Musicians’ Mental Health Month

Tonic Music are taking part in the Young Classical Artists Trust's (YCAT) Musicians’ Mental Health Month throughout April.

The Tonic Music team are delighted to once again partner with the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) for their Musicians’ Mental Health Month, alongside the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) and Musicians’ Union (MU).

This year the theme of the campaign is Coping Strategies and to highlight the topic, Tonic Music will be providing an online Grounding Techniques workshop on Tuesday 22nd April (1:00 - 2:00pm).

To register for the workshop, please click on the link below.

Kate Blackstone, Project Manager at YCAT comments:

“Music is a challenging career, and these demands are felt especially keenly by early career musicians. This year I am really proud to be continuing our strong reputation for practical and actionable advice from industry experts, by working with our colleagues to provide this important support - this month and year-round - free of charge.The campaign will run throughout the month of April, and will feature free 1-2-1 coaching opportunities with Marion Friend, MBE, as well as a Tonic Music Grounding Techniques Workshop, facilitated by Jeordie Shenton.”

Jeordie Shenton, Programmes Lead at Tonic Music, said:

“Tonic Music are delighted to be partnering with the Young Classical Artists Trust once again for Musicians’ Mental Health Month. Research has shown working musicians experience many unique stressors within their occupation and the wider industry. Therefore, the theme of coping strategies is important to highlight positive means of addressing these stressors.”

Rose Delcour-Min, Data Insight & Education Officer at the MU, explains:

“The MU knows how important maintaining good health and wellbeing is for musicians, and is delighted to mark Musicians’ Mental Health Month with YCAT, BAPAM and Tonic Music again for 2025. Over the years the MU has continued to invest in growing our health and wellbeing guidance, resources, and events. We hope that the guidance we have shared on topics such as burnout, stress, and performance anxiety, access to practices such as Feldenkrais, meditation, and yoga, and important health and wellbeing services provided by organisations such as BAPAM and Tonic Music encourages more and more musicians to explore which coping strategies might be right for them.

BAPAM is the largest provider of Performing Arts Medicine in the UK with coverage across the four nations. They provide free clinical assessments for performers with health problems affecting their performing arts practice.  Support is focused on specialist clinical assessment to guide diagnosis and recommend the optimal care pathway for a performer, providing clinical advice and referring onwards to experts in the field where necessary.”

Phoebe Butler, training coordinator at BAPAM, talks about how musicians’ busy lifestyles can cause a need for a range of coping strategies:

“Coping strategies can sound daunting or even negative. But they don't have to be! Creating a healthy routine around work and practice can go a long way in helping you cope when things get stressful or you're impacted by injury or illness. A career as a musician can mean long or unsociable hours and touring can mean you fall out of your healthy routine. BAPAM is here to support musicians and performers to have healthier and more sustainable careers. Check out the healthy practice diary on the YCAT website or get help with staying healthy on tour with the healthy touring rider. We also offer training, advice on injury prevention and help with building a healthy and sustainable practice so you can cope when things get busy. Plus, we offer free clinical appointments to performing artists. Take the time this YCAT Musicians’ Mental Health month to check out these resources.”