Musician's Toolkit

Toolkit is designed as a preparation for a life
in professional music, as well as an orientation
to the college experience. It's especially
helpful for first year undergraduates, but it is
also open to upper division undergraduates and
graduate students. The course covers a variety of
the skills and tools needed for success as a
music student as well as in the world of a
professional musician. Whether you are a
performer, composer, sound designer, or music
technology specialist, or whatever your genre of
music, Toolkit will explore areas of interest and
research in multiple facets of the musical
universe. The class meets once a week for two
hours, and each week we'll discuss a module of
information about a different topic. Some
examples include: practical focus on
organizational skills, study habits, physical and
mental techniques for practicing/making music
more efficiently and without pain or stress;
specific tactics for managing your time better;
developing strategies for improving areas of
health and wellness that many musicians ignore,
like muscular skeletal issues, nutrition,
posture, hearing loss and vocal health;
ergonomics and health risks of computer use,
sitting for too many hours and commuting; and
stress reduction techniques to aid with issues of
stage fright, procrastination, and cramming.
Evidence based studies from the fields of
medicine, psychology and neuroscience will be
noted and discussed.