Musical Dynaformics

Creating the musical performances
of the future

Vision

A contrasting situation of musical performance relative to sports is a lack of scientific studies, which limits the ability of musicians to accomplish emotional and virtuosic performance without developing injuries.

Mastering virtuosic performance requires music education and physical education in four essential areas: musicality, interpretation, biological functions and technical skills.

Traditionally, musicality and interpretation have been covered in many areas of music education and research studies. Biological functions and technical skills associated with virtuosic instrumental performances and training methods, on the other hand, have not been explained sufficiently or studied empirically.

Such functions and skills are characterized by the co-optimization of speed and accuracy of movements, independent and coordinated movement control between the fingers and hands, and the integration of multimodal sensory and motor information in a real-time manner.

 

If pianists attempt to acquire those functions and skills through extensive hours and years of deliberate practice, without proper knowledge and methods, they not only lose track of acquiring virtuosity, but also potentially suffer from movement disorders and injuries such as focal dystonia. Even those who successfully acquire virtuosity cannot pass on explicit knowledge and methods to the next generation.

Goal

Musical Dynaformics is an emerging field of translational music research to elucidate mechanisms underlying acquisition and loss of highly-skilled sensorimotor behaviors (i.e. virtuosity) in musicians , and to establish explicit knowledge and optimal practice methods for virtuosity acquisition without developing injuries, based on principles and evidence originating from sensorimotor control and learning research.

To maximize the potential of the research performed cooperatively within medical science, engineering, and art, research outcomes are fed back to educators and musicians at conservatories and institutions worldwide.

Science for musicians will make it possible for any musician to acquire virtuosity and pass it on to the next generation, granting our world cultural enrichment through the coevolution of an open system comprised of artists, educators, and the audience.

Musical dynaformics gives musicians the opportunity to express themselves without physical constraints, leading to the creation of wonderful new music. Its major mission is to move musical performance forward, from the body, to expression.

Related Projects:

- The Evaluation of Sensory Motor and Cognitive Functions

- Coordination Skill Learning System for Musicians

- Prevention and Rehabilitation of Musician's Injuries

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