Note: all presentations can be modified to fulfill the given time frame and meet the needs of the intended audience.
The Well-Tempered Keyboard Lab: Wellness Strategies for the Group Piano Classroom
The National Wellness Institute (NWI) defines wellness as “functioning optimally within your current environment (NWI, 2023). Further, the NWI describes wellness as a multifaceted construct that encompasses the following six dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and occupational. Undergraduate music majors, often challenged in these dimensions, must utilize wellness practices (i.e., mindfulness, stretching, self-awareness, etc.) to meet the demands of their program. While students recognize the benefits of these practices, many struggle to implement them regularly. Therefore, the responsibility falls on music instructors to make wellness practices an integral part of their curricula (Savvidou, 2021). The group piano classroom offers a unique opportunity to promote wellness in all the NWI’s six dimensions, as it is a required course for many undergraduate music majors. This presentation provides group piano teachers with wellness practices they can incorporate into their teaching.
The National Wellness Institute (NWI) defines wellness as “functioning optimally within your current environment (NWI, 2023). Further, the NWI describes wellness as a multifaceted construct that encompasses the following six dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and occupational. Undergraduate music majors, often challenged in these dimensions, must utilize wellness practices (i.e., mindfulness, stretching, self-awareness, etc.) to meet the demands of their program. While students recognize the benefits of these practices, many struggle to implement them regularly. Therefore, the responsibility falls on music instructors to make wellness practices an integral part of their curricula (Savvidou, 2021). The group piano classroom offers a unique opportunity to promote wellness in all the NWI’s six dimensions, as it is a required course for many undergraduate music majors. This presentation provides group piano teachers with wellness practices they can incorporate into their teaching.
| WTKL_Handout.pdf |
Perfect Harmony: Healthy Habits for Music Teachers
Music teachers’ schedules are often filled with teaching, lesson planning, performing, rehearsing, and more. While such schedules make for dynamic careers, they also increase one’s chances of developing various health problems. In a study of 496 British music teachers, 70% experienced physical problems that hindered their teaching and performing, more than 50% experienced performance anxiety and over 30% reported hearing difficulties (Norton, 2019). These findings suggest that occupational demands may put teachers at heightened risk for physical and psychological strain. This presentation will equip studio, classroom, and higher education music teachers with practical strategies to preserve their physical, psychological, and auditory health.
Music teachers’ schedules are often filled with teaching, lesson planning, performing, rehearsing, and more. While such schedules make for dynamic careers, they also increase one’s chances of developing various health problems. In a study of 496 British music teachers, 70% experienced physical problems that hindered their teaching and performing, more than 50% experienced performance anxiety and over 30% reported hearing difficulties (Norton, 2019). These findings suggest that occupational demands may put teachers at heightened risk for physical and psychological strain. This presentation will equip studio, classroom, and higher education music teachers with practical strategies to preserve their physical, psychological, and auditory health.
| Perfect_Harmony_Handout.pdf |
Mindful Music Learning: An Examination of Mindfulness on Collegiate Group Piano Students' Attention
Attention is an important component of music learning. While several studies have examined the impact of attention on performance, fewer studies have examined attention’s impact on learning and practice, especially on one’s non-principal instrument (Oudejans, et. al.,2017; Cohen & Bodner, 2019; Parsons, 2025). Collegiate group piano students experience distractors, such as anxiety from a busy schedule, that can hinder their attention in-class and during practice (Koops & Kuebel, 2019). Mindfulness is one approach that improves attention by drawing awareness to the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 2015). This presentation discusses the findings of this study and its implications for piano pedagogy, music education, and future research.
Attention is an important component of music learning. While several studies have examined the impact of attention on performance, fewer studies have examined attention’s impact on learning and practice, especially on one’s non-principal instrument (Oudejans, et. al.,2017; Cohen & Bodner, 2019; Parsons, 2025). Collegiate group piano students experience distractors, such as anxiety from a busy schedule, that can hinder their attention in-class and during practice (Koops & Kuebel, 2019). Mindfulness is one approach that improves attention by drawing awareness to the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 2015). This presentation discusses the findings of this study and its implications for piano pedagogy, music education, and future research.
| Mindful_Music_Learning_Handout.pdf |
