On Wellness for the Music
Teacher and Music Student Marie McCarthy
Jessica Vaughan Marra
As coordinator of the Book & Media Reviews col- umn, my goal is to identify topics that are directly relevant to as wide a readership as possible. Te topic of wellness and well-being for the music teacher and the music student is surely one of those that peeks the interest of many readers. It is addressed in an increasing number of books and journal articles in music education; university de- partments and schools of music now offer a range of courses and workshops on wellness practices such as yoga, meditation and performing arts health clinics; topics related to wellness (e.g., inju- ry prevention, work-life balance, teacher self-care and renewal, mindfulness, contemplative practic- es) are becoming integrated into music education coursework at undergraduate and graduate levels; moreover, scholars and researchers are focusing their efforts on issues related to the promotion of wellness in music performance and music education. Tus the field of music and health has expanded, evident in publications such as Music, Health, and Wellbeing (Oxford University Press, 2013) and in dozens of research-based articles in a broad range of disciplinary journals.
Dr. Judy Palac, Associate Professor of Music Edu- cation at Michigan State University and longtime advocate for promoting healthy performance practices for musicians, recommends several recently published books as well as some classic texts on the topic. Jessica Vaughan Marra, doctor- al student at the University of Michigan who first brought the topic to my attention as a focus for this column, provides annotations for the sources.
Recent Publications
Kimpton, P., & Kaczkowski Kimpton, A. (2016). Work-life balance for music educators: Real stories, real strategies, real solutions. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications.
https://www.giamusic. com/
search_details.cfm?title_id=28575
Tis book is intended for music educators to read and self-reflect. Teaching at any level can pres- ent challenges regarding stress management and maintaining equilibrium between the demands of
work as well as the needs for rest and recharging. Te book is intended to be used as a self-reflec- tion guide while reading through the various chapters. Te authors provide anecdotes and recommendations from the field for readers to consider and ponder.
Kleinman, J., & Buckoke, P. (2014). Te Alex- ander Technique for musicians. London, UK: Bloomsbury Methuen. http://www.
bloomsbury.com/us/the-alexander-tech- nique-for-musicians-9781408174586/
Many music educators are familiar with Alexan- der Technique. Kleinman and Buckoke introduce readers to an overview of the technique while emphasizing strategies for promoting relaxed breathing and posture during musical perfor- mance. Other topics addressed through the book include: music performance anxiety and helping younger musicians incorporate the Technique into their practice. Tis book has examples for both instrumental and vocal musicians looking to continue refining their mindful music making.
McGrath, C., & Hendricks, K. (2016). Per- formance anxiety strategies: A musician’s guide to managing stage fright. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield. https://
rowman.com/ISBN/9781442271531/ Performance-Anxiety-Strategies-A-Mu- sician%27s-Guide-to-Manag- ing-Stage-Fright#
McGrath and Hendricks present a comprehensive review of approaches to diminishing the impact of performance anxiety through recommenda- tions from researchers. Te authors divide the book into various sections, based on approaches to performance anxiety interventions including: holistic, cognitive, behavioral, and medicinal. Tis book would be a fantastic resource for music edu- cators to review on their own, to use within their performance practices, and to share their experi- ences with their students about their self-reflec- tion and reading.
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Books & Media
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