Enhancing your musical performance abilities

American Music Teacher, August-Sept, 2004 by Lesley Sisterhen

NOTES

(1.) Freymuth, Malva, Mental Practice and Imagery for Musicians: A Practical Guide for Optimizing Practice Time, Enhancing Performance, and Preventing Injury. (Boulder, CO: Integrated Musician's Press, 1999).

(2.) Moran, Aidan P., The Psychology of Concentration in Sport Performers. (East Sussex, UK: Psychology Press, 1991): 208.

(3.) Gallwey, Timothy, The Inner Game of Tennis. (New York: Random House, 1974): 17.

(4.) Williams, Jean M., "Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance," Applied Sport Psychology, edited by Jean M. Williams. (Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1986): 124.

(5.) Jacobsen, Edmund, "Electrical Measurement of Neuromuscular States During Mental Activities I: Imagination of Movement Involving Skeletal Muscle," American Journal of Physiology 91. (1930a): 567-608.

(6.) Suinn, Richard M., "Psychology and Sports Performance: Principles and Applications," Psychology in Sports: Methods and Applications. (Minneapolis: Burgess, 1980): 26-36.

(7.) Powell, G.E., "Negative and Positive Mental Practice in Motor Skill Acquisition," Perpetual and Motor Skills 37. (1973): 312.

(8.) Williams, "Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance," Applied Sport Psychology. (1986): 124.

(9.) Jacobsen, Edmund, Progressive Relaxation. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1930).

(10.) Sheikh, Anees A. and Errol R. Korn, eds., Imagery in Sports and Physical Performance. (Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company, 1994): 176-179.

(11.) Feltz, D.L. and D.M. Landers, "The Effects of Mental Practice on Motor Skill Learning and Performance: A Meta-Analysis," Journal of Sport Psychology 5. (1983): 25-27.

(12.) Ibid.

(13.) Driskell, J.E., C. Copper and A. Moran, "Does Mental Practice Enhance Performance?" Journal of Applied Psychology 79. (1994): 481-492.

(14.) Ibid.

(15.) Coffman, Don D., "Effects of Mental Practice, Physical Practice, and Aural Knowledge of Results on Piano Performance," Journal of Research in Music Education 38, No. 3. (1987): 187-196.

(16.) Geerlings, Carla J., "Effect of Mental and Physical Practice on Improving Keyboard Performance," (thesis, University of Kansas, 1998).

(17.) Ross, S.L., "The Effectiveness of Mental Practice on Improving the Performance of College Trombonists," Journal of Research in Music Education 33. (1985): 221-230.

(18.) Pierson, Michael Eldon, "Effects of Mental and Physical Practice on 6th Grade Beginning Band Instrumentalists' Performance Accuracy," (thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992).

(19.) Freymuth, Mental Practice and Imagery for Musicians: A Practical Guide for Optimizing Practice Time, Enhancing Performance, and Preventing Injury. (1991).

(20.) Lim, Serene and Louis G. Lippman, "Mental Practice and Memorization of Piano Music," Journal of General Psychology 118, No. 1. (January 1999): 21.

(21.) Ross, "The Effectiveness of Mental Practice on Improving the Performance of College Trombonists," Journal of Research in Music Education 33. (1985).

Lesley Sisterhen is pursuing a D.M.A. degree in piano performance and pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma, where she studies piano with Jane Magrath. She also teaches both group and applied piano as an instructor at the University of Central Oklahoma. She received an M.M. degree in piano performance from Florida State University and a B.M. degree in piano performance from the University of Houston.