ISM Seminar on Musicians' Health and Well-being
To see this Media Release as a PDF click here.
07 October 2005
Sound in Body, Mind & Pocket is the title of a seminar to be held by the ISM at the University of Westminster in central London on 12 November 2005. Chaired by Ian Mitchell, Warden of the ISM’s Performers and Composers Section for 2005-06, the seminar will focus on aspects of musicians’ physical, mental and financial well-being. Dr Christopher Wynn Parry MBE MA FRCS FRCP, of the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine, will give an overview of the typical physical problems and ailments affecting musicians, explaining how and why they arise and the help which is available. Mental well-being will be placed under the spotlight, with cognitive behavioural therapist Paul Russell, violinist Jacqueline Roche and Kate Jones, author of Keeping your Nerve, offering some positive approaches to dealing with such issues as performance anxiety, pressure and ‘burn-out’. Dr Staffan Wilen, honorary phoniatrician to the RCM, will speak about singers’ health and the use and care of the voice, while Aaron Williamon, research fellow at the RCM, will give a presentation on keeping young musicians healthy, describing a study of the physical and psychological health problems of first-year music students. Other speakers will consider the financial and practical support available to musicians. The talks will be interspersed with practical workshops where experts will enable participants to get a feel for the benefits of practices such as Alexander Technique, Pilates and Yoga.
Ian Mitchell said:
‘The life of a professional musician is full of challenges. It can be immensely fulfilling and enriching, which is why people dedicate themselves, often against the odds, to a career in music. But there are frequently difficulties to be faced, too: such as the physical challenges of playing or singing day in and day out, or sitting at a computer for long hours inputting a score; the mental strain of being on stage, memorising an operatic role or concerto, facing up to nerves in a recital or audition; the financial problems that can occur when one is ill or the phone does not ring for a while. This seminar will not seek to provide all the answers, but has been devised to give food for thought, perhaps some new ideas and possible ways forward to help to address some of the worries that we all experience at some point in our careers.
‘Whether you’re an instrumentalist, singer, conductor, composer, teacher or administrator, the day should be beneficial as a source of up-to-date information and advice that can help improve musical lives and performance.’
The seminar will be held in the University of Westminster’s Fyvie Hall, close to Oxford Circus. All refreshments are included in the booking fee. The cost is £38 for ISM members (£10 for ISM Student members) and £58 for non-members. The closing date for bookings is Wednesday 2 November 2005.
For details, visit the ISM website (www.ism.org/pcsseminar) or contact ISM Head Office, 10 Stratford Place, London W1C 1AA, T. 020 7629 4413, F. 020 7408 1538, E. membership@ism.org. The booking form is printed overleaf, and can also be downloaded from the ISM website or obtained from ISM Head Office.Ends 08/2005
Note to Editors: The Incorporated Society of Musicians, founded in 1882, is the UK’s professional body for musicians. It aims to promote the art of music and uphold the honour and interests of the musical profession by protecting the interests of musicians, raising professional standards, and providing legal advice and other benefits to its members. Its 5,000 members include performers, teachers, composers, conductors, organists, writers and others involved in professional musical work. The Performers and Composers Section is one of the ISM’s three specialist groups: it holds conferences and seminars from time to time on topics of current interest.
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