Educational applications of scientific research on music performance Richard Parncutt University of Graz, Austria Invited presentation at the International Symposium on Psychology and Music Education (PME04), Padova, Italy, November 2004

Some issues Academic pressure on music academies Changing demands on musicians/educators Flexibility of job markets Cost efficiency versus structural conservatism Communication education  psychology Intuitive versus logical thinking

Aim Improve efficiency of music education Efficiency = output / input Input = students‘ time and effort; costs Output = musical or educational quality

Some inadequately taught topics Improvisation Expression Performance anxiety Music medicine Physics, physiology, psychology of performance (own instrument) Efficient practice Student-teacher interaction

Common Objections and Answers O: We never learned or needed that stuff! A1: Our students will be even better than we are. A2: Beethoven had no Bachelor‘s degree. O: Foreign ideas interfere with teaching! A1: It‘s about ideas, not “truth”. A2: Communicate with other teachers. O: Analytic thinking inhibits spontaneity! A1: Music theorists are music lovers, too. A2: Analytic thinking is confined to practice.

Approach Survey of practically promising research Practical and political issues –why not currently taught? –anticipated effect of introduction –strategies to encourage introduction

Sound before sign (Jost, McPherson) Psychology of speech acquisition –hear, understand, imitate, improvise, write, read, share –successively & interactively European history –improvisation died out in the 19th century Modern teachers –feel inadequate, don’t convince parents or play with students “Sound before sign” –start early (plasticity), one skill at a time, improv. against accomp., notate improvs., multiple representations

Teaching improvisation (Lassnig) Order –imitate  improvise  notate  transcribe Balance –group / individual improvisation Approach –set limits (dynamics, articulations, pitches, durations) –expression first: syntax through semantics –combine structural elements with musical skills Psychological theory of creativity –knowledge, risk, evaluation, motivation, flow

Structural communication (Friberg) Students can‘t describe how they express! Structure: phrasing, meter, melody, harmony Good theories: simple and applicable Expression and accentuation Immanent versus performed accents Principle: performed reinforce immanent Meaningful analysis of repertoire

Emotional communication (Juslin) Students have little analytical knowledge of: Cues –size/variation of: tempo, dynamic, articulation (attack / duration), timbre, durational contrast, intonation/vibrato Redundancy and ambiguity of message Relation to structure Effectiveness of feedback training

Performance anxiety (Wilson) High incidence, low awareness / treatment: Optimal arousal versus panic Personality, mastery, situation Perfectionism and control Treatment –physical (relaxation) –cognitive (realism, desensitization, restructuring) Yoga, hypnotherapy, Alexander technique

Music medicine (Gasenzer, Erlitz) High incidence, low awareness / treatment: Common problems –chronic tension, reduced elasticity of muscles –pelvis, lower spine, back of neck –specific to instrument, technique, repertoire, physique Student musicians need: –knowledge (relevant anatomy, physiology) –strategies (exercises, sport, nutrition) –treatments (active interventions, avoiding overload) –information specific to children Why important for students? –Prevention is better than cure!

Physics, physiology and psychology of piano (Troup, Holming) Students know surprisingly little about: Relevant mechanics, acoustics, physiology Timbre –key velocity, noise, pedals, balance, onset timing Fingering –constraints: physical, anatomic, motor, cognitive –dependencies: expertise, interpretation Structural and emotional communication –with limited expressive possibilities

Efficient practice (Barry) Diversity of approaches: Study and analysis of scores Mental and physical practice Metacognition, organization, goal orientation Intrinsic motivation Listen to recordings and concerts Many short sessions with breaks

Student-teacher interaction (Painsi) Research –child’s, teacher’s, parent’s attributions of success and failure Results –teachers don’t discuss failures or feel responsible –girls attribute more than boys to uncontrollable factors Strategies –attribution training, self-efficacy, stress management, motivational feedback Aims –realism, confidence, motivation, progress

Analytic versus holistic thinking Brandler & Rammsayer (Psychol Mus 2003): Musicians - verbal memory; holistic/intuitive Nonmusicians - series, classifications, matrics, topologies; analytic/logical Nature/nurture - unclear, irrelevant Implication: Musicians need support in analytical thinking

Implications Compulsory units for all students: improvisation expression performance anxiety music medicine physics, physiology, psychology of performance (own instrument) efficient practice psychology of music teaching Bachelor‘s: 3 ECTS/unit = 12% of course

Aims of individual units Formulate musically relevant aims, e.g.: Physics, physiology, psychology of piano –minimize cognitive and physical load –realistically achieve interpretive goals

Changing the system Politics: majority rules or minority rights? - Musicology: historians versus systematic, ethnomusicologists - Academy: performers versus academics, theorists, composers How did it get like this? - Musicology: 19th-century faculties of humanities - Academy: performance as genius Solution: arguments not opinions - Cite research - Quality = focus plus diversity Example - Musicology in Graz (planned): 6 modules

Getting academic staff Change curriculum New units: temporary staff Success of curriculum  new permanent staff Quality & international orientation of staff: may teach in English or French

Musical interdisciplinarity Humanities Sciences Practice Necessary: - specialism - openness, respect, curiosity Not necessary: - specialist knowledge outside specialism

Thank you for your attention and special thanks to all who helped with the Italian translation! Maddalena Forti Luigi Frezza Silvia Boccato Bintou Traoré Silvia Risato Nicoletta Chiggio Matteo Mattarello