Something that's always bothered me...

[Waldszenen]

Why on earth are conductors and pianists and violinists and what have you, never ever itchy during performances? And why do they never sneeze? Or cough? or anything, for that matter!?

[musik_man]

I hate when I'm playing a piece while practicing and start to itch.  If I don't scratch it, I start to make terrible mistakes and have memory lapses.   I have no clue how professionals get through that sort of thing.

[m1469]

Actually this is something I have worried about a lot.  I have turned oodles of pages for all sorts of people.  I get concerned about that sort of thing in these circumstances espeically. 

But, I will say one time the pianist did actually cough right in the middle of all the music taking place.  Really, it wasn't a big deal at all.    :-

[stringoverstrung]

possibilities are (just thoughts):

- they are all perfectionists and this also means they are prepared in the best possible way (also physically).

- All performers suffer from a little stress: this stress helps to keep the body functions under strict control? (i'm not sure i'm no doctor)

- they are all extremely talented individuals who have a superior control over their body motorically and mentally.

-they all have strong characters (at least towards their own mental and physical state)

- They might be experiencing flow:
https://www.brainchannels.com/thinker/mihaly.html

- to be a well known performer you need a strong body: you need to work hard for many years: this means that if you are a well known performer you might have less chance to fall ill.

-they won't play unless conditions are close to optimal

-their preparation routine conditions their body into the right state (a bit like meditation). Their body responds to it  in a "conditioned" way (because it has experienced it many times before).

these are just possibilities that crossed my mind. What do you think?

[galonia]

Why on earth are conductors and pianists and violinists and what have you, never ever itchy during performances? And why do they never sneeze? Or cough? or anything, for that matter!?

Who says they don't?

I did!    Once - I was providing music for a business function, and luckily everyone was too busy with their pre-dinner drinks to notice I stopped and sneezed right in the middle of a piece.  Except a waiter, who was walking past the piano at the time, and he smiled at me and asked if I needed a tissue.

But I've never done this when everyone was actually paying attention to my playing.