If a young musician does not explore, from an early age, the complex combination of personal, environmental and non-controllable factors that affect his/her chances of sustaining a successful career, he/she may internalize develop of guilt, discouragement, anxiety and depression when things do not go as planned.
Burnout can result from failure to pay attention to the necessary psychological and performance skills. Clark and Lisboa (2013), in Training for Sustained Performance: Moving Toward Long-Term Musician Development, discuss the importance of skills such as focus, confidence, motivation, ability to communicate with audience and express emotions. When these skills are ignored, their absence becomes increasingly noticed as the musician enters a world of highly competitive and mentally demanding engagements.
Burnout is very common in professional musicians' careers. Merely acknowledging and raising awareness regarding its prevalence can be helpful. Furthermore, incorporating training that addresses the psychological and physical demands of a career in music is another important step in decreasing the chances of feeling burned out.
There is a significant amount of stress involved in a professional career in music. At times, stress is inevitable; however, it can be substantially managed by raising awareness and preparing for high demands during musicians' training. For example, injuries or strains are very common in musicians. The process of recovery can be time-consuming and set one's career back. Proper training on how to avoid straining and injuries, the relationship between anxiety and injuries and knowing how to prepare for such setbacks can help musicians handle stress, thus decreasing the chances of experiencing burnout.
Another explanation for the phenomenon of musicians' burnout is the very young age at which formal training begins. Typical age begins at around 4-5 years old. By the time some of these children reach adolescence or adulthood, they start to confront the effects of their unique lifestyles: rigorous schedules, lack of balance with other life areas (such as social and academic), highly competitive environment etc. Incorporating "wellness skills" courses in young musicians' training can be very beneficial later on.
In addition, formal musical training needs to address the anxiety and mental demands associated with performing. Identifying and coping with the susceptibility to performance anxiety is instrumental in preventing burnout. If a young musician does not explore, from an early age, the complex combination of personal, environmental and non-controllable factors that affect his/her chances of sustaining a successful career, he/she may internalize develop of guilt, discouragement, anxiety and depression when things do not go as planned.
Burnout can result from failure to pay attention to the necessary psychological and performance skills. Clark and Lisboa (2013), in Training for Sustained Performance: Moving Toward Long-Term Musician Development, discuss the importance of skills such as focus, confidence, motivation, ability to communicate with audience and express emotions. When these skills are ignored, their absence becomes increasingly noticed as the musician enters a world of highly competitive and mentally demanding engagements.
Burnout is very common in professional musicians' careers. Merely acknowledging and raising awareness regarding its prevalence can be helpful. Furthermore, incorporating training that addresses the psychological and physical demands of a career in music is another important step in decreasing the chances of feeling burned out.
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