ON the last day of the annual Association of British Orchestras Conference, this year held in Belfast, a panel of speakers on the subject of career longevity heard impassioned appeals from many veteran players to reduce the hours they are forced to work and to give more mental and physical support.

Help Musicians UK, which chaired the panel, shocked the audience by citing recent industry studies revealing the impact of an orchestral career.

Of those surveyed, 70 per cent suffered from long-term anxiety, and over 60 per cent had suffered from depression — statistics that are three times the national average.

Help Musicians UK also revealed that when it opened its new helpline the volume of calls in the first day exceeded its monthly expectations.

Contrary to a common perception that playing an instrument for a career is not a “real job,” the stark reality revealed is that the harsh schedules, physical and mental strains placed on musicians these days are more than most would be able to endure.

Long rehearsals, international travel, limited time off to see families, performance pressure (one panellist likened her job to being a trapeze artist, every day of your life) and the overtime — unpaid to learn the forthcoming music — make it a most gruelling of professions.

Added to this, wages have dropped significantly in real terms, some by over 15 per cent in the last 10 years, adding financial strains to the list of worries.

The panel heard from one orchestral musician who said he knew players who had suffered serious injuries due to overwork and knew of many colleagues “buying themselves out of work” just to be able to rest.

The new retirement laws have aggravated issues, as many players now have to play beyond 60 or 65 as their pensions are insufficient. Many of them continue despite not being able cope with the demands.

The Musicians Union started talks with orchestras some six years ago, but to date only the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has done anything to change its practice.

The RLPO now employs a full-time physio and offers mental and physical support, free at source for its players.

It would appear that orchestral players are caught between two opposing forces — cuts to budgets imposed through austerity by successive governments and managements, understandably, trying to do “more for less.” 

What is lacking from management is an understanding of the strain that performing can cause. A musician’s career is purely performance-based, and these policies are exacerbating pressures. Overtime and lack of rehearsal and rest are directly causing both mental fatigue and physical injuries.

Cuts to culture are often seen as “soft cuts,” but this panel proved this wrong. Government cuts to the arts budget have a real impact on real people’s lives.

James Dickenson freelance violinist.