The ability of music to create differentiating effects on subjects’ impressions of product endorsers and brands of an advertisement were examined based on the theory of ‘musical fit’. Subjects ( N = 132) listened to one of three versions of a radio commercial in which the music varied in each version. The music selections differed in style, tempo, rhythm, etc., but matched product and message of the commercial in terms of ‘musical fit’. After listening to the commercial, subjects rated the endorser's personality via the external version of a personality inventory. Impressions of the brand were measured using semantic differentials. The results concur with previous findings: depending on musical style, music can lead to significantly different impressions of the endorser as well as the brand without affecting general evaluations of the product. Based on sex, interesting differences concerning music perception and its impacts were found. Self-critical annotations and suggestions for practitioners and future studies are discussed.

OBJECTIVES: Music-related symptoms can already be found among student musicians during their years of university training. The goals of the present study were to ascertain the state and developmental course of the student musicians’ health and to test the effectiveness of a preventive curriculum given to student musicians during their first two semesters at university. METHODS: Within a longitudinal, observational study, we assessed students’ psychological and physical health during the first 2 years of university training. We compared data from the group of students who had followed the prevention program (intervention group, IG, n = 144) with data of a comparison group (CG, n = 103) of students who had not followed the program. Using standardized questionnaires, we measured physical and psychological symptoms as well as health behavior in a sequential plan (duration, 3.5 yrs). RESULTS: Student musicians (n = 247) showed elevated ratings in psychological and physical health in comparison with nonmusicians of the same age. These ratings decreased at the end of the students’ second year. The prevention program had a preventive effect on the students’ psychological health: while IG students remained stable in their performance and powers of concentration, CG students got worse in those same areas. However, the prevention program did not reduce physical symptoms. In comparison with their younger colleagues, upper-level students took more courses in body-oriented methods, relaxation, and mental techniques, which focus on preventive measures for musicians. CONCLUSION: At present, the study offers evidence supporting the use of the prevention curriculum for young musicians. In higher music education, preventive education has a positive impact on students’ performance and their attitude toward health. The preventive curriculum does not have an effect on preexisting physical symptoms, and those symptoms related to the student musicians’ activity should rather be treated in an additional therapeutic setting.

The subject of hearing protection in orchestral musicians should be investigated with a multidimensional approach which considers the following in equal measure: legal regulations, the requirements and limits of the music sector and the individual characteristics of the musicians involved.

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