How can sports science research aid the sustainability of music education?

Next month our 2024 annual conference on Sustainability in Music Education is taking place at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. On Tuesday, we will be joined by Michelle Robinson for a breakout session titled ‘Let’s not reinvent the wheel: How can research in sports science aid the sustainability of music education?’. Michelle tells us more about her research in this area, and what delegates will learn from this session.

Michelle Robinson

Could you introduce yourself and your background?

Hello, I’m Michelle Robinson, and I am currently studying for a PhD at Loughborough University in the School of Sports, Exercise and Health Science. However, I am a musician, previously working in music and music education. I initially designed and ran school and community projects with a focus on training conservatoire students, and later became a choral conductor and vocal specialist, first within a music hub going on to work predominantly for the Hallè. I’ve had the privilege of working with people of all ages and abilities in a wide range of settings. Through these experiences I have found the skill of working with and understanding people to be more important than the skills I offer as musician. This has led me to train to become a chartered psychologist within music.

What led you to research the parallels between sports science and music education?

Having returned to academia to study psychology at the master’s level, an opportunity arose to begin a PhD at Loughborough University in partnership with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where the focus is on exploring the common ground between the two performance domains of sport and music. My research adapts established work on the coach-athlete relationship to the 1:1 music teacher–musician dynamic focusing on how this relationship impacts performance outcomes and wellbeing. Being immersed in a sports-focused environment has highlighted fascinating similarities between the fields, and I’m excited by how different approaches used in sport can inspire new insights into music education. In turn, I also believe approaches in music will offer fresh insights into the sports world.

Could you give a brief overview of some of the topics your session will cover?

The goal of this session is to spark a conversation. I’ll use my own research as a case study, along with other examples where sports science has, or could, positively impact music education. By inspiring new ideas, delegates will work in small groups to identify areas in their own work that could benefit from research that could be adapted from sport. We’ll then bring those insights back to the larger group for brainstorming possible next steps to continue the conversation beyond the conference.

What will delegates take away from the session?

I hope delegates walk away with some new ways of thinking about their work and some fresh ideas on how working collaboratively with sports science could positively influence music education. Ideally, they’ll also make connections with others who are interested in exploring these ideas further. But more than anything, I want people to leave feeling like they’ve had a really stimulating conversation—maybe one that takes them in directions they didn’t expect.

Who might be interested in joining your session?

This session is for anyone interested in how research can shape and improve practice. While my research specifically offers fresh perspectives for teachers to reflect on their approach, the session is broader than this and offers applications for leaders, practitioners, and policymakers. The more diverse the group, the more perspectives offered—the merrier!

Don’t miss out on your chance to join Michelle’s session, as well as many more inspirational talks at the 2024 Music Mark Conference on the 18^th and 19^th November, in Nottingham. The full programme is available to explore here, and don’t forget to book your tickets now! Bookings close on Tuesday 5th November.