Annotated bibliography on musician wellness.

INTRODUCTION

This year's bibliography contains some of the latest books related to wellness issues for musicians. The full bibliography can be found on MTNA's website at www.mma.org.

The format of the bibliography is as follows:

General information included: Author, date of publication, title, publisher, current publisher's address, phone and/or fax if available, e-mail and website information if available, number of pages and ISBN number.

Specific information included: A brief description of the content of the book, journal, website or video, the intended audience (addressing value for the instrumentalist, keyboardist and/or vocalist), the authors' approach and specific techniques (such as physiological and psychological when relevant), general research information and bibliography and/or end notes, if included in the book. A general viewer evaluation also is included. Topics addressed are prevention of medical problems, meditation, performance anxiety, performance preparation, learning theories and physiological and psychological issues related to musicianship.

BOOKS/PAMPHLETS

Arman, Miriam Jaskierowicz. (2001) The Voice: A Spiritual Approach to Singing, Speaking and Communicating. Second edition. Music Visions International, Inc., P.O. Box 17345, Plantation, FL 33318-7345. 157 pp. ISBN: 0-9674181-0-0.

Miriam Jaskierowicz Arman's teaching philosophy is clearly stated in her preface, where she explains the need for a positive attitude and its importance when communicating with students. The book has eighteen chapters. Chapter One is about spirituality and the voice. Chapter Two is titled "How Do We Begin? The Breath." Here, Arman discusses how to breath through the mouth and the role of the tongue. Chapter Three, "How to Move the Air," is about moving air inside the mouth. She suggests focusing on three words: listen, interpret and execute. Chapter Four, "Placing the Sound," reviews rules stated in previous chapters and adds a new list. Chapter Five, "The Giro: What is It?" is about the turn, or endless loop, where all the notes are made. Chapter Six, "Singing: the Primal Scream of the Voice," is about allowing one's singing and speaking voice to be the same. Chapter Seven, "The Art of Humming and Its Importance," is all about humming. Arman examines the importance of developing the diaphragm along with the giro in order to obtain a full sound. Chapter Eight, "The Jaw," explains the natural drop of the jaw. Chapter Nine, "Visualization," discusses the role of visualization, one's inner self and spirituality.

Chapter "fen, "The Diaphragm," is all about what Arman explains as "the motor or the support system." She discusses the three uses of the diaphragm: on the attack of the first note, on the high/low note and on the last note. Chapter Eleven is titled "Troubleshooting" and is about six common trouble spots: the voice is too low or not on pitch, cracks in the voice, flat or sharp sounds, potato sound, unevenness in the voice and nasal sound. Short explanations are given for dealing with each problem.

Chapter Twelve is titled "An Overview" and serves as a review of the text thus far by summarizing everything in "ten easy steps." In Chapter Thirteen, "The Spoon/The Egg," Arman decribes how she gives each of her students a spoon and egg as a gift when they begin their studies with her. The purpose is to show students how to move air around and acquire sound and muscle memory--something every vocal "instrument" is born with. Chapter Fourteen, "Who and What Are You," Chapter Fifteen, "The Career," Chapter Sixteen, "Colleagues and Friends," Chapter Seventeen, "Speaking and Communicating," and Chapter Eighteen, "Sharing My Story," are practical chapters about a musical and teaching career for anyone. These chapters offer good, sound and practical advice.

This is an easy-to-read self-help manual. A CD titled The First Lesson and a video titled The Master Class can be purchased separately. An appendix is included with drawings, a glossary of terms and vocalises. A bibliography is not included.

Audience: vocalists

Bluestine, Eric. (2000) The Ways Children Learn Music." An Introduction and Practical Guide to Music Learning Theory. GIA Publications, Inc., 2404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 206 pp. ISBN: 1-57999-108-4.

The three sections of this book, containing a total of fifteen chapters, discuss the different ways children learn music. The author, Eric Bluestine, is a graduate of Temple University, where he studied music education with Edwin Gordon. This book is addressed to music teachers and discusses how they can help children become independent and self-sufficient music thinkers. In Part One, "Music Learning Theory," he examines audiation, music aptitude and individual differences; hearing before sight and theory skills develop; learning tonal and rhythm syntaxes, different music learning theories and methods; and classroom teaching. Part Two, "Curriculum Reform," examines different ways children learn music, either formally or informally, gives many musical examples and examines different ways to build a music curriculum in a school. Part Three, "Music Learning Theory in Practice," gives different ways of teaching tone and rhythm through various musical examples. This is an excellent book for all music educators. A bibliography is included.

Audience: music educators

Chun-Tao Cheng, Stephen. (1991) The Tao of Voice: A New East- West Approach to Transforming the Singing and Speaking Voice. Destiny Books, 1 Park St., Rochester, VT 05767. [phone]; fax: [phone]. www.InnerTraditions.com. 131 pp. ISBN: 0-89281-260-5.

The author gives a unique approach to the voice that combines Western vocal technique and exercises with ancient Chinese philosophy and breathing practices. Stephen Chun-Tao Cheng shows how to develop a kinesthetic sense of body awareness while singing by simultaneously working with the body, mind and spirit. The book is divided into eight chapters. Chapter One, "Philosophical Basis," is about the roots of Taoism and the creative power of meditation. Chapter Two, "Taoist Philosophy in Breathing and Singing," is about the interplay of opposite forces and "pulling in the sound" exercises for continuous circular movement. Chapter Three, "Exercises Providing a Healthy Condition for Vocalizing and Performing," contains body movement exercises. Chapter Four, "Thirty Essential Vocal Exercises," applies Taoist principles to vocal musical exercises. The chapter ends with the music for "Spring Flows in Me" and gives singing suggestions.

Chapter Five, "Technique for Beginning Students," examines posture, singing with an open throat, the space in the mouth opening, proper inhaling, double breaths, vocal range extension, good tone and how to know when you have it, carrying a tune and correcting off-pitch singing. Chapter Six, "Techniques for Performers and Advanced Students," includes information about singing from memory, varied tone color production, individual vocal identities, interpretation and stage fright. Chapter Seven, "Guidelines for Effective Practicing," is a short section about the basics of practice habits. Chapter Eight, "East-West Approach to Maintaining Good Health," examines both mental and physical health as well as the body-mind-spirit connection. Chapter notes and a bibliography are included at the end of the text.

Audience: vocalists

Elson, Margaret. (2002) Passionate Practice: The Musician's Guide to Learning, Memorizing and Performing. Regent Press, 6020-A Adeline, Oakland, CA 94608. [phone]; fax: [phone]. [e-mail]. 109 pp. ISBN: 1-58790-021-1.

This text discusses the necessary steps of learning how to relax, focus and concentrate in order to have better practices and performances. Margaret Elson explains her own teaching career as developing into a role of doing "artistic counseling" to her students. Her goal in the text is to develop "intergraded musicians." Besides being a pianist and teacher, she is a certified hypnotherapist and licensed psychotherapist.

There are four sections: "Preparation," "Practice," "Performance" and "Coda."

Part One, "Preparation," has three chapters: Chapter One, "The Automatic Relax Response," Chapter Two, "Preparing Your Senses," and Chapter Three, "Magic Carpet, Puppy Dog Hands and Creating a Partnership with Your Instrument." Chapter One is about cleaning your mind and having a relaxed body. Developing what the author calls "a calming light" at and away from your instrument is explained. Chapter Two is about opening and enhancing sensory awareness, focusing on visual, auditory and kinesthetic input. Chapter Three discusses three essential ingredients necessary for effortless playing; how to create a partnership with your instrument while away from it also is examined.

Part Two, "Practice," includes five chapters. Here, the author puts the aspects of Part One into practice. Chapter Four, "Breathing with the Music," is about how one takes the "Calming Light-Relaxed/Alert" exercise into practicing. The author suggests choosing a short, relatively easy piece of music to learn how to do this exercise. Chapter Five, "The Eight-Point Sensory System," is about opening all the senses with which you automatically learn in the first place. Again, the author suggests focusing on the three main senses: aural, visual and kinesthetic, but in more detail. The author uses the Chopin Prelude in E Minor as an example of how the eight-point sensory system works. How to transfer the sensory system in a performance situation is reviewed. Chapter Six, "Changing the 'Uh-Oh' Mind-Set," is about trying to take difficult spots that trigger the uh-oh mindset and transforming these spots into an "aaahhh" mindset. The author takes the coda of the Chopin F Minor ballade as an example. Techniques at and away from the keyboard are discussed. Chapter Seven, "Deep Relaxation/Visualization: Working While Resting," examines the necessity of developing this skill as a practice tool. Elson presents this as a confidence-building tool that has long been used by athletes. Chapter Eight, "Where's the Expression," is about incorporating spontaneity into your practice to develop good movement and add drama to practice performances.

Part Three, "Performing," includes three short chapters. Chapter Nine is about practicing for performance and provides good suggestions for setting up practice guidelines that can better prepare one for performance. Chapter Ten discusses the performance schedule and gives suggestions for preparing for the performance. Chapter Eleven and Twelve are review chapters about how to become a passionate musician and list things to think about for the performance. A comprehensive checklist is included

Part Four, "Coda," is about the passionate performer. Here, the author examines the role of anxiety and the creative personality. A bibliography is not included.

Audience: all musicians

Esposito, Janet E., M.S.W. (2001) In The Spotlight: Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing. Strong Books--Publishing Directions, LLC, 615 Queen St., Southington, CT 06489. [phone]. 155 pp. ISBN: 1-928782-07-8.

This self-help manual is written by a licensed clinical social worker and practicing psychotherapist who deals primarily with people needing help in overcoming their fear of public speaking; however, there are many valuable suggestions that would be helpful to musicians as well.

The text has eleven chapters. Chapter titles included are "Coming out of the Closet," "You are Not Alone," "Kindred Souls," "No Guts, No Glory," "Fearing the Fear Itself," "It's Not About Me," "Creating Beliefs and Self-Talk that Supports Us," "Creating a Calm and Resourceful Body and Mind," "Getting to the Source," "Overcoming Self-Consciousness and Inhibition" and "Creating New Possibilities."

Chapters can be read easily; a summary and action steps are included at the end of each chapter. An appendix and short bibliography are included at the end.

Audience: all musicians concerned about performance anxiety

Fraser, Alan. (2003) The Craft of Piano Playing: A New Approach to Piano Technique. Scarecrow Press, Inc., 4501 Forbes Blvd., Ste. 200, Lanham, MD 20706. [phone]; fax: [phone]. www.scarecrowpress.com. 461 pp. ISBN: 0-8108-4591-1.

The Craft of Piano Playing: A New Approach to Piano Technique applies the Feldonkrais method and Eastern martial arts concepts to piano playing. Not surprisingly, there are topics in this text not really addressed elsewhere. It would make a good "alternative" pedagogy text for courses about piano technique and a thought-provoking read for the advanced pianist.

Alan Fraser's underlying philosophy is outlined clearly in the introductory chapter and in Chapter Two, "How to Use This Book." He examines the physical attributes of changing habits and tackles a controversial subject quite effectively: "A hundred years ago, all Russian conservatory students underwent an exceptionally rigorous technical regime; although the modern pedagogy scoffs at the mindless mechanical drill, we hardly ever see that kind of physical mastery today." (Page 2) He compares a pianist with an athlete, stating that both need to acquire "refined physical skills" and "basic strength."

The text is divided into three sections but does not necessarily need to be read from cover to cover. Section One, "The Foreground: Pianistic Problems in Musical Craft," examines general principles or movement, hand strength, perfecting legato, the thumb and its relationship to the forefinger, finger shape and ideas about the physical approach to the keyboard. Although Fraser gives some sample exercises to complete throughout this section, his approach to the physical aspects of piano playing is more analytical than a "how to" guide. He brings into his discussion the different historical approaches to piano technique from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. There are ten parts to this section.

Section Two, "The Middleground: Some General Aspects of Musical Craft," is about rhythm, phrasing and orchestration. The heart of this section is Fraser's discussion of the pianist as an orchestrator. The uniqueness of being a pianist and having the ability to play the circumference of an entire orchestra is a discussion not often addressed in books about piano playing or technique.

Section Three, "The Background: Tell a Story," explores the emotional content of music. Fraser relates playing musically to the technical aspects of playing. He examines asking students to go beyond their emotional capabilities. His honesty with regard to teaching musically is commendable and brings important points to the reader accurately and forthrightly.

Throughout the text, Fraser uses standard concert repertoire that clearly addresses the seasoned teacher of advanced pianists. Appendices and a short bibliography are included.

Audience: advanced pianists

Goode, Michael L. (2002) Stage Fright in Music Performance and Its Relationship to the Unconscious. Second edition. Trumpetworks Press, 715 Lake St., #269, Oak Park, IL 60301. www.TrumpetworksPress.com. 76 pp. ISBN: 0-9743934-1-X.

