Attention Orchestra Management: You Can Help

Here are a few inexpensive ideas to keep your musicians playing well and without pain.

Get Good Chairs
Many companies make chairs specifically for musicians. Concert Design, for instance, offers fully adjustable ones with back support for harp, keyboard, and bass.

Give them a break
Provide recovery time for your players. The artistic staff should take into account how taxing the programs are. Alternate huge, virtuosic repertoire with less challenging works.

Save their hearing
Explore hearing-protection options. Experiment with risers and Plexiglas shields. Avoid placing the timpani directly behind the horns. Offer earplugs and adopt rotation so the same musicians
are not always in the line of fire. Provide warm-up rooms and silent rooms backstage. Make ice packs and massage tools such as foam rollers, Thera Canes, and exercise balls available.

Team up
To help prevent injuries, establish a safety committee of musicians and staff to keep a watchful eye on your musicians.