This study explores the utility of movement analysis technology as a means of contributing to a performance pedagogy informed in part by science. Two research questions were investigated: Can biomechanical skills needed for performance on the violin be accurately and objectively characterized and generalized? Can these data be used to inform performance pedagogy to maximize efficiencies and minimize injury? Movement analysis technology was used to study biomechanical phenomena associated with legato bowing on the violin. Results identified and described generalizable characteristics or markers among expert violinists, interactions between right shoulder and elbow, and three discrete tempo-dependent phases of motor control. Such markers may provide new ways of accurately identifying, assessing, and communicating when teaching. Results hold implications for factors related to overuse injuries and underscore the need for more systematic collaborative inquiry into performance pedagogy.

Music ensemble playing relies heavily on a conductor's gestural cues. Visibility of those cues varies within the ensemble, so conductors typically use compensation strategies selectively to improve the clarity of their gestures for different players. Currently, there are no quantitative studies evaluating the efficacy of such compensatory strategies. The present pilot study examined the effectiveness of one typical strategy, namely, twisting or turning to address different sections of an ensemble. The method used three-dimensional motion capture and biomechanical modeling to quantify line-of-sight visibility of the conductor from the viewpoint of ensemble players. Results established a visually advantaged quadrant within the ensemble. They further showed that optimizing visual communication may require less turning than commonly believed.

This study explored alternative approaches to young people’s concerts aimed at extending musical appreciations and cultural understandings while promoting interest in concert attendance among upper elementary students. The project, an artistic and cross-cultural collaboration grounded in a spirit of mutual respect, consisted of three components: (1) concert; (2) instructional unit; and (3) action research. The concert was a ‘meeting place’ of contemporary art music and contemporary native-American music; ancient Blackfoot mythology and contemporary dance and new media; and traditional Blackfoot dress and artifacts and those of contemporary North America. The instructional unit was designed to enable students to make connections between materials and processes used in the creation of the concert and those experienced in music classes. Research findings indicated that response to the concert was positive and the project was highly successful in promoting cultural understanding; however, data regarding the efficacy of the instructional unit were inconclusive.

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