2016

Publication

The article “The value of reflective journaling with advanced piano students” by Meganne Woronchak and Professor Comeau is published in the Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives.

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