2-Part Course Acceptance and Commitment Training for Enhancing Music Performance
Thursday 4th November 2021, 5:00 PM - Thursday 11th November 2021 7:00 PM (London Time)
In this two-part course, you will learn how to use skills from Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) to achieve peak performance for yourself or your students. You’ll first receive a brief introduction to ACT, an evidence-based psychotherapy & coaching model that aims to teach psychological flexibility, through promoting mindfulness and acceptance of one’s symptoms of emotional distress, while also identifying & committing to actions consistent with a musician’s values. Next, you’ll receive an overview of the supporting research for ACT as a performance enhancement (PE) program in music, sport, and other disciplines. You’ll then learn the three methods by which ACT is thought to enhance performance across music & other disciplines, and how to implement them within yours or your students’ performances:
1) increased artistic presence, 2) engagement with valued actions, and 3) the combination of these two strategies. Lastly, you’ll learn how ACT affects other, common targets of PE programs, i.e., flow, attention, commitment to practice.
Dr David Juncos
David Juncos, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, lecturer, performance coach, author, and music performance researcher based in Philadelphia, PA. He has 20 years of experience in treating a variety of clinical problems, including anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders.
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Thursday 11th December 2025
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
(London Time)
Picking Up Good Vibrations: Pedagogical and Clinical Voice Analysis!
Dr Calvin Baker
Voice teachers and clinicians strongly rely on auditory perceptual modes of voice evaluation. These are considered the gold standard for assessing voice quality and training effects (e.g., a singer’s progress from lesson to lesson or across voice therapy). Join Dr Calvin Baker as he explores techniques for instrumentally analysing the singing voice. Specific considerations for the challenges of obtaining reliable, robust, and comparable data will be presented, and practical recommendations for recording and analysing the singing voice in pedagogical and clinical contexts will be made.
Thursday 11th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Pedagogy of Vibrato: Integrating Science and Studio Practice
Dr Justin John Moniz
Vibrato is more than just a shimmer in the sound—it’s one of the voice’s most powerful tools for artistry and expression. In this dynamic course, Justin John Moniz—Associate Director of Vocal Performance and Coordinator of Vocal Pedagogy at NYU Steinhardt, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Singing—pulls back the curtain on vibrato, blending history, science, and studio know-how into an engaging exploration for singers and teachers alike.
Tuesday 16th December 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Inspired Sound: Unlocking the Science of Choral Acoustics
Professor Helena Daffern
In this session, Professor Helena Daffern will explore the fascinating science behind choral sound, offering choir singers and directors valuable insights into achieving a cohesive and expressive ensemble, no matter what their standard. The concept of choral blend will be examined —what it is, how it can be cultivated, and the roles of intonation and vibrato will be analysed. The decisions that have to be made around intonation when tuning thirds or dealing with modulations over the course of an a cappella piece will be explained in the context of existing research and different singing styles such as barbershop singing and solo voice ensembles.