Towards a model for musicians’ occupational health education at tertiary level in South Africa

ABSTRACT The high statistics of musicians’ performance-related pain and injury are well documented. Research shows that tertiary level musicians’ occupational health education is imperative, and internationally more and more institutions are proactively incorporating innovative preventative educational programmes as part of their coursework. However, there are no courses in musicians’ health offered in any of the music departments of South African universities. In this article we will explore a model towards musicians’ occupational health education, based on the research done by Judy Palac, a specialist in performing arts medicine education. Her collaborative and interdependent model for a musicians’ health intervention has three components: health professionals diagnose and treat musicians with music-related physical or psychological disorders; music teachers provide pedagogy that is founded on sound musical, psychological and biomechanical principles; movement and somatic specialists provide knowledge of the body in music making. Our aim is to demonstrate how this framework is applicable in South Africa. Brief recommendations for possible implementation strategies in the South African context are made.