Beyond the Practice Room

Episode 9: Preserving Musicians’ Hearing with Dr. Heather Malyuk

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Heather Malyuk, a music audiologist based in Ohio. She works with musicians of all genres through her practice, Soundcheck Audiology [https://www.soundcheckaudiology.com/about], and in this episode, we discuss her path from performing to becoming an audiologist that specializes in working with musicians. We also discuss some of the issues around wearing hearing protection in ensembles, why some musicians are frustrated when wearing them, how one dB attentuation does not work for all settings, how effective sound shields actually are, and how to train your brain to handle earplugs. We look at how a sudden loss of hearing can be a result of a viral infection and how to take action to prevent long term damage. Dr. Heather Malyuk also has created a two hour curriculum [https://www.soundcheckaudiology.com/curriculum] for schools, organizations, and individuals on musical based hearing care, an is committed to giving young musicians the resources they need for hearing care. For more on Dr. Heather Malyuk, visit www.soundcheckaudiology.com [https://www.soundcheckaudiology.com] For more on Dr. Janice Ying, visit www.opuspt.com [https://www.opuspt.com] For more on Kayleigh Miller, visit www.musicianshealthcollective.com [https://www.musicianshealthcollective.com]

Episode 8: Janet Horvath, From Musician Health Advocate to Genealogist

Janet Horvath is a cellist, musician health advocate, author, best known for her book, “Playing (Less) Hurt.” Janet was associate principal cellist of the Minnesota Orchestra for over 40 years, and received degrees from the University of Toronto and Indiana University, where she studied with Janos Starker. In this episode, we talked about how the field of musician health has changed, Janet’s initial advocacy work in the 1980’s, her own encounters with injury in the school, and how the culture of music making and injury has changed profoundly over the last few decades. We also discuss the importance of “work hardening,” and how musicians can slowly build up the strength and stamina to play full orchestra concerts after an injury or hiatus, which is something many musicians are dealing with now. In her years since leaving the Minnesota Orchestra due to hyperacusis, she received an MFA in writing and has a new book coming out in April: “The Cello Still Sings: A Generational Story of the Holocaust and the Transformational Power of Music” [https://janethorvath.com/books/the-cello-still-sings/] which we also discuss. For more on Janet Horvath, visit her website at www.janethorvath.com [https://www.janethorvath.com] For more on Janice Ying, DPT: www.opuspt.com [https://www.opuspt.com] For more on Kayleigh Miller: www.musicianshealthcollective.com [https://www.musicianshealthcollective.com]

Episode 07: All About PT with Janice and Kayleigh

In this episode, we chat about physical therapy- what is it, how does it differ from massage therapy and chiropractic, when to see a physical therapist, how to know when a PT is not the right fit, how to find a performing arts PT, how to utilize direct access, and more. We also talk about our different experiences with healthcare practitioners, including some of the less pleasant ones and how to handle clinicians that don’t treat you with basic respect and concern. To register for Janice’s March PAMA talk: http://www.artsmed.org/webinars [https://www.artsmed.org/webinars] To learn more about the APTA: https://www.apta.org/ [https://www.apta.org] To learn about the AOPT: https://www.orthopt.org/ [https://www.orthopt.org] To learn about the Performing Arts Medicine Association: www.artsmed.org [https://www.artsmed.org] To find a PT through the APTA directory (the link we couldn’t remember), go here: https://aptaapps.apta.org//APTAPTDirectory/FindAPTDirectory.aspx [https://www.aptaapps.apta.org/APTAPTDirectory/FindAPTDirectory.aspx]

Episode 6: Addressing Musician's Mental Health with Heidi Schaul-Yoder

This conversation with violinist, music educator, yoga instructor, and therapist Heidi Schaul-Yoder was a fantastic deep dive into topics we never discuss in relation to music education and conservatory training. We talked about anxiety, stress, and musical education, and how educators can create a better, safer learning environment for students. We also discussed how to separate music from your value as a person, how trauma affects our bodies and learning, and so much more. You can learn more about Heidi and her work at www.heidischaulyoder.com [https://www.heidischaulyoder.com] and about the Gestalt Center in New York City at http://www.gestaltnyc.org/ [http://www.gestaltnyc.org/ ]

Episode 5: Supporting the Trans Voice with Danielle Marie Steele

This week, we have an amazing conversation with vocalist, voice teacher, choral instructor, and educator, Danielle Marie Steele. Danielle is currently completing her doctorate at Columbia University with a focus on queer and trans inclusivity in the vocal and choral space. She is additionally the founder and organizer of the Transgender Singing Voice Conference. She has been working with trans and gender diverse singers since 2013 and is a faculty member at the Voice Lab in Chicago. We talk about the changing dynamics of choirs, how gender can be separate from voice type, the intersection of singing and speaking voice training, how choir directors can be more inclusive in their programming, arrangement, dress code, and how to give more voice teachers the tools to help all of their students. For more on Danielle and her work, visit her website at https://daniellemariesteele.com/ [https://daniellemariesteele.com/] The Voice Lab in Chicago: https://www.thevoicelabinc.com/ [https://www.thevoicelabinc.com/] The Young Professionals Choral Collective In Cincinnati: https://www.ypccsing.org/sing [https://www.ypccsing.org/sing] The Transgender Singing Voice Conference: https://earlham.edu/about/transgender-singing-voice-conference/ [https://earlham.edu/about/transgender-singing-voice-conference/]