My wife used beta blockers for one performance

Posted by Chris from Lafayette (A) on September 23, 2014 at 20:13:47

In Reply to: Doping in the world of music posted by middleground on September 23, 2014 at 08:43:10:

We were playing the Bach Concerto in C Major for Two Keyboards in a concert with the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, a youth orchestra which at that time had just won some awards in Europe and had a pretty good (numerous) local following. She had never appeared as a concerto soloist before, and frequently had trouble not only with her hands shaking (because of nerves) in performance, but also with the mind racing in a way that doesn't happen in regular playing. So she went down and got a prescription for beta blockers - just for this one performance.

She was delighted with the results! It cured both problems (the hands shaking and the mind racing), and she was extremely happy with her playing. Unfortunately, the conductor at the time lost the tape of the performance and we never got a copy! :-(

I've never used beta blockers myself - I'm mostly accompanying these days, and I find that I just don't get that nervous anymore.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Doping in the world of music - middleground 08:43:10 09/23/14 (18)

My wife used beta blockers for one performance - Chris from Lafayette 20:13:47 09/23/14 (2)

"I just don't get that nervous anymore." - tinear 08:08:56 09/28/14 (1)

You're coming down here from Oregon? - Chris from Lafayette 11:59:18 09/28/14 (0)

RE: Doping in the world of music - learsfool 19:37:23 09/23/14 (0)

RE: Doping in the world of music - fstein 19:35:01 09/23/14 (0)

Beta blockers are common in classical musicians - andy evans 13:52:59 09/23/14 (1)

RE: Beta blockers are common in classical musicians - mkuller 08:37:09 09/26/14 (0)

Doping? - Amphissa 12:01:45 09/23/14 (4)

If they enhance performance than doping is an appropriate word . . . - risabet 13:33:04 09/25/14 (1)

They don't make you play better so not PEDs - andy evans 07:41:08 09/26/14 (0)

RE: Doping? - middleground 16:15:59 09/23/14 (1)

RE: Doping? - Amphissa 20:37:31 09/23/14 (0)

RE: Doping in the world of music - Analog Scott 10:07:50 09/23/14 (0)

Violinists were and perhaps are the worst offenders - John Marks 10:01:47 09/23/14 (4)

Exactly -- no big deal at all. Some guys get nervous even tho they're pros. nt - Rick W 11:20:27 09/23/14 (3)

RE: Exactly -- no big deal at all. Some guys get nervous even tho they're pros. nt - rbolaw 12:03:47 09/23/14 (2)

Agree. - Rick W 23:28:01 09/23/14 (1)

+1: Agree. - andy evans 12:22:35 09/24/14 (0)

Follow Ups

My wife used beta blockers for one performance - Chris from Lafayette 20:13:47 09/23/14 (2)

"I just don't get that nervous anymore." - tinear 08:08:56 09/28/14 (1)

You're coming down here from Oregon? - Chris from Lafayette 11:59:18 09/28/14 (0)

My wife used beta blockers for one performance

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