The Past, Present, and Future of Practice
Presenter: Marc Gelfo

The last one hundred years has seen a tremendous change in our understanding of learning and skill development. I begin with an overview of traditional music practice techniques, looking at underlying assumptions and models, to establish a baseline. From there I will discuss research from the last few decades, drawing from fields such as cognitive science, peak performance, and psychopharmacology, as well as the influence of traditional practices such as yoga and meditation on how we can improve as musicians. This leads to a survey of the current "cutting edge" of practice techniques. I will discuss my own experiences leading a holistic music practice retreat, as well as the influence of programs such as Noa Kageyama's Bulletproof Musician. Finally, I will explore directions the future might hold for music practice, examining the role of technology, biofeedback, nutrition, and other fruitful domains.