This is a unique text that explores stage fright in musical performance and its relationship to the unconscious. Michael L. Goode explores his concept via orchestral music and describes stage fright in physiological and biochemical terms. He examines solutions to the problem. There are a total of six chapters. Chapter One, "Overview," describes the physiological aspects of stage fright and explains what it is. Chapter Two, "Case Histories," examines four different musicians and the environment they grew up in. The most successful of the four was the clarinet player who was surrounded by a nurturing childhood, both personally and musically. Chapter Three, "Traditional Solutions," reviews the pharmaceutical solutions, such as the drug Indreal, and then discusses the Fredrikson and Gunnarsson's Study of 1992 and the effects of stage fright on public performance. Two groups were used in this study (low- and high-anxiety groups). Chapter Four, "New Solutions to Stage Fright," examines the gradual process of going from a student to an artist. Goode says it's like developing effective story telling skills. He suggests counseling, support groups and physically orientated therapies such as tai chi, Reiki yoga and Rolfing. In Chapter Five, "Remarks on Case Histories," Goode revisits the four case histories and finishes the story of what ultimately happened to each individual. Chapter Six, "Conclusion," describes a new field of study called psychoneuromusicology, a study of the conscious mind's ability to use mental control. A glossary, selected bibliography and appendix on re-breathing techniques for trumpet players are included.

Audience: all musicians

Green, Barry. (2003) The Mastery of Music." Ten Pathways to True Artistry. Broadway Books, a division of Random House, Inc. www.broadwaybooks.com. 293 pp. ISBN: 0-7679-1156-3.

This latest book by Barry Green is about the unique qualities great musicians, composers and conductors have and how to learn from them to take our own performance skills to a higher level. In his discussion, he examines ten qualities and tools of the soul and spirit and how these qualities can be built over time. Green interviewed many great musicians and incorporates their ideas throughout the text. Each section is dedicated to different kinds of musicians and follows a wonderful and clever artistic progression through this journey.

The text has ten chapters prefaced by a "Prelude and Overture" and ending with "Finale" and "Coda" sections. Chapter One, "Communication: The Silent Rhythm," is about duos, chamber ensembles, popular combos and conductors. Here, Green discusses that special togetherness of performers and how they communicate this to their audiences. His discussion includes what makes groups and conductors stand out from others--what special affect they have on other musicians and audiences. Chapter Two, "Courage: Choosing the High Road," focuses on French horn players and percussionists and their special roles in performance. Percussionists are essentially soloists every time they play and so accept the challenge of "crashing" just in the right place, as horn players need a solid technique to perform the high parts of an orchestral work. Green sums up the whole issue of courage with having the necessary technical tools along with having the need to perform. These "first-rate defenses" outweigh the fear in a performance and, Green indicates, that is essentially what keeps musicians performing.

Chapter Three, "Discipline: The Way of the Will," focuses on flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon players and their solo roles in an orchestra as compared to string players. Green discusses how prepared they need to be in orchestral repertoire because there is one wind instrument per part as compared to string players, where ten to eighteen players may be playing the first part. Although he goes on to discuss the solo literature available to string players, he points out the discipline these wind players have. Green discusses the inner game basics of self one versus self two and the four motivating factors for practicing: competition, required performances, pride and fear. Some "how to practice" ideas are examined in this text.

Chapter Four, "Fun: The Joy in Music," focuses on trombone, tuba and double bass players. Green discusses the unique personalities of musicians who play low-pitched instruments. He tells some stories in this chapter that relate to knowing exactly when and when not to have fun while performing and how to put creativity into playing, rehearsing and performing. The most important issue here is that when there is joy and passion in playing, audiences and performers will come back for more.

Chapter Five, "Passion: The Power of Love," is about the passion found in certain music. Green discusses musical passion, the uninhibited feeling one can get while performing.

Chapter Six, "Tolerance: the View from the Middle," examines the role of violas as management musicians. They represent the middle voice that holds and hears the other string players, as well as the glue that holds the different melodies of an orchestra together. The author discusses how all musicians need to pull things together in a methodical way, as good violists do in an orchestra. Developing tolerance allows musicians to view their playing in a peripheral way and can provide a new view and more enjoyment of music.

Chapter Seven, "Concentration: The Spirit of the Zone," is about solo instruments like the violin, piano, classical guitar and harp and how they achieve peak performances with the appropriate balance between risk and skill. Green again goes into the three Inner Game master skills of awareness (attention), will (commitment) and trust that were the main principles in his previous book, coauthored with Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Music. The special "Zone" that performers control demands a special balance between the musician's inner world and the world of the audience: that is what makes a special performance. How to get into the "Zone," staying in the "Zone," pacing, the distractions that occur beyond one's control and letting the "Zone" work for you are reviewed.

Chapter Eight, "Confidence: From Bravura to Integrity," discusses the confidence trumpet players acquire due to their role in the orchestra. Green explores the different kinds of confidence performers acquire and which kind is most enduring. The ways one can develop confidence and learning how to sustain it are reviewed. Preparation, passion, meaning, courage, knowing your limitations and the mind/body connection are some topics discussed in this chapter.

Chapter Nine, "Ego and Humility: >From Fame to Artistry," is about finding the appropriate balance between ego and humility. Because the voice is an instrument that is part of one's body (and constantly changing), Green explores the voice as an instrument that can find the right balance between ego and humility via the personalities of divas and prima donnas. He goes on to say there is a time for both in performance, and the trick is to find out when and where to be forceful and graceful. He concludes with the fact that the ego's true motivation must be the pursuit of excellence.

Chapter Ten, "Creativity: The Journey into the Soul," is about one's own inner creativity and how it can positively affect others--that part of us that can share our unique musical gift with an audience. He travels this path via composers and improvising musicians. "The Finale: Inspirations for Staying on Path" is about how we are inspired to pursue artistry and discusses teachers. The "Coda" is a section of acknowledgements and thanks. Green concludes that the unique qualities of great artists are built over time, and it is less about the ultimate perfection of performance than the processes these great artists developed on their road to becoming masters of what they do. Readers who consider Green and Gallwey's book, The Inner Game of Music, a standard text on performance preparation, will find this a great addition to their library. Green is the author of a series of Inner Game of Music Workbooks for Band, Orchestra, Strings, Solo Instruments, Voice, Piano, Men and Women's Barbershop Quartets and Choruses and Classroom. Green also has produced an Inner Game of Music video. A bibliography is included.

Audience: all musicians

Hagberg, Karen A. Ph.D. (2003) Stage Presence from Head to Toe: A Manual for Musicians. Scarecrow Press, Inc. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 4501 Forbes Blvd., Ste. 200, Lanham, MD 20706. [phone]; fax: [phone]. www.scarecrowpress.com. 109 pp. ISBN: 0-8108-4777-9.

This is a basic but clever "how to" book for aspiring young performers. There are topics here that have been examined in previous articles but not as an entire book devoted to the topic of stage presence. This text includes twelve chapters. Topics discussed are the soloist, the page turner, the small ensemble with no conductor, the large vocal ensemble, the orchestra, the conductor as leader, the day of the concert, the stage and its furnishings, nonperforming personnel, auditions and competitions and how to teach stage presence. Some practical advice with "what to do" and "what not to do" is given. A Manual for Musicians contains clear explanations with diagrams and pictures included throughout the text. This is a well-organized text with subtopics highlighted in each chapter. A bibliography is included.

