The IMAGINE PROJECT took place at the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague in 2019 as part of the lectorate ‘Music, Education and Society’ under lector Paul Craenen. The project was led by Susan Williams and assisted by Bastiaan van der Waals, both of whom had done previous research linked to musical imagery. Both Susan and Bastiaan are instrumental teachers and research supervisors at the Royal Conservatoire who implement their knowledge of psychomotor learning, music psychology and music pedagogy in their instrumental teaching and courses.
The research team also included four masters students: Annoes van der Zande, Magdalena Morales Hidalgo, Kassandra Siebel and Karolina Aurelia Walarowska - who were each conducting their own masters research on topics connected with music imagery and mental training.
The members of the imagine team shared a belief that mental training and the use of imagery during practice, performance preparation and performance could enhance musicians’ learning and performance. The aim of the group was to gather knowledge from sports and movement sciences and apply it to the field of musical practice.
This exposition contains some content from the researchers’ individual work, as well as material resulting from group collaboration. Where appropriate links to individual research are provided and authors of exposition chapters are cited.
Dr. SUSAN WILLIAMS
FINDING FOCUS: Using external focus of attention for practicing and performing music