While most people are aware of the issues surrounding performance-enhancing drugs in sports, this issue is lesser-known but just as prevalent in other industries, including orchestral music. The use of performance-enhancing drugs by musicians is not new, but often not known or talked about by the general public. Musicians might take a beta-blocker such as propranolol or Inderol for stage anxiety. Before this medication, many musicians alcohol or valium in order to cope with stage fright.
Unfortunately, about 70 percent of musicians take these medications without proper medical supervision, obtaining them instead from their friends and colleagues. Some criticize the practice of taking drugs in order to perform because it may deaden their performance or that they feel that ethically if they are unable to do their job without the use of drugs then they should not be involved in the field.
While definitely an issue worth considering and talking about, I find it amazing that almost nobody is aware of these issues that are not classical musicians.
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