The Practice Project Podcast

Unmasking the complex conundrum of Music Performance Anxiety (MPA), this episode of The Practice Project Podcast focuses on the 2006 research paper by Dianna Kenny and Margaret Osborne: " Music Performance Anxiety: New insights from young musicians." MPA is not just an adult phenomenon; it extends its roots deep into the learning years of budding musicians, impairing their performance an...

In Episode 15 of The Practice Project Podcast, Bethany and Riki re-enter the realm of neuroscience to explore the relationship between music and emotion. They consider how our brains process the music we play and listen to, why we take such pleasure from our musical experiences, and the pivotal role of dopamine. Listen in for fascinating insights into the potent effect that music has on our emotio...

Discover the power of effective music practice with this episode of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda. In Part 2 of our review of Chuan Chang’s book, ' Fundamentals of Piano Practice ' (2007), Bethany and Riki investigate four more of the key practice principles embraced by Chang: memorisation, mental play, pace modulation and post-practice improvement. Chang's proven strategi...

This is Episode 13 of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, with more insights into effective music practice. As Part 1 of a double-bill, this episode introduces the teachings of Chuan Chang, the author of ‘ Fundamentals of Piano Practice ’ (2007). Hosts Bethany and Riki cover six piano practice techniques from Chang's book, which are equally applicable to other instruments. Among other th...

Welcome to Episode 12 of The Practice Project Podcast, from nkoda. In this episode, your hosts Bethany and Riki explore research undertaken by Caitlyn Trevor and David Huron in 2018 and presented in their paper " Animated Performance: 'Better' Music Means Larger Motions ". The results of the research create a compelling argument for the importance of the visual aspects of music...

In this edition of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, Bethany and Riki scrutinise Steve Oare's 2011 research article " Teaching Instrumentalists to Practice Effectively " and the comprehensive practice model that he developed. Informed by his experiences as a middle school band teacher in the US, and in particular his observations of students struggling to improve despite cons...

In this latest instalment of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, Bethany and Riki navigate you through the intricacies of vocal health, with the help of Professor Peter LaPine from the University of Michigan. They guide you through the workings of your larynx and vocal folds, discuss the various factors that can impact a healthy voice, and reveal the tell-tale signs of potential vocal damage....

Join us for this latest instalment of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, the all-in-one digital sheet music app, as we offer more fresh perspectives on music practice and performance. In a wide-ranging discussion, framed by Charise Hastings’ 2014 article on the tension between technical and aesthetic approaches to music, Bethany and Riki look at how combining these two contrasting aspects ca...

In this edition of The Practice Project Podcast, join your hosts Bethany and Riki as they debunk five of the most common misconceptions surrounding music practice. In 2012, Miranda Wilson wrote ' Practice Mythbusters: Common Misconceptions About Practice For Advanced Students ', to set one of her students straight about how to practice efficiently and effectively. The result is a selecti...

The Practice Project Podcast continues, created and produced by nkoda - the world's leading digital sheet music app. In Episode 7, hosts Bethany and Riki discuss Paola Savvidou's 2014 article, ‘ In Search of the “Perfect” Musical Performance ', which explores the concept of striving for excellence - rather than perfection - in your musical practice and performance. Savvidou argues p...

This is Episode 6 of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, your all-in-one digital sheet music solution. Today, we consider the transformative power of yoga and meditation for musicians, with insights from a 2006 research trial by Khalsa and Cope. Musicians can face a range of psychological and physical challenges - performance anxiety, musculoskeletal issues and nerve disorders are all too com...

In Episode 5 of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, Bethany and Riki discuss the 2007 research paper ' Learning Clair de Lune: Retrieval Practice and Expert Memorization ' by Roger Chaffin. They examine the concept of structural memory and look at how - alongside motor memory and auditory memory - building structural memory, when learning a new piece of music, can accelerate the mem...

In Episode 4 of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, the focus is on helping to prevent performance-related injuries among musicians and music students. Drawing from the 2011 study " Injury Prevention: What Music Teachers Can Do ", by Christine Guptill and Christine Zaza, your hosts Bethany and Riki discuss essential practices that can help reduce the risks of injury. Around 20% of m...

In Episode 3 of The Practice Project Podcast from nkoda, your hosts Bethany Thomas and Riki Beazley explore the interplay between sleep and music practice. They look at the key insights from a 2006 study by Amy Simmons and Robert Duke, " Effects of Sleep on Performance of a Keyboard Melody ", and shed light on the crucial role that sleep plays in the consolidation of new motor skills lea...

In Episode 2 of The Practice Project Podcast, your host Bethany Thomas reviews the 2020 research paper: ' Cellists: sound quality is shaped by their primary postural behaviour ' by Jocelyn Rozé and her team. This insightful episode reveals the vital role that posture plays in achieving optimal musicality and rich timbre - moving beyond the idea that focusing on posture is only about prev...

In the first episode of ‘The Practice Project Podcast’ from nkoda, the world's premier sheet music app, we take the first step in transforming your approach to musical practice, performance and teaching. Hosted by Bethany Thomas, this episode dives into the 2015 article " How Brain Research Can Inform Music Teaching " by Donald and Jennifer Walter. The main theme of the episode is t...

The Practice Project Podcast is brought to you by nkoda, the world’s premier digital sheet music app, with over 110,000 titles from more than 140 publishers. This trailer introduces our unique podcast series, which aims to transform the landscape of your music practice, performance and teaching through the lens of academic research. The nkoda team, with their experience and passion for music, will...