Funding
Professor Comeau is awarded $199,782 by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) to investigate a project.
Project:
Music performance: When things go wrong, can somatic teaching result in improved performance and increased comfort while playing?
Sylva Gelber Foundation provides the Lab $6,365 to investigate research projects.
Leekor Engineering Piano Lab Research Fund is established. $25,000 is provided to the Lab to develop research projects.
January 15
Research Activity
Somatic Training meeting
Researchers:
Gilles Comeau – School of Music, University of Ottawa
Donald Russell – Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University
Jillian Beacon – Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa
Grace Wong – Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa
Teri Slade – School of Music, University of Ottawa
Kelsey Ross – School of Music, University of Ottawa
February 18
Research Activity
Motivation distance meeting
Researchers:
Yuanyuan Lu – School of Music, University of Ottawa
Samar Abi Nasr – Distant student from Lebanon
March 17
Oral Communication
Professor Koravand has a poster and abstract presentation of “Auditory cortical development through musical training in children with hearing loss” at the 33rd World Congress of Audiology: Bring the World of Audiology Together.
March 19
Invited Speaker
Professor Comeau is invited to present “Le cerveau et la musique” at the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau for the Weekends festifs : Festival du piano 2016.
March 24
Student
Graduate student Meganne Woronchak completes her Master in Arts with a thesis in Piano Pedagogy Research.
April 13
Invited Speaker
Professor Comeau is invited to present “The keyboard lesson during the Elizabethan period” at the Shakespeare 400.
April 14
Research Activity
Piano Technique meeting.
Researchers:
Caroline Traube – Faculty of Music, University of Montréal
Felipe Verdugo – Faculty of Music, University of Montréal
Gilles Comeau – Faculty of Music, University of Ottawa
April 27
Visit
Marc Langis, director of Conservatory of Music of Gatineau, visits the Piano Lab.
May
Oral Communication
Professor Comeau presents “Regard critique sur certains aspects somatiques du jeu pianistique” at the Colloquium at Université de Montréal.
June
Oral Communication
Karen King presents her thesis project, “Parting ways with piano lessons: Motivation, supporting factors, and reputed reasons behind piano student drop outs” at the 6th International Conference on Self-Determination Theory.
Karen King has a presentation of “Parting Ways with Piano Lessons: motivation, supporting factors, and reputed reasons behind piano student drop outs” at the Canadian University Music Society Annual Conference (MusCan) 2016.
June 27
Student
Graduate student Karen King completes her Master of Arts with a thesis in Piano Pedagogy Research.
June 28
Fundraising
Piano Lab launches a fundraising program “USEED”.
July
Donation
A Broadwood Pianoforte is donated to the Piano Lab’s Period Instrument collection by Mr. Don MacPhee.
July 9
Oral Communication
Grace Wong presents her thesis project, “The immediate effects of somatic approach workshops on physical and musical aspects of pianists’ performance” at the 2016 PAMA international Symposium.
July 12
Visit
Mr. Donald MacPhee, a retired Canadian Diplomat, visits the Piano Lab.
August 15
Student
Graduate student Andrea Yau completes her Graduate Diploma in Piano Pedagogy Research.
September
Oral Communication
Karen King presents “Deciphering dropouts: The causes of quitting and strategies for effective retention” at the Annual Alberta Piano Teachers’ Association Conference.
September 8
Research Activity
Transfer of skills: From music to medicine meeting
Researchers:
Jean Chen – an Emergency Physician, University of Ottawa
Gilles Comeau – School of Music, University of Ottawa
September 20
Visit
Mr. Jacques Frémont, the 30th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ottawa, visits the Piano Lab.
October
Invited Speaker
Professor Comeau is invited to have a series presentations for Vermont music teachers’ association.
October 7
Research Activity
Extended Techniques in Piano Performance Body Action Perspective
Researcher:
Vânia Eger Pontes – Interdisciplinary Nucleus for Sound Communication, Campinas University, Brazil
October 12
Visit
Frédéric Grignon, Manager of the External Relations of University of Ottawa, visits the Piano Lab.
October 14
Research Activity
“Our Brain as Pianist”: How our knowledge of the human brain can affect our approach to piano playing and pedagogy
Researcher:
Eitan Globerson – Visiting professor at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University
October 17
Student
Teri Slade has a thesis proposal defense for her MA study.
November 4
Oral Communication
Erin Dempsey presents her thesis project, “Music performance anxiety in young musicians: effects of perfectionism, self-efficacy, and gender” at the Conference of the Ontario Music Educators’ Association and the Canadian Music Industry Education Committee.
Meganne Woronchak presents her thesis project, “The value of reflective journaling with advanced piano students” at the Conference of the Ontario Music Educators’ Association and the Canadian Music Industry Education Committee.
November 18
Student
Graduate student Mary Claire Jensen completes her Master in Arts with a thesis in Piano Pedagogy Research.
November 28
Research Activity
Hearing sensitivity meeting
Researchers:
Amineh Koravand – Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa
Gilles Comeau – School of Music, University of Ottawa
Mikael Swirp – Piano Pedagogy Research Laboratory
December 14
Leisure Time
Piano Lab’s 2016 Sushi party
