Classical Music Addicts

[Hornspieler]

No, not what the title suggests.

This is an article about a TV programme discussing musicians' need for drink, drugs and beta blockers before daring to venture on the stage.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11041804/Addicts-Symphony-drink-and-drugs-widespread-in-classical-world-says-cellist.html

What a load of Rubbish!

But we did have a Piccolo player who always fortified himself with a couple of Alka Seltzer tablets before daring to venture onto the platform.

Written by a failed cellist who was scared out of her wits by the prospect of having to perform in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

But is there even a modicum of truth in this forthcoming TV exposeé of our drug taking needs?

I leave it to others to comment on their own experiences.

HS

[Dave2002]

there are certainly people who have some of the problems mentioned in rhe article. They probably don't all "need" to turn to drugs and/or drink, but some may do that.

When you say it's a load of rubbish, I can accept that, as it's unlikely that anyone who had such problems would choose to continue playing in orchestras publicly for long. However, there is the possibility that established players may experience problems they did not expect at some stage during their career.

Not only musicians may experiencs such things - actors, teachers etc. may do also.

[Richard Tarleton]

There's no denying the existence of stage fright, HS - just a range of different approaches to dealing with it! Here's another Telegraph story. Some very great names suffered from quite incapacitating nerves....Solutions range from the pharmaceutical through the alcoholic to the cognitive.

Personally, arriving for a tiny amateur village hall gig after a longish gap in performing, I viewed the circle of chairs with the chair in the middle rather as one would a gallows, but I found the chance to warm up in the empty hall helped to steady the fingers!

[salymap]

When I was 12 years old, in WW2 I sang at a 'Battle of Britain' concert in a local park.

I was petrified and really admire those who can cope with the publicity, although I got through that event without trouble.

Good luck to the born performers. I am audience material.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

They probably don't all "need" to turn to drugs and/or drink, but some may do that.

It's sloppy/sensationalistic hackwork, I'm afraid, to use the word "many" - with its implication of "most" - where something more moderate would be more truthful.

Anybody for whom stage fright is so debilitating as to require chemical assistance as part of their routine should not be in the profession.

[Bryn]

The problem, from which I am glad to say I have never suffered, is all too recognised. See www.bulletproofmusician.com

[Hornspieler]

When I was 12 years old, in WW2 I sang at a 'Battle of Britain' concert in a local park.

I was petrified and really admire those who can cope with the publicity, although I got through that event without trouble.

Good luck to the born performers. I am audience material.

Hardly surprising, Sally. With all those doodlebugs flying overhead, I would have left the vocals to somebody else!

Anyway, you are very good audience material.

Here are a couple of popular sayings amongst orchestra personnel:

"Ninety percent of the time, you're bored stiff and the other twenty percent, you're scared stiff - there's nothing in between."**

"Playing in the Proms Season is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration." (BBC Symphony violinist)

... and from a Covent Garden viola player about Wagner's Ring Cycle:

"It's a long piece so we have to start at 5.30. Two hours later, you look at your watch and it says Ten minutes to Six"



Bestio

HS

*** There is a marked distinction between Terror and Apprehension. Playing for a Toscanini, HvK, Horenstein or Szell, one would naturally feel apprehensive, but that feeling should heighten one's level of contribution and performance.

The nerves come after it's all over and you feel as if you've just been dragged through a washing machine.

A nice cup of Tea is the best remedy (..or if you must)

[Richard Tarleton]

Anybody for whom stage fright is so debilitating as to require chemical assistance as part of their routine should not be in the profession.

Would you count Britten's pre-performance nip of brandy as chemical assistance, ES? The various biographies describe Britten's pre-performance nerves in graphic terms, I think they could be termed debilitating.

Another article

[Hornspieler]

Would you count Britten's pre-performance nip of brandy as chemical assistance, ES? The various biographies describe Britten's pre-performance nerves in graphic terms, I think they could be termed debilitating.

Another article

Thanks for that link, Richard. I recommend it for anyone who would value further insight and explanation in what is a terrible problem for some performers (in all fields of music)

HS

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Would you count Britten's pre-performance nip of brandy as chemical assistance, ES? The various biographies describe Britten's pre-performance nerves in graphic terms, I think they could be termed debilitating.

Fair point; I was rather harsh with that one, and if a nip of brandy or such is all it takes to steady the nerves...

[Mary Chambers]

When I was 12 years old, in WW2 I sang at a 'Battle of Britain' concert in a local park.

I was petrified and really admire those who can cope with the publicity, although I got through that event without trouble.

Good luck to the born performers. I am audience material.

My mother always used to say she was perfect audience material.

As a child and teenager I liked nothing better than singing solos, acting, playing. "The confidence of ignorance" as Simon Rattle once said. Nerves came later, but there wasn't much call for me to sing solos in adulthood. Not soloist material by then, I'm afraid.

[jayne lee wilson]

Turn the lead of your psychology into the gold of your success...

Forgotten who I stole that from.
. Give these stories MORE publicity, not less. Might make this thing, called love - sorry, Classical Moosic finally seem attractive to millions, without having to drag Pet Shop Boys to the RAH. Maybe they could give out smileybadges in the arena...

I use alcohol as a crutch for sure, and sometimes overdose on "herbal remedies"... Live fast, die young! Etc.

Look, its WAY too early for me. Waiting for Citylink, need sleep.
I think The Big Sleep might be a preferable option to Waiting for Godotlink...

OMG there's a van! I'm saved ah tell ya, saved!

[richardfinegold]

A good friend of mine has a daughter who was a Cellist at Indiana University, studying under Starker. Her career became derailed when she developed excessive stage fright. She changed careers and is now a Social Worker. Part of her impetus was that she found herself resorting to chemical substances to deal with her issue and she didn't want to have her life ruined in that way.

[kernelbogey]

Addicts' Symphony

An article in today's Guardian trails a Channel Four programme (under the title of this thread) scheduled for 'next Wednesday' [I assume 27 August] about how musicians deal with stress (aka 'nerves'), whether anything about that is taught in musical colleges, and how musicians have moved away from alcohol as a calmer of nerves. Fascinating stuff, IMV.

[Serial_Apologist]

An article in today's Guardian trails a Channel Four programme (under the title of this thread) scheduled for 'next Wednesday' [I assume 27 August] about how musicians deal with stress (aka 'nerves'), whether anything about that is taught in musical colleges, and how musicians have moved away from alcohol as a calmer of nerves. Fascinating stuff, IMV.

There is already a thread on this topic, kb:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?11840-Classical-Music-Addicts