“Skilled musicians shrewdly blend playing with rest to deflect fatigue and preserve an artistic edge.”
The Musician’s Way, p. 244
We musicians need to look after our health if we’re to perform at our best.
One could reasonably expect, then, that music schools would emphasize health promotion in their curricula and music graduates would, as a result, be well-informed about the health risks of music occupations. Sadly, that’s not the case.
Despite decades of research showing high rates of occupational health problems among performers, most music schools delegate occupational health topics to the fringes of their curricula, if they address them at all.
As a result, preventable health problems undermine countless student, amateur, and professional musicians.
In response, The Musician’s Way book and MusiciansWay.com provide evidence-based health-promoting information to empower musicians to optimize their well-being, also providing resources for music teachers to integrate occupational health content into their lesson plans.
In this post, I categorize key occupational health topics, providing links to more in-depth resources.*
1. Understand & Prevent Music-Related Injuries
The causes of musicians’ injuries are well understood, as are prevention strategies. The articles below will empower you to head off common problems while nurturing your health.
- 12 Habits of Healthy Musicians
- 5 Causes of Musician’s Injuries
- 6 Ways for Musicians to Minimize Tension
- Taking Breaks
- Heeding the Signs of Injury
2. Safeguard Your Hearing
Professional musicians worldwide endure sound-induced hearing loss, especially orchestra musicians. Tragically, such hearing loss is permanent. The risks are compounded in the U.S., where the entertainment industries – encompassing musicians working in orchestras and theaters – are exempt from laws limiting sound exposure at work. The following articles, along with the guidelines in The Musician’s Way book, will help you conserve your hearing.
3. Conquer Music Performance Anxiety
Music performance anxiety scuttles the careers of countless aspiring musicians, and it also contributes to a range of unhealthy behaviors, among them, substance abuse. By taking appropriate steps, as described in the articles below, musicians can become self-assured both on and off stage.
- The 3 Roots of Performance Anxiety
- Becoming a Confident Performer
- Excelling Under Pressure
- Conquer Stage Fright with Task Mastery
4. Care for Your Voice
Voice teachers are probably the only music educators that, as a group, regularly emphasize self-care principles. But all musicians benefit from knowledge of vocal health, especially instrumental music teachers, who use their voices extensively in their work. The concepts described in these articles make it easy for all musicians to adopt vocal health practices:
- 10 Warning Signs of Vocal Trouble
- Hydration and Vocal Health
- The Total Warm-Up
- Safely Increasing Practice Time
5. Cultivate Inclusive Physical & Mental Health
The Wellness Page at MusiciansWay.com compiles links to diverse health resources that allow musicians to live by evidence-based health promoting habits. Additional links on that page point to sites that provide help to musicians needing support or care. If you ever feel that you aren’t experiencing optimal health, or you encounter health problems, seek help from licensed healthcare providers – expert help is often available at little to no charge.
- Visit the Wellness Page at MusiciansWay.com. Scroll down the page for links to mental health and general health resources.
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According to the World Health Organization, effective occupational health strategies, “promote and maintain the hig
hest degree of physical, mental and social well-being.” Given that music schools and professional ensembles largely ignore occupational health issues, it falls on each one of us to adopt habits that promote and optimize our health. With that information in hand, we can then help bring about change in music organizations such that all musicians benefit from optimal working conditions and music students routinely learn about health promotion during their studies.
See The Musician’s Way book for more evidence-based strategies to incorporate occupational health practices into your musical life.
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*This article and its content are intended for informational purposes and do not constitute medical advice. If you’re concerned about your health, and before starting any health or wellness program, consult a licensed healthcare professional.
© 2026 Gerald Klickstein
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