Audience: performing musicians

Hays, Kate F. and Charles H. Brown, Jr. (2004) You're On! Consulting for Peak Performance. American Psychological Association, 750 1st St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002. [phone] or [phone]; Fax: [phone]. [e-mail]. www.apa.org/books. 328 pp. ISBN: 1-59147-078-1.

The text is addressed to all performers, athletes, business people, trial lawyers and anyone else who needs guidance on how to work at their peak performance level. It also is a book for practitioners. The book is divided into five sections with sixteen chapters. Section One, "Setting the Stage," has two chapters and discusses the roots and current research in performance consultation. Section Two, "Domain-Specific Information," includes three chapters about the unique aspects of business people, high-risk professionals and performing artists. Section Three, "Key Factors in Performance," has six chapters and is the most informative section. Chapters discuss the foundation required for excellent performance, the right preparation, mental skills, stress and coping with stress, and performance. Section Four, "What Do Performers Want?", contains three chapters that discuss the type of help performers want and need, the ideal consultant and consultant efforts that hinder performance. Section Five, "What Consultants Need: Training, Ethics, and Practice," contains two chapters about training, competence, ethical practice and the consultant who has a performance background.

This is an interesting text, approaching the topic of peak performances from the consultant's viewpoint but in a clear writing style accessible to all readers. A list of recommendations to consultants concludes each chapter. There are three appendices: "List of Participant," "Interview Questions for Performers" and "Interview Questions for Consultants." References are included at the end of the book.

Audience: all musicians

Jordan, James. (1999) The Musician's Soul: A Journey Examining Spirituality for Performers, Teachers, Composers, Conductors, and Music Educators. GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 182 pp. ISBN: 1-57999-058-4.

James Jordan, a choral conductor, discusses the role of spirituality in the life of a performer and conductor. He developed his ideas from a variety of sources and mentors over the years. The text is divided into five parts with a total of ten chapters.

Part One, "Setting the Stage," contains two chapters. Chapter One, "Introduction," is about self-expression and centering, the order of the journey and beginning to understand. The nature of the creative being also is examined. Jordan describes the strengths and weaknesses of a creative person and attempts to explain what is needed to be a conductor. Chapter Two, "Give Me Some Old Time Religion," examines the spirituality of making music. Jordan advocates some type of spiritual centering in one's life as a pre-requisite to music making.

Part Two, "Exploring Soulfulness," has three chapters. Chapter Three discusses the three important "ingredients" to making music: being open, being vulnerable and knowing your center. This chapter ends with four exercises to do to obtain these ingredients. Chapter Four, "The Spiritual Presence of the Musician: Spiritual Synergism that Grows out of Solitude and Being Alive," is about the bodily attitude of the conductor that is rooted in life's experiences. The author advocates meditation, finding center and quieting oneself on a daily basis. Chapter Five, "Understanding and Pursuing Center and Soul," is about the spiritual growth of a musician: deepening, intensification, shedding, repetition and emptying. The chapter ends with a thought-provoking exercise designed to allow readers to begin to articulate intuitive feelings or ideas.

Part Three, "The Larger Picture," has two chapters. Chapter Six, "Musicians as Community," is about that special connection between the conductor and the ensemble. Chapter Seven, "Influences of a Profound Soul," is about the author's mentor, Elaine Brown, and what she taught students about becoming good teachers and conductors.

Part Four, "Conscious Choices," includes two chapters. Chapter Eight (the heart of the book), "Mimetics and Envy: The Mimetic Predicament of the Musician, The Major Obstacle for the Creative Artist" is about the three-sided relationship between the conductor, the sound of the ensemble and mimetic processing (the options conductors have). Basically, this processing refers to the conductor's ego and how it should not interfere with music making: good conductors can work with any ensemble if they have the ability to love, care and be selfless during rehearsals and concerts. Chapter Nine, "The Heart, Stillness and Simplicity," examines how one achieves a spiritual balance in life and how one connects to a group.

Part Five, "The End as The Beginning," contains one chapter, "Soul Wrestling: Awareness and Salvation for the Creative Artist."

The book contains three postscript essays by Matthew Mehaffey, Heather Buchanan and Donald Sheehan. Jordan's comments concerning choral conductor's focus and about performance are useful for all solo performers. This text is a unique and much needed contribution to musician wellness. References and further reading with selected annotation are included at the end of the text. Audiotapes to accompany the text can be viewed separately and also are published by GIA Publications.

Audience: choral conductors

Jordan, James. (2002) The Musician's Spirit: Connecting To Others Through Story. GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. ISBN: 1-57999-191-2.

The Musician's Spirit is about the spirituality of teachers and how the qualities and stories they share with their students help connect with them: this selfless, spiritual giving is the real essence of teaching and training musicians at all levels. Throughout the book, James Jordan takes his reader through his own spiritual journey as a musician and teacher.

The text is divided into six parts. Part One, "Introductory Prologue," has two sections: "The Story: Vehicle for the Musical Journey" and "Required Reading for Artists." Here, Jordan provides a short list of fifteen sources that deal with spirituality.

Part Two has three sections: "Farming and the Musician," "Shoetrician and Stories of Courage" and "Vision," which discuss several of Jordan's own life stories and their meaning to his profession as a musician and teacher.

Part Three contains four sections: "Listening," "To Hear Again," "9/11/01" and "Prayers before Sleep." The opening of this section examines the listening skills of a teacher and a musician. One of the most valuable sections of this text is where the author reviews how teachers and musicians need to develop better listening skills via the art of developing great story telling. Also included in this section is a segment about lives loved and lost in the 9/11/01 disaster, as well as the deeper meanings in the books about Harry Potter. Jordan reminds us that, as musicians, we must continue to bring clarity to the world through our art.

In Part Four, "Juggling and Trust," Jordan tells us inspirational stories about others and himself. The section ends with a story about his clarinet lessons as a child with a teacher who did not take the time to listen to him or inspire him.

Part Five has seven sections: "Being a Fool," "George," "Love Thyself," "First, All You Need is Love," "The Fantasy of Flight," "A Teacher Speaks" and "Beginning to Unforget: Re-Storying Influences." Here, more stories are told about teachers' need for developing listening skills. Toward the end of this section, Jordan provides a long list of great teachers who influenced him. He recommends readers do the same so they can ponder what these teachers taught them.

Part Six, "A Musician's Guide to Achieving Mindfulness," contains a guide to developing storying skills, a list of words to help, codes and cue words. This part ends with a section titled "Notes, Stories and Reflections," where readers are offered plenty of space to write their own stories or to quote significant works of others they might use in their own teaching.

The book deploys short essays, short quotes and visual art, making it a very inviting source. Jordan's portrayal of the spirituality of a musician and teacher as reaching others in a healthful manner will resonate with many musicians and music lovers. There is an extended reading list and recommended video list with annotations at the end.

