PhD Project

Professional violinists and violists spend many hours playing their instruments, often maintaining similar postures for extended periods. The physical demands of instrumental performance can contribute to musculoskeletal discomfort and may affect playing comfort and musical performance.

This doctoral research investigates how posture and core stability exercises performed before and during playing may influence movement patterns, muscular activity, physical well-being, and musical performance in violinists and violists. Particular attention is given to movement coordination and muscular activity in the trunk, neck, shoulders, and upper extremities, as well as musicians’ subjective experiences of musical performance, playing comfort and physical well-being.

Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including movement analysis, muscle activity measurements, and assessments of playing comfort and performance, the project examines potential changes associated with targeted exercises. An initial feasibility study will inform the development of a larger randomized controlled trial.

About– Tina Margareta Nilssen

Tina Margareta Nilssen is a Norwegian pianist, author, and music teacher specializing in the intersection between movement and performance. She is the founder of the Musicians’ Health and Movement Institute and the creator of Timani, a method based on anatomy, physiology, and movement science. She is also the author of Unleashing the Potential of the Musician’s Body (GIA Publications).

Since 2007, she has taught musicians in the areas of body awareness, movement, and musical performance, and since 2012, she has presented her work at many of the leading international conferences on musicians’ health. She has extensive international experience and has taught musicians at universities and music institutions including the Royal Danish Academy of Music (DKDM) in Copenhagen, New England Conservatory in Boston, the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, and the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. She has also worked with professional orchestras and ensembles, including the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Arctic Philharmonic, and the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra.

She is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Physiology at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw)