Mind and body: A theory for understanding levels of musical performance

Musicians around the world are constantly practicing and performing music – beginners and professionals, young and old, accomplished concert soloists and ‘pop-star wannabes’. No doubt all of these musicians have received or are currently receiving guidance on their chosen instrument or instruments. This guidance could be in the form of verbal instructions from a teacher, written instructions in the form of a method book, or sensory instructions by listening to the radio or watching popular music programmes on television. All musicians share a common goal – successful music making. But, how many of these musicians have stopped to consider all of the factors that contribute towards a successful performance? Drawing on method books and practical experience, teachers commonly address the technical issues specific to each instrument, but will often stop short of providing a complete explanation of the many issues involved in musical performance. This may well be due to the fact that a holistic approach to musical performance is an extremely complex subject, containing all manner of theories, terms, and ideas that are profoundly difficult to relate in words. To make things more difficult, musicians often use empirical language to explain their ideas, often leaving the student in a state of considerable confusion. The primary aim of this thesis, then, is to present and discuss a theory that gives a clearer understanding of the major variables that affect musical performance. This thesis was submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in Performance, and created the foundations for the #1 best selling new release, Performing in The Zone.