Audience: all musicians, pedagogy and spirituality

Levine, Mel, M.D. (2002) A Mind At A Time. Simon and Schuster, Rockefeller Center, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. [phone]. [e-mail]. ISBN: 0-7432-0222-8. A Mind At A Time is about how to identify children's learning patterns. Mel Levine examines how teachers and parents can capitalize on children's strengths while overlooking their weaknesses. By doing so, positive learning produces a sense of success and achievement rather than a sense of failure and frustration. Levine examines both the strengths and weaknesses in child development.

There are thirteen chapters in the text. Of particular interest to music teachers is Chapter Seven titled "Mind Over Muscle: Our Motor System." This section examines musical motor skills and how they are developed.

Other chapters are Chapter One, "Introduction," Chapter Two, "The Ways of Learning," Chapter Three, "Conducting a Mind: Our Attention Control System," Chapter Four, "Remembering to Learn and Learning to Remember: Our Memory System," Chapter Five, "Ways With Words: Our Language System," Chapter Six, "Making Arrangements: Our Spatial and Sequential Ordering Systems," Chapter Eight, "Some Peeks at a Mind's Peaks: Our Higher Thinking System," Chapter Nine, "Relating to Relating: Our Social Thinking System," Chapter Ten, "When a Mind Falls Behind," Chapter Eleven, "Getting a Mind Realigned (but not Redesigned)," Chapter Twelve, "Raisin' Brain: Homes for All Kinds of Minds," and Chapter Thirteen, "The Right to Differ: Schools for All Kinds of Minds."

The text ends with an annotated bibliography that includes online information, books, videos, audiotapes and curriculum materials.

Audience: music educators

Love, Roger. (1999) Set Your Voice Free. Little, Brown and Company, www.TWBOOKMARK.COM. 225 pp. ISBN: 0-316-44179-1. (CD included) www.rogerlove.com.

Roger Love has been a vocal coach to celebrity singers and speakers for many years. He emphasizes the development of the middle voice via a comprehensive approach with breathing exercises and a step-by-step practice routine. The text has twelve chapters.

Chapter One is titled "Your Best Voice," and Chapter Two, "How do I Sound," is about analyzing your voice. The author advocates tape recording one's voice and then deciding what needs to be worked on. Chapter Three discusses breathing. Love's approach to breathing is to foster exercise and the use of the torso. Chapter Four is the main focal point of the book and is titled "The Miracle of Middle Voice." Love discusses the three parts of the voice: chest, middle and head, and explains the "zipper effect" each part has on each other. In other words, as one uses one part, the others are dampening. Chapter Five, "How to Practice," focuses on finding one's natural speaking or singing speed and then having productive practice at the right tempo for one's own voice.

Chapter Six, "Staking Claim to Middle," is about making adjustments in the voice when necessary. The next chapter (Seven), about the chest voice, is titled "Making Your Speaking Voice Sing." Chapter Eight is "Sound Without Fear." Chapter Nine, "The Core and Feeling of Great Voices," examines diet and nutrition and the importance of drinking lots of water. Chapter Ten, "Essential Extras for Singers," discusses the secrets of good vibrato, phrasing, natural speed and volume and the monotone voice. Chapter Eleven, "Essential Extras for Speakers," reviews the basics for stage and presentation. Chapter Twelve, "The Healing Power of Voice," is about the emotional connection one has with the voice.

An appendix titled "A Glimpse into the Music Business" is included. No bibliography is included.

Audience: singers and public speakers

Miller, Fred L. (2002) How To Calm Down: Three Deep Breaths to Peace of Mind. Warner Books, Inc., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. [e-mail]. www.twbookmark.com. 110 pp. ISBN: 0-446-67971-2.

This is a short pocket-sized book that can be read quickly and offers good basic insights into relaxation techniques and meditation. Some calming techniques examined include learning to take deep breaths, visualization, relaxation exercises and learning to do these while commuting to work or before going to sleep. They are anywhere, anytime techniques and exercises. Fred L. Miller is not a trained musician but is a coach/teacher who lectures around the country on the topic of stress management.

The book is divided into three parts. Part One, "Standing Out," has four chapters: "Shifting Gears," "The Here and Now," "Countdown to Peace and Quiet" and "Head Movies." Part Two, "Finding a Point of Focus," contains six chapters: "Your Mind Thinks It's You," "Touch, Scent, and Taste," "Sound and Sight," "Living Breath," "Welcoming Word" and "Practice until You Want to Practice." Part Three, "Going Deeper," contains five chapters: "What Else is Cooking," "The 'M' Word," "The Stuff of the Universe," "Your Place in It All" and "Tune in to Your Life."

For musicians interested in developing simple calming techniques for performance preparation, this book would be helpful. A bibliography is not included.

Audience: all musicians

Musician's Practice Planner: A Weekly Lesson Planner for Music Students. (1999) Molto Music Company, P.O. Box 20282, Oakland, CA 94620. [phone]. [e-mail]. www.moltomusic.com.

This is a thirty-six-week, spiral-bound practice planner that is like a daily day-timer. The practice categories are broad, with room for both teacher and student input. The teacher fills out the weekly lesson plan on the left page that includes "Scales and Warm-ups," "Etudes and Exercises," "Repertoire," Other (theory, listening and so on) and specific goals for the week. There also is an area for each section where the teacher can write specific goals for each category. In turn, the student does a daily practice log on the right page that includes seven days of practice. Here, a student addresses "Practice Priorities," "Metronome Markings," "Time Spent" and "Total Practice Time."

No bibliography is included.

Audience: all musicians needing to develop a practice schedule

Pearson, Lea D.M.A. (2002) Body Mapping for Flutists: What Every Flute Teacher Needs to Know About the Body. Flutibia, 3085 Kenlawn St., Columbus, OH 43224. [phone]. [e-mail]. 103 pp. No ISBN number given.

This spiral manual is based on the body mapping of Barbara Conable and routed in the basic principles of the Alexander Technique. It is a synthesis of two fields: flute pedagogy and body mapping. The book's intention is to serve as a resource text that presents the principles of body mapping as they relate to flute pedagogy.

The book addresses balance in standing and sitting, how to use arms to prevent injury, free and supported breathing, anatomical information about how the body works, training the kinesthetic sense, importance of movement for musicians and practical exercises for students and teachers. Free versus tight and rigid movement is explored, along with brain mapping.

There are eleven chapters. Chapter One, "Introduction," Chapter Two, "How To Use This Handbook," Chapter Three, "Body Mapping," Chapter Four, "Primary Control," Chapter Five, "On Attention and the Senses," Chapter Six, "Support and Balance," Chapter Seven, "Arm Structure," Chapter Eight, "Hands," Chapter Nine, "Head and Neck," Chapter Ten, "Breathing," and Chapter Eleven, "How to Integrate This Work into Teaching and Playing."

Exercises, diagrams, definitions and teaching tips are covered throughout the book. The text is easy to follow. A "Glossary of Medical Terms, Helpful Tools and Things for Flutists" and bibliography are included.

Audience: flutists

Pomer, Vic (1988) A Guide for Teachers: Preventing Physical Problems in Violin Playing. Published in Canada: University of Ottawa. 61 pp. ISBN: 0-963449-0-2.

This manual reviews the prevention of medical problems in violin players. It is divided into five parts: "Posture," holding the violin; "The Bow Arm," the grip, full and even bow, the wrist and so on; "The Left Hand," positions and shifting; "The Vibrato," how to develop it; and "Closing," where practicing is reviewed. There are seventeen illustrations included in the text. No bibliography is included.

Audience: violinists

Rotblatt, Michael M.D., Pharm.D. and Irwin Ziment M.D., F.R.C.P. (2002) Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine. Hanley & Belfus, Inc. Medical Publishers, 210 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107. [phone] or [phone]; fax: [phone] pp. ISBN: 1-56053-447-8.

This reference tool gives a summary of the available information for the uses of medicinal herbs. The thirty-one contributors include physicians, pharmacists and chemists who have experience using herbs for treatment purposes. Sixty-five herbs are examined. With each herb, the text reviews the herb's origin, uses, pharmacology, clinical trials, adverse effects, interactions, cautions, preparations and doses, summary evaluation and a list of references. Any reader will be able to obtain the necessary information needed on an herb with regard to what the herb is used for and how effective it may be.

The text is divided into five sections: Section One, "Introduction to Herbal Medicine," contains chapters exploring "Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine," "Herbal Practices in the United States," "Quality Assurance and Choosing a Brand or Product," "Understanding Herbal Dosage Forms," "Chemistry of Herbal Medicine" and "Herb-Drug Interactions: Reported Versus Potential Effects." Section Two, "Herb Evaluations," includes evaluations of sixty-five herbs, as well as a section categorizing herbal medicines by levels of evidence and indications. Section Three, "Special Topics," is about Chinese, Ayurvedic and Mexican herbs. Section Four, "Essays and Commentaries," examines aromatherapy and essential oils and homeopathy, the placebo effect, and herbs as a token and nocebos. Problems with herbal therapies and objectives in herbal medicine also are examined.

Section five has two appendices: "Resources for Herbal Medicine Information" and "Selection of Additional Herbal Medicine." A list of references is included at the end of each section.

Audience: all musicians

Sherer, Lon. (1988) Practicing: A Liturgy of Self-Learning. Pinchpenny Press, Goshen College, Goshen, IN 46526. 33 pp. No ISBN given.

This is a short manual about developing liturgies in life for the musician. Lon Sherer discusses practicing as being like a ceremony in which the practicing process itself becomes increasingly important. He explains that practicing is about the pleasure of learning and is a blend of the music, the instrument, the soul and the body. Sherer, himself an injured violinist, identifies the goal of a musician as becoming a better learner who is both creative and insightful.

The book examines small to large muscle control, nerve control and hearing as issues all violinists need to be concerned about. Instead of chapter headings, the manual is divided into segments as follows: "A Window to Self-learning," "The Paradox of Practicing," "Self-Forgiveness: the Key to Learning 'like a child,'" "Mastery, the Goal of Technique, the Nature of Virtuosity," "Hard/Easy Training Makes Good Marathoners--and Musicians too," "The Athletic Joy of Practice," "Practicing Fluency," "10,000 Times Indeed," "The Dilemma of Self-imitation," "Practice your Repertoire," "Nuts and Bolts," "Making Intelligent Fingering Choices," "Practicing to get off Square One," "Sheep Gut and Horse Hair and Care" and "Feeding your Instrument."

This still is a current practice resource for violinists. A bibliography is not included.

Audience: violinists

Werner, Kenny. (1996) Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within. Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., P.O. Box 1244, New Albany, IN 47151-1244. www.jazzbookscom. 192 pp. (with CD). ISBN: 1-56224-003-X.

Effortless Mastery is a book about how music is introduced into our lives. It offers suggestions for people who need to develop skills for "letting go" during performance. The author approaches the subject by using the first section of the book to explain his own personal story. Kenny Werner began his training as a gifted child studying classical piano, but, once he entered serious conservatory training, he realized he did not have the same discipline others had. Eventually, he went to Berklee and studied jazz.

The text has twenty-four chapters and is accompanied by a CD with meditations and visualization techniques. The purpose of the CD is to help one find inner space.

Topics explored are "Why do We Play," "Beyond Limited Goals," "Fear, the Mind and the Ego," "Fear-based Practicing, Teaching, Listening and Composing," "There are No Wrong Notes," "Effortless Mastery" and "Affirmations." There are several meditation chapters throughout, which contain exercises that can be used along with the CD.

The heart of the book begins in Chapter Sixteen, "The Steps to Change," and continues with a detailed process on how to change one's thinking via meditation and tai chi techniques. The techniques examined are for developing performance skills for controlling one's inner self or mind for a more artistic performance. Werner analyzes all types of musicians and vocalists and also has a video titled Effortless Mastery.

A bibliography is not included.

Audience: all performing musicians/performance anxiety

VIDEOS

Haydon, Sona. (1995) Piano Technique: Is There One Way? Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 16380 Roscoe Blvd., P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003. Running time: 41 minutes.

Sona Haydon's video is presented in a way that examines and synthesizes ideas developed when she recovered from a serious right-hand injury. Haydon did extensive research on therapeutic techniques that assisted her in regaining strength and mobility in her hand. The following techniques are reviewed: seating, hand and finger positions, drills, isometrics, stretching, playing trills, scales and arpeggios, chord voicing, Alberti bass and slurs. These techniques are demonstrated through the use of students taking lessons.

Audience: pianists

PERIODICALS

Winspur, Ian F.R.C.S., F.A.C.S. and Raoul Tubiana, guest editors. (May 2003-Volume 19, Number 2) Hand Clinics: The Musician's Hand. W.B. Saunders Company, A Division of Elsevier, Inc., The Curtis Center, Independence Square West, Philadelphia, PA 19106. [phone]. Outside U.S.: [phone]. [e-mail]. www.wbsaunders.com. 360 pp. ISBN: 0749-0712.

Hand Clinics is an international research journal for hand surgeons. It is published quarterly. This "special" edition, published in May of 2003, is devoted to hand problems of musicians. It is an update of a previous Hand Clinics journal issue titled "Hand Injuries in Sports-Performing Arts," published in August 1990. There are fifteen medical professionals from around the world who contributed to this journal. The book contains fourteen articles.

