February 2010 MTNA e-Journal

The Musician’s Guide To The Brain: How To Use Brain Science In The Study Of Music
By Lois Svard
Listening to and performing music involves nearly every human cognitive function. Lois Svard presents the first of a two-part series looking at the brain’s role in music study, and especially the role of mirror neurons, which allow unconscious “mirroring”or imitation within our own brains. [Read More]

A Study In The Relationship Between Selected Characteristics Of Private Music Students And Success In Private Music Lessons: Implications For Private Music Teachers
By Kara Washington-Harris
What factors enable music students to progress beyond the labor of routine practice, developing a lifelong appreciation of music? Kara Washington-Harris conducted a research study to investigate selected characteristics as they relate to student success in private music lessons and shares the results. [Read More]

Discovering The Thumb: Empowering The Hand’s “Moveable Flying Buttress”
By Alan Fraser
In the final installment of Alan Fraser’s series on Sensory Motor Learning, he provides detailed Awareness Through Movement lessons focusing on the thumb—empowering the hand’s “Moveable Flying Buttress.” [Read More]