Wellness
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Welcome
Welcome to the FSMTA Musicians Wellness webpage! Our purpose is to serve you as a resource in promoting the health and wellbeing of musicians and music students. Awareness of the importance of wellness among music students has been growing steadily over the last several decades. Studio music educators are in a strategic position to help promote the health and wellness of their students—but many teachers have not received instruction in these areas through traditional pedagogy. This webpage provides access to resources and training that can help to fill this gap, including links to resource lists, articles, webinars, and related websites. You will also find information about upcoming wellness events, both within and outside the state of Florida. It has been exciting to witness many different fields and disciplines coming together to help promote health and wellness in musicians and music students. We want to be one more link in this growing chain of support. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions, concerns, or ideas—we can accomplish much more together than alone. Gail Berenson Charles Turon Co-chairs, FSMTA Wellness Committee
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Our Mission Statement
The purpose of the FSMTA Wellness Committee is to serve as a resource to FSMTA in all aspects of musicians’ health. The committee shall
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Health, Wellness, and Wholeness
in the Music Studio By Gail Berenson, Linda Cockey and Charles Turon This newly released book is not just another book on musician wellness—it’s an overview of what a music teacher should know for everyday, healthy music teaching. For vocal and instrumental studio music teachers, whether in an independent studio or at a college, university or conservatory who teach students of any age or level, this book explores the student from five interconnected viewpoints:
You can order your copy on Amazon today. Links to Wellness Resources Detailed in the Book |
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Online Resources:
- College of Optometrists in Vision Development
COVD is the primary national organization for developmental eye doctors who are trained in the testing of visual skills of focusing and eye movements. They are willing and able to take the time to listen to patients about specific lens needs for musicians and can provide more testing that the eye health and 20/20 testing. Includes a doctor locator feature.
- https://www.optometrists.org/Optometrists Network
Optometrists Network is a long-established website that explains different visual diagnoses in plain language for the public to read. It also has a doctor locator feature that may return some different results than COVD does.
- Handouts from the 2019 FSMTA Conference: Dusty Narducci Lecture, Heather Malyuk Notes, Berenson/Turon Handout
- Handouts from the 2019 MTNA Conference, which included several workshops on wellness-related topics.
- MTNA Wellness Resources
- Series of American Music Teacher articles: Essential Skills for Promoting a Lifelong Love of Music and Music-Making
- Annotated List of American Music Teacher Articles on Wellness, annotated by Dr. Linda Cockey; Salisbury University
- Archived College Music Society Wellness Webinars and Newsletter Articles (All archived CMS webinars are available to the general public free of charge at the link above. They typically run approximately 30 minutes in length.) Click here to see descriptions of the 2020-2021 Webinars.
- National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy Wellness Curriculum, revised in 2007 by members of the NCKP Committee on Wellness for the Pianist.
- ISME (International Society for Music Education) Musicians’ Health and Wellness Special Interest Group - Website; Facebook page
A Brief Background
Music Teachers National Association has taken a major leadership role in musicians’ health and related areas since the mid-1980’s. MTNA’s pioneering and ongoing commitment to musicians’ wellness and prevention education has resulted in the formation of the MTNA Wellness Forum in 2008, initiation in 2014 of a wellness track as part of pre-conference Pedagogy Saturdays, establishment of a series of articles on musicians’ health in The American Music Teacher beginning in 2014, development of online resources on the MTNA website, and numerous other initiatives.
The MTNA Position Statement on Musician’s Wellness, Health in Music Teaching, states “Music teachers are the primary channels for changing how music is taught and played. In the effort to reduce performance injuries and encourage good auditory, physical and emotional health, music teachers need to become substantially involved in injury prevention by teaching health-conscious music-related practices to students.”
Many state affiliates, including FSMTA, are actively involved in implementing this mandate from MTNA to assist music teachers in promoting health in music making. State conferences have frequently featured numerous workshops on health-related topics, and both district and local affiliates have been engaged in similar efforts. The formation of the FSMTA Wellness Committee marks a significant step forward in this progression.
Music Teachers National Association has taken a major leadership role in musicians’ health and related areas since the mid-1980’s. MTNA’s pioneering and ongoing commitment to musicians’ wellness and prevention education has resulted in the formation of the MTNA Wellness Forum in 2008, initiation in 2014 of a wellness track as part of pre-conference Pedagogy Saturdays, establishment of a series of articles on musicians’ health in The American Music Teacher beginning in 2014, development of online resources on the MTNA website, and numerous other initiatives.
The MTNA Position Statement on Musician’s Wellness, Health in Music Teaching, states “Music teachers are the primary channels for changing how music is taught and played. In the effort to reduce performance injuries and encourage good auditory, physical and emotional health, music teachers need to become substantially involved in injury prevention by teaching health-conscious music-related practices to students.”
Many state affiliates, including FSMTA, are actively involved in implementing this mandate from MTNA to assist music teachers in promoting health in music making. State conferences have frequently featured numerous workshops on health-related topics, and both district and local affiliates have been engaged in similar efforts. The formation of the FSMTA Wellness Committee marks a significant step forward in this progression.
Upcoming Events
Florida Events
- 2025 FSMTA Conference, "Unlocking Musical Treasures": Friday--Sunday, October 24-26, 2025. The Marriott Courtyard and Springhill Suites Complex, Amelia Island, Florida. Conference link: FSMTA Conference - Florida State Music Teachers Association
Events Outside Florida
- The Performing Arts Medicine Association International Symposium, "Safeguarding Performance: Advocating for occupational health within the performing arts": Thursday--Sunday, July 10--13, 2025, Washington, DC. Conference link: 43rd Annual PAMA International Symposium - PAMA
- The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy(NCKP) Biennial Conference, "The Piano Conference": Wednesday--Saturday, July 23-26, 2025. The Westin Chicago Lombard Hotel (Lombard, IL). Conference link: The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 - Piano Inspires