title: Increment of fatigue, depression, and stage fright during the first year of high-level education in music students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Public opinion associates music performance with pleasure, relaxation, and entertainment. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that professional musicians and music students are often affected by work-related burdens. These are closely related to stress and anxiety.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Scrutinizing specific health strains and work attitudes of music students during their freshman year of high-level education.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred five students in three Swiss music universities were part of a longitudinal study using standardized assessment questionnaires. Before and after their first study year, some custom-made questionnaires designed to fit the particular work environment of musicians were used together with the already validated inquiry instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fatigue, depression, and stage fright increased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate more study is needed and attempts should be made to minimize the stress level, improve the students' ability to cope with stress, and otherwise reduce their risk for injury. This appears particularly important considering the long-term negative effects of stressors on individuals' health as revealed by modern research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Music Physiology, Musicians' and Preventive Medicine, Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland. horst.hildebrandt@zhdk.ch
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nübling
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Candia
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D060805:Performance Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013663:Teaching; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult