Preparing Music Students for a Public Recital: Applying Principles of Practice from Sport Sciences and Other Disciplines¹

Developing expertise in music requires many hours of high-quality practice. Therefore, principles of learning and practising based on research and theorising in sports and police work are potentially valuable for music students. We explored several of these principles in a research project called the “Study Lab” (SL). In 2015 and 2016, two groups of students at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (six each year) participated in the SL. In ten to fourteen days, they prepared for a challenging recital of approximately thirty minutes, using methods borrowed partially from sport sciences and sport psychology. First, we briefly discuss the theoretical background to the SL (Part I), after which we reveal some of the more pertinent research findings (Part II). The students’ experiences in the SL were monitored using logbooks, interviews, and questionnaires; their final performances were assessed by performance teachers (in 2016 only). A selection of the results of both SLs-results obtained immediately after the SL and collected about one year later-will close this essay. Overall, the SL was evaluated positively both immediately and after one year. In conclusion, the SL methods provide much potential for the music domain.