Articles included are "Basic Physiologic Notions with Regard to the Musician's Hand," by Rene Malek; "Examination and Interface with the Musician," by Jochen Blum; "Musculoskeletal Problems of Instrumental Musicians," by Mice Brandfonbrener; "Surgical Assessment of Musicians," by Peter C. Amadio; "Special Operative Consideration in Musicians," by Ian Winspur; "Distal Replantation, Nail Bed, and Nail Problems in Musicians," by Christian Dumontier; "Secondary Microsurgical Reconstruction of Nail Problems in Musicians," by Philippe Valenti; "Management of Nerve Compression Syndrome in Musicians," by Peter C. Amadio; "Hand Therapy for the Musician: Instrument-Focused Rehabilitation," by Joan Warrington; "Musician's Focal Dystonia," by Raoul Tubiana; "Functional Dystonia in Musicians' Rehabilitation," by Philippe Chamagne; "Prevention of Musicians' Hand Problems," by C.B. Wynn Parry; "Controversies Surrounding 'Misuse,' 'Overuse,' and 'Repetition' in Musicians," by Winspur; and "A Search for the Pathophysiology of the Nonspecific 'Occupational Overuse Syndrome' in Musicians," by John W. White, Michael G. Hayes, Glyn G. Jamieson and Issy Pilowsky.

This journal contains valuable and updated information for readers or researches needing information about hand injuries and the musician. Each article ends with a chapter summary and a list of references. The journal ends with an appendix, "Nation Organizations Involved with Medical Care of Musicians from all around the World."

Audience: all musicians

COMPACT DISKS

Hanrahan, William. (2002) Voice Power: Volume 1: Performance Tools for Singers, Public Speakers and Communicators. Vocal Integration Concepts, 520 Washington Blvd., PMB 235, Marian del Rey, CA 90292. [phone]. [e-mail]. www.vocalintegration.com.

This album offers information about structural breathing, progressive relaxation and guided visualization. Exercises on this disk can be done together or practiced separately and are designed for the singer, actor or public speaker. The exercises are set to improvisations on a Celtic harp. It is recommended that daily practice be done for at least thirty-two consecutive days and then periodically for "maintenance." William Hanrahan is on the voice faculty of the University of California and Mt. St. Mary's College in Los Angeles.

Audience: singers and public speakers

WEBSITES

http://home.mindspring.com/ ~shin-on/handcare.html

This page, "Hand Care for Musicians," offers a series of gentle stretching and flexing exercises to strengthen the hands and release tension in the hands and shoulders. The exercises are simple; for example, the "self-massage" involves slowly moving a tennis ball over specific areas of the forearm and hand. The unidentified author describes him/herself as a musician who suffers from chronic tendonitis. He/she provides a straightforward disclaimer: "I am not a doctor and I offer this program because I have found relief and healing (as have many others) and have dramatically increased my ability to engage with my instrument." This page is associated in some way with the website of a company that sells shakuhachi, the traditional Japanese bamboo flutes, though there is no apparent way to reach the exercise page from the company's homepage. These exercises seem to be sensible and safe; however, as with all medical information on the Web, the reader should use caution and discontinue any self-treatment that causes discomfort.

Audience: all musicians

http://nccam.nih.gov/health

While more and more people are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a supplement to or replacement for traditional medical treatment, it is not easy to find reliable, objective information. In 1999 the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with the mission of providing objective scientific information both to the public and medical practitioners. Its website presents a wealth of information about treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, herbal medicines and dietary supplements. The website can be searched either by kind of treatment or by medical condition. It provides the most recent information about the effectiveness and safety of the various treatments and remedies, as well as links to research reports and announcements of clinical trials. An extremely valuable part of this site is its page on how to evaluate medical information on the Web. There also are links to the National Library of Medicine's encyclopedia of health information and its PubMed database of medical literature. This is an excellent site for anyone who is considering one of these treatments or who would like to learn more about them.

Audience: all musicians

http://artsandfilm.healthandsafety centre.org/s/Home.asp

This website is the Worksafe Health and Safety Center for the Performing Arts, which is part of the Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia, Canada. It covers a wide range of topics for performers and technicians in film, theater, music and dance. In the musicians' section, there are a number of manuals and pamphlets available for free download in either PDF or html formats, covering such topics as repetitive strain injuries, hearing damage and musculoskeletal injuries. This site also offers links to external sites with many more resources dealing with performer health issues. The site, which is well organized and easy to navigate, provides quick and easy access to a wealth of information that is written without medical jargon.

Audience: all performing artists

http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/ s_frontpage/index.html

This website from the Yale New Haven Health System is an excellent source of information about many conditions affecting performing artists. To find these, click on "Illnesses & Conditions" and then either type in a keyword or browse the alphabetical list. The information provided for each condition is exceptionally clear, well organized and thorough. Well-depicted anatomical drawings are included, making it easier to understand the text. Longer articles also have a "Topic Overview" sidebar, which allows the user to move quickly to any specific piece of information, such as symptoms or treatments. Also included are links to references in medical journals. At the end of each article is the author(s) name(s), contact information and exact date of the write-up. This is one of the finest medical websites available, offering trustworthy and detailed information in an attractive and user-friendly format. It is an extraordinarily useful source for information about all conditions affecting performing artists.

Audience: all performing artists

www.ausdance.org.au

This is the homepage of the Australian Dance Council, an organization that provides advocacy and information for dance professionals and educators. Two links on this site offer information about wellness issues. The "Safe Dance" link offers summaries of a series of reports based on formal studies of the dance community, which analyzed the types of injuries occurring and made recommendations for preventive measures. The lengthy summaries describe how the studies were conducted and what conclusions were reached. For those interested in greater detail, the complete reports can be purchased from this site. The "Teaching" link provides a series of articles for educators, including a report on psychological factors that predispose the dancer to injury. Performers and teachers who find these articles useful should check this website from time to time for new additions.

Audience: dancers, dance teachers

www.scottishdance.net/links/ Health.html

This page, called "Looking After Your Dancing Body," is from the Edinburgh Scottish Dance website. It provides extensive information about a variety of foot and leg problems associated with dancing. Each condition is described in detail, with clear drawings and well-written text. Included are self-help measures, links to commercial sites offering related products and links to articles in medical journals. Other articles, such as "Dancing Our Feet Off Without Injuring Them," emphasize preventive measures. PDF format makes these articles easy to download and print. Another section recommends exercises for preventing and alleviating foot and leg problems. This section bears a note of caution that always should be observed with any self-help exercise: "... while we believe the information to be mainly correct, you should apply common sense about following it. If it hurts, if it looks wrong for you, don't do it." This page also includes many external links offering additional medical information about each subject. Although this page was created especially for Scottish dancing, it will be a useful resource for any dancer who wishes to understand potential injuries and their treatments.

