People with quadriplegia have a high risk for respiratory illness, social isolation and depression. Previous research has demonstrated that therapeutic singing interventions can not only improve breathing function and speech loudness, but also improve mood and social connectedness for people with quadriplegia. Face-to-face group attendance is difficult for this population due to difficulties with distance and travel. Online environments offer an accessible and cost-effective solution for people to connect with others without leaving their home. In a two-phase iterative design, we explored and tested different approaches for delivering online music therapy sessions with 12 patients from an inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation service. Six participants in Phase 1 trialled different virtual reality headsets and completed a short interview about their experience of the equipment and online singing trials. Outcomes from Phase 1 testing led to the development of a custom-built virtual reality application for online group music therapy sessions with low-latency audio. We tested the acceptability and feasibility of this platform in comparison to face-to-face and teleconference options for music therapy with six different patients. These participants completed three validated questionnaires: System Usability Scale, Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology, and Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale, and an interview about their experience. Questionnaire scores were good with mean ratings of 4.4 for Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology, 53 for System Usability Scale and positive mean Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale scores of 1.5 for competence, 2 for adaptability and 1.5 for self-esteem. Thematic analysis of post-session qualitative interviews revealed five themes: virtual reality was a positive experience, virtual reality was immersive and transportative, virtual reality reduced inhibitions about singing in front of others, virtual reality may reduce social cues, and the virtual reality equipment was comfortable, accessible and easy to use. Telehealth options, including a custom-designed virtual reality program, with low-latency audio are an acceptable and feasible mode of delivery for therapeutic singing interventions for people with spinal cord injury. Future non-inferiority research is needed to test online delivery modes for music therapy in comparison to face-to-face treatment.

Featured article and interview with percussionist Sammy Figueroa

Featured article and interview with US percussionist Richie Gajate-Garcia

Feature interview with master-percussionist Karaikudi R. Mani

Feature interview with percussionist Roger Squitero

Feature interview with percussionist Taku Hirano

Featured personal article on a Chilean musical journey.

The professional practice of classical music performers has been better understood and enhanced across the last two decades through research aimed at tailoring rehearsing strategies that support the development of a sense of self as an agentic and proactive learner. One approach focuses on helping students make use of various tools that can enhance their learning, particularly in terms of what they do, feel and think when practicing and performing music. This study expands literature on expertise development by embracing the idea that this line of research would benefit from additional studies where the researcher forms part of the research process as an active participant who generates data, especially when these researchers are "members" of the social world they study, and therefore have insider knowledge. Thus, this case study is focused on the first author, a professional cellist who is also a researcher in the educational psychology of music, as the only participant. It extends current research by providing a detailed longitudinal mapping of a professional cellist's preparation across nine profiled concerts in five countries of classical-romantic repertoire and a commercial recording that resulted from 100 weeks of dedicated practice. Anonymous feedback from the audiences and interviews with an expert musician who followed the concerts and the CD recording was also collected. For the data analysis, traditional psychometric measurements were applied to test the internal consistency of the time series data as well as the relationship between variables. In addition, the application of Leximancer analysis of the self-reflections allowed the researchers to probe self-regulated learning (SRL) and self-determination theory (SDT) processes in ways that uniquely mapped, over time, her differing motivations to perform at a high level. Specifically, we report that the cellist's psychological needs and her motivational resources changed across time within the social context of performing music publicly, and that the various self-regulatory processes she drew upon impacted (both positively and negatively) on her ongoing actions, thoughts and feelings. Implications of the study are relevant for all forms of expertise development research, and especially for understandings about the nature of skill development in the context of learning to perform demanding literature in music.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacological interventions to address behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) can have undesirable side effects, therefore non-pharmacological approaches to managing symptoms may be preferable. Past studies show that music therapy can reduce BPSD, and other studies have explored how formal caregivers use music in their caring roles. However, no randomised study has examined the effects on BPSD of music interventions delivered by informal caregivers (CGs) in the home setting. Our project aims to address the need for improved informal care by training cohabiting family CGs to implement music interventions that target BPSD, and the quality of life (QoL) and well-being of people with dementia (PwD) and CGs. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A large international three-arm parallel-group randomised controlled trial will recruit a sample of 495 dyads from Australia, Germany, UK, Poland and Norway. Dyads will be randomised equally to standard care (SC), a home-based music programme plus SC, or a home-based reading programme plus SC for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is BPSD of PwD (measured using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire). Secondary outcomes will examine relationship quality between CG and PwD, depression, resilience, competence, QoL for CG and QoL for PwD. Outcomes will be collected at baseline, at the end of the 12-week intervention and at 6 months post randomisation. Resource Utilisation in Dementia will be used to collect economic data across the life of the intervention and at 6-month follow-up. We hypothesise that the music programme plus SC will generate better results than SC alone (primary comparison) and the reading programme plus SC (secondary comparison). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained for all countries. Results will be presented at national and international conferences and published in scientific journals and disseminated to consumer and caregiver representatives and the community. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: ACTRN12618001799246p; NCT03907748.

Expanding both individual and combined ​research cluster agendas (Ensemble T​hree), Immel, Brennan and Murray workshop and premiere new pieces at the invitation of Princeton University, the University of Southern California, Highline College, Bellevue College and the Wayward Music Series (Seattle). Non Traditional Research Outputs, including practice-led P1 (major) performances as defined on the FFAM Staff Hub Research web page. Activities are in line with a continuing and developing research agenda, and remain directly in line with our University of Melbourne Grand Challenges. As stated in the document RESEARCH AT MELBOURNE: ENSURING EXCELLENCE AND IMPACT TO 2025, this research: · Is outward-looking and best met by engaging with external partners and collaborators; · Is about engaging our society in the performing arts in the digital world; · Is global in reach, but with Australian and local dimension; · Engages other organisations drawn from industry, the community, our partners and affiliated institutions; · Builds international partnerships with research communities in the United States Extensive workshopping of new works written for our research team, and for premiere international performances (P1 Major Non Traditional Research Output activity) at peer research institutions (USC, Princeton et. al).

More than a century’s worth of music featuring the trombone sits forgotten in the Conservatoire libraries in and around Belgium; my current 3-year project will rediscover, reintroduce, and realise the premiere recordings of important historical pieces from this volume of neglected repertoire ca. 1860 - 1975. Although trombone music written for the Paris Conservatoire concours system is well researched and remains widely performed,1 this is in contrast to repertoire written for other competing music schools. Analogous to Paris, portions of curricula at music conservatoires in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liege were also based on a concours system, at the very least for entrance into instrumental courses.2 As a result it is expected that a significant breadth of literature specifically written for testing students entering and/or exiting from each conservatory is located within their libraries. This dissertation comprises two components: Premiere recordings of the best literature will be made. A written component will contextualise and underscore the value of the rediscovered literature from historic, artistic and educational perspectives. This is the first comprehensive research and practical study of its kind, will make a highly valuable contribution to knowledge in the field.