Dr. Molly Gebrian is a professional violist and scholar with a background in cognitive neuroscience. Her area of expertise is applying the research on learning and memory to practicing and performing music. Her book, Learn Faster, Perform Better: A Musician’s Guide to the Neuroscience of Practicing was published in 2024 by Oxford University Press. As a performer, she prioritizes the works of living composers and those who have traditionally been excluded from the culture of classical music. She holds degrees in both music and neuroscience from Oberlin College and Conservatory, New England Conservatory of Music, and Rice University. Previously, she was the viola professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the University of Arizona. After a decade of teaching viola at the collegiate level, she joined the faculty at New England Conservatory of Music in Fall 2024 as the inaugural Teaching Artistry Scholar in Residence.

​

Dr. Molly will provide a presentation on what musicians can learn about practising from current brain research. In this presentation, participants will learn what neuroscientists have discovered about how our brains work and how to apply these insights so that practicing becomes more efficient and effective, leading to enhanced performance ability, enjoyment, and confidence. Topics include: how to make things (actually) stick, what separates top performers from everyone else in terms of how they practice, the critical role of breaks in learning, the benefits of interleaved practice for enhanced performance and consistency, and the power of mental practice. Participants will walk away with actionable strategies they can start using immediately to improve their practice, get more out of their time, and achieve better results.

​

After the presentation there will be time for Q/A and attendees will have a chance to try out some of the practice techniques discussed in the workshop.