Audience: dancers

www.carpaltunnel.com

This website proclaims itself to be "the website for accurate information on carpal tunnel syndrome," and indeed it is one of the most thorough resources available. The homepage article contains a number of photographs, including one that gives an animated view of the skeletal and tissue structures of the hand. There also is a section about remedies, both traditional and alternative, that do not work and may, in some instances, be harmful. The "Treatment" button takes the user to an article describing the benefits of endoscopic surgery as opposed to the older surgical techniques. Perhaps the greatest strength of this site lies in the signed articles by medical practitioners and researchers under the heading "Scientific Data." There also is a "New Technologies" section, which provides extensive information about surgical procedures for alleviating carpal tunnel and trigger finger. These sections include actual photographs of surgeries, as well as line drawings showing operating room procedures. This material will be appreciated particularly by anyone contemplating surgery who would like to know exactly what is going to happen during the procedure. While this website is quite valuable for self-education about a problem that is of great concern to many musicians, one should keep in mind that these pages are sponsored by a hand treatment clinic that specializes in endoscopic surgeries. It is important to recognize that not all cases of carpal tunnel require surgery and that all treatment options should be explored before making a decision to have surgery.

Audience: all musicians

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/ mosby_factsheets/carpal_tunnel.html

This Fact Sheet comes from the British United Provident, a nonprofit health care organization. Although the information is fairly brief, it does provide a good basic overview of carpal tunnel problems and treatments. This sheet is notable for its balanced description of treatment options, neither advocating nor disparaging any particular procedure or medication. For anyone who wants a reliable basic introduction to carpal tunnel disorders, this fact sheet is a worthwhile beginning point.

Audience: all musicians

www.soundfeelings.com

Sound Feelings is a publishing company specializing in music wellness and instruction, weight loss and alternative therapies. In addition to selling its books and videos, Sound Feelings offer a series of brief but helpful articles that can be found by clicking on the "Free Tips and Sound Clips" link. Although the flee resources offered here are not extensive, they do provide some helpful hints that may not so easily be found elsewhere. For example, many performers, pianists especially, will appreciate the practical advice offered for alleviating cold hands through simple changes in clothing and diet along with relaxation techniques. Other articles offer advice on pain prevention for pianists and tips for improving sight reading, while other articles discuss diet and weight loss. The "Music Education" link leads to a few additional articles, all excerpted from some of the company's publications.

Audience: all musicians

www.health.auckland.ac.nz/ audiology/hearing_clinic.html

This web page for the Hearing and Tinnitis Clinic at the University of Auckland presents information about hearing loss and hearing protection that should be useful to all musicians. Two links are of particular interest: "Tinnitis and Hyperacusis" and "Musicians: Hearing Loss and Hearing Protection." The first of these links provides detailed information about the causes and treatment of tinnitus, a condition often arising from overexposure to sound and frequently accompanied by hearing loss, so it can interfere seriously with a musician's ability to judge pitch or hear notes accurately. Hyperacusis, an associated condition in which ordinary sounds cause extreme discomfort, also is described. Causes and treatments of these conditions are discussed along with descriptions of warning signs and advice on hearing protection. The second link provides information about the specific risk factors for various conditions affecting musicians, including not only tinnitus and hyperacusis, but also hearing damage that results in sound distortions and diplacusis (inaccurate perception of pitch). There is a brief description of a type of custom-designed earplug developed especially for musicians that reduces the level of sound exposure within the ear and yet preserves sound quality. All musicians, but especially those whose instruments are held close to the ear, will find these web pages of great interest.

Audience: all musicians

www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_ medical/pubs/dystonias.htm

"The Dystonias Fact Sheet" is a guide to the latest information on the puzzling and sometimes disabling neurological conditions known collectively as dystonias. Musicians are clearly at risk for developing certain dystonias that often are associated with repetitive movements and activities in which the body is held at certain angles for long periods. This "Fact Sheet" summarizes the latest research findings about dystonias, with descriptions of common symptoms and an overview of treatment options, an important resource for anyone who suspects they may be having symptoms of dystonia, as well as for those who have been diagnosed. It is presented by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), an agency of the National Institutes of Health.

Audience: all musicians

www.singers-uk.org

Singers U.K is a promotional website for professional singers, musicians and voice teachers in the United Kingdom. Its "Articles" link, found under the heading "Musicians," offers a number of well-written articles covering all aspects of vocal performance and health. For example, there are articles about performance anxiety, breathing, memorization and warm-up exercises. A small section called "Vocal Health" includes articles about the anatomy and physiology of singing along with advice about maintaining vocal health. One article describes how aerobic exercise can improve vocal performance, relieve tension and build physical fitness and endurance. It is written with an underlying assumption that gaining control over the body gives the singer greater control of the voice during performance. The article emphasizes healthy singing techniques and the importance of balancing physical exercise with vocal practice. All articles are written by performers and music teachers.

Audience: singers, voice teachers, actors

www.voicedoctor.net

A broad range of well-illustrated information about the diagnosis and treatment of many conditions affecting the voice can be found on this website, created by James P. Thomas, M.D., who specializes in voice disorders. Links on the homepage lead to very detailed descriptions of diagnostic methods, clinical treatments for disorders ranging from vocal cord polyps to spasmodic dysphonia, and surgical procedures for a number of specific disorders. The "Media" section contains videos, anatomical drawings and sound clips that further illustrate the functioning of the voice and the effects of various disorders. This site also offers advice about selecting a physician to treat voice disorders and a geographic guide to specialists. Optional keyword searching of the site is available. This well-organized and informative site presents a wealth of medical information in formats that are readily understood by anyone with a serious interest in voice disorders, making it an excellent resource for self-education about vocal functioning, as well as for exploring therapeutic and surgical options.

Audience: singers, actors

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A special thanks to Rebecca Shockley, professor of piano pedagogy and class piano coordinator at the University of Minnesota and chair of MTNA's Pedagogy Saturday Committee; Rebecca Grooms Johnson, NCTM, associate professor and director, Community Music School and Conservatory Keyboard Pedagogy at Capital University and former chair of MTNA's Pedagogy Saturday Committee; Gail Berenson, NCTM, MTNA vice president, professor of piano and chair of the keyboard division at Ohio University, Athens; and Margaret Lorince, NCTM, professor emeritus, West Virginia University, who all have supported this project and helped keep it an ongoing endeavor. This research has been assisted by Kathryn Kalmanson, head of reference at Blackwell Library at Salisbury University. She continues to do the research necessary for this bibliography and has taken on the full responsibility for the websites, including writing the annotations and making sure sites are still active. Also, a thank you to Robin R. Cockey, esquire, for his valuable insights in making sure the annotations are clear to the general reader.

Linda Cockey, professor and chair of the Department of Music at Salisbury University in Maryland, teaches piano, music history and a wellness in performance course. She holds a D.M.A. degree from The Catholic University of America, where she studied piano with Thomas Mastroianni and pedagogy with Barbara English Maris. She has authored numerous publications on musical topics, presented papers for several national organizations and is an active performer.