On April 2, the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) will co-sponsor a daylong program at the 2016 MTNA Conference titled, “Developing Self-Confident and Resilient Musicians: Teaching the Whole Person.” The Conference, to be held in San Antonio, is the first collaboration of the two organizations and is also the first time a full day has been focused entirely on mental health and music teaching/performing at MTNA.
The MTNA CEO and executive director, Gary Ingle, invited me to co-chair this interdisciplinary program with Gail Berenson, past president of MTNA and professor emeritus of piano at Ohio University. The program will bring together music teachers, student performers and psychoanalysts to address the emotional issues music teachers confront daily working with students of all ages.
With the organizing themes of psychological and musical development through the life span and teaching the whole person, panel sessions will examine intrapsychic and interpersonal issues that come alive in the teacher/student interaction. Similar to the psychoanalytic dyad, there is a one–to-one teacher/student relationship that develops over many years of music study. Issues, such as transference, countertransference, resistance, ego defenses, ambivalence, competition, shame, relationships, and boundaries, witnessed in the consulting room also are present during music lessons. One teacher recently commented, “Students never walk into music lessons with a clean emotional slate.”
Applications of psychoanalytic ideas to music teaching and performance will be offered by APsaA psychoanalysts Steven Levy, Curtis Bristol, Alina Rubinstein and me. Each analyst will present in two interdisciplinary sessions alongside MTNA music teachers and students. The audience will be encouraged to participate with questions and comments.
The format for the sessions includes:
Introductions
Gail Berenson and Julie Jaffee Nagel
Welcome message
APsaA President Mark Smaller and President-Elect Harriet Wolfe
Developing Music and Personal Resilience: What Does Mental Health Have to Do with It?
Music teachers play a significant role in helping students develop as individuals both musically and psychologically. This session will illustrate that students are greater than the sum of their musical parts. (Julie Jaffee Nagel and Curtis Bristol)
Getting Started on the Right Foot: Establishing a Strong Foundation
The approaches used with beginning students are particularly important and set the tone for all future involvement in music making, creating a love of music or possibly the opposite. This session will offer ideas for working with pre-schoolers, beginners and adult students. (Curtis Bristol and two MTNA teachers)
Master Class—Teaching the Whole Person
The music teacher, in addition to parents, is often a student's first audience and someone who addresses emotional issues that arise during lessons. This session will offer the opportunity to see a highly skilled teacher at work. Following the master class, students will discuss their feelings about the experience with two analysts. (Julie Jaffee Nagel and Alina Rubinstein)
At the Movies: A Glimpse into Student/Teacher Relationships on the Big Screen
The relationship a student forges with the teacher can be powerful in helping develop healthy self-esteem. Film is a vibrant medium for illustrating this dynamic. This session will show three brief clips from the film, The Visitor, not specifically about music teaching, that will trigger a discussion about how music lessons transform the main character. (Steven Levy and two MTNA teachers)
Agony and Ecstasy of Competitions: Winning and Losing—and Doing Your Best!
Competition is often an integral part of music study. Winning can be exhilarating while losing can be devastating. This session will explore the psychological issues that can facilitate healthy attitudes and enable students to put their best foot (or hand) forward. (Alina Rubinstein and two music teachers)
Julie Jaffee Nagel, Ph.D., is a graduate of the Juilliard School, University of Michigan, and Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute, where she is also faculty. She is author of Melodies of the Mind and in private practice in Ann Arbor. Website:
Music Teaching in the 21st Century—Changes and Challenges
Today's music students face a changing world. Social media, increased activities, and a culture of instant gratification are just a few of many elements that make new demands on students' musical and mental lives. What does this mean for music teachers? How can we keep our students motivated? How can music lessons help instill life lessons? (Steven Levy and MTNA teacher)
Concluding remarks
Julie Jaffee Nagel and Gail Berenson
Final opportunity for our audience to have their voices heard. Bring your thoughts and questions.
The Music Teachers National Association was founded in 1876 with the purpose of advancing the value of music study and music making in society. Over many years, MTNA has cemented its role as an organization dedicated to the development of music-teaching professionals. With approximately 22,000 members in 50 states and more than 500 local affiliates, MTNA is the preeminent professional organization for music teachers.
To further MTNA and APsaA collaboration, Gail Berenson will be the guest presenter in January at the APsaA Discussion Group “Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Music,” which I will chair. The joint program in San Antonio sets the stage for additional interdisciplinary programs as well as inreach and outreach for both organizations beyond our consulting rooms and teaching studios.