- Feb
- 04
- 2020
Musicians’ Mindfulness from the Inside-Out: neurophenomenological approach to understanding and applying meditative practices within specialized settings
Interest in the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to enhance skilled performance within contexts such as music and athletics has grown significantly throughout the last two decades. However, issues stemming from inappropriate as well as decontextualized interpretations of existing research continue to hamper meaningful efforts at investigating and applying MBIs within these settings. Of particular concern is the absence of an investigative framework that accounts for how individuals’ values, intentions, and aspirations interact with and potentially mediate the efficacy of specific types of MBIs. Furthermore, despite progress in understanding some of the neurophysiological and psychological underpinnings of mindfulness, little is known about how these dynamics correspond to meditators’ lived experiences. In this talk, I discuss evidence from a recent study that used a neurophenomenological matrix to examine expectations, experiences, and…
About Speaker
Frank M. Diaz, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Music Education at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and an active scholar and teacher in the field of contemplative science. He is also affiliate faculty for IU’s Cognitive Science program and Co-Director of the Music and Mind Lab at Indiana University. Dr. Diaz is the Founder and Director of the Institute for Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy (MBWP), where he collaborates with an international group of artists, educators, and scholars on disseminating research and best practices on the art and science of mindful living, teaching, and performance. At IU, he established one of the country’s first academic courses focused on mindfulness in teaching and performing arts, and leads several mindfulness initiatives through partnerships with the Jacobs School of Music, IU Lifelong Learning, and the Ezkenazi Museum of Art. Along with his work on mindfulness, Dr. Diaz maintains an active schedule as a conductor, music educator, and performer. His work on mindfulness has been published in top-tier music education and music psychology journals, and has been featured on NPR, the Huffington Post, and other local and national media outlets.