When we read about the negative impact of playing music, it is normally framed within the area of music performance anxiety (MPA). It is claimed that up to 25% of all performers experience various levels of overwhelm related to MPA. The causes are varied, but they are thought to involve a complex interaction of psychological factors, self-perceptions, environmental and musical components. For an overview of MPA, check out this book by Diana Kenny, who has conducted extensive

This piece follows on from last week and looks at the relationship between musicians and mental health, the research surrounding playing or making music, and my own personal experience of this. There is growing research exploring the relationship between active music-making and psychological wellbeing. One large study involving 14,265 Danish musicians from mixed musical backgrounds found that men and women who engaged in active daily music-making were more likely to report go

Some suggest (not just me) that playing music can have a positive impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing, alongside it being a lifelong resource. By active engagement I mean playing, practising, rehearsing or any other form of being physically involved with a music-making process. The use of creativity and active engagement of music can also present a unique opportunity for musicians to emotionally soothe themselves and make meaning from psychological difficulties ex

I think that musicians may have a greater sensitivity to music, but perhaps that’s just my own bias! The relationship between musicians and sensitivity to music is an interesting one, but how or why do we use it? Again, most of the research surrounding this greater sensitivity to music is situated within the classical musician demographic. For example, one study suggested professional classical musicians experience a greater level of emotional arousal than amateur musicians o

In my previous articles I explored whether musicians hold certain traits and characteristics that could make them more vulnerable to mental health struggles. If this is the case and we are slightly more sensitive, then how does music help us? In this blog I will begin to look at how musicking can support our emotional wellbeing, whether that be through listening, playing or other creative endeavours. We know music and emotion are intrinsically linked but there is a lack of an

Carrying on from previous themes surrounding the traits and quirks of popular musicians, in this blog I’ll be continuing to explore this nurture vs nature debate. In the mid 90’s researchers explored the personality characteristics of 171 rock musicians and suggested an increased tendency towards neurotic and obstinate behaviour (acting up, pushing boundaries), when compared to classical musicians. In general, they found musicians to be more extroverted and arrogant compared

Following on from the previous writing on musicians and their mental health, (AKA are we weirdos?) In this weeks’ blog I look at the research surrounding the personality traits and characteristics of the musician community. Nurture, nature, genes or environment, it’s a complex interaction! Far more complex than the 'Big 5' above. From a personal perspective, the musician’s I have met and worked with musically and clinically can be a funny bunch at times (I include myself in t

In this blog, I’ll be looking at the topic of musicians and the media portrayal of the ‘troubled genius’ or 'madness'...(Not the North London group - sorry Chas, Woody, Suggs et al.). The media have often viewed the creative artist in general as a kind of mad genius, echoing the general assumption of linking mental health problems with musicians. From this sensationalist lens, musicians are often seen and stereotyped as struggling, tortured artists. This cliched media narrati

As part of my doctoral research I looked into how seven musicians understood their mental health and their music engagement (musicking)....

2024 was a proud year for me as two of my academic papers were published. These papers (part of my completed doctoral thesis) opened the...