Tokyo College of Music

This article introduces China’s first Center for Music Performance Science and Musicians’ Medicine. In the center, motion capture (MoCap) technology is used to study piano performance and musicians’ health. An idea and methodology to assess the performance of piano performance are developed in the center. The center uses high-precision MoCap system to analyze movement efficiency, posture, joint angles, and coordination of pianists. By addressing physical challenges, the center promotes healthier, more efficient practice ways, especially for adolescent piano learners. The pioneering research results bridge the gap between music performance (art) and science, positioning China as a leader in music performance science and musicians’ health.

Two main neural mechanisms including loss of cortical inhibition and maladaptive plasticity have been thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of focal task-specific dystonia. Such loss of inhibition and maladaptive plasticity likely correspond to cortical overactivity and disorganized somatotopy, respectively. However, the most plausible mechanism of focal task-specific dystonia remains unclear. To address this question, we assessed brain activity and somatotopic representations of motor-related brain areas using functional MRI and behavioral measurement in healthy instrumentalists and patients with embouchure dystonia as an example of focal task-specific dystonia. Dystonic symptoms were measured as variability of fundamental frequency during long tone playing. We found no significant differences in brain activity between the embouchure dystonia and healthy wind instrumentalists in the motor-related areas. Assessment of somatotopy, however, revealed significant differences in the somatotopic representations of the mouth area for the right somatosensory cortex between the two groups. Multiple-regression analysis revealed brain activity in the primary motor and somatosensory cortices, cerebellum, and putamen was significantly associated with variability of fundamental frequency signals representing dystonic symptoms. Conversely, somatotopic representations in motor-related brain areas were not associated with variability of fundamental frequency signals in embouchure dystonia. The present findings suggest that abnormal motor-related network activity and aberrant somatotopy correlate with different aspects of mechanisms underlying focal task-specific dystonia.

While difficulty in acquiring a skill in simultaneous singing and piano playing is attributable to both instructors and students, instructors have been taking a variety of approaches to remedy the situation at least in the piano playing skill. One hardware-based approach to improving teaching has been to develop a system that is installed in a music laboratory (ML) and enables the instructor to check the level of skill of each student even in a group lesson. A music laboratory is usually equipped with some tens of keyboards. In an ML, the instructor can listen to the piano playing of individual students, and give private advice to each student. As such, an ML was considered a pioneering educational system for group training of music. MLs have been used for the training of not only piano playing but also elementary music theory, including harmony, which can be tried out using keyboards. It was thought that an ML, in which each keyboard is used by one or two students, was effective in teaching elementary music theory and piano playing because the instruction through an ML can efficiently substitute for private lessons in these areas. However, the use of ML equipment is so complicated that it imposes a considerable burden on the instructor. Also, since studentsĄf performance can be checked only during the class hour, an ML is not practical at all for classes with a hundred or so students. Consequently, there is still considerable reliance on face-to-face training when it comes to the teaching of music. Research efforts to improve teaching using software have mainly focused on a combination of two approaches: the development of appropriate computer software and the improvement of the teaching method itself. Approaches that involve the development of computer software include the following. In 1990, (Dannenberg et al., 1990) developed Piano Tutor, a computer-based piano tutoring system for beginner-level piano students. In 2000, (Hosaka, 2001) used audio-visual material. In 2001, (Matsumoto, 2001) used piano instruction material for computer-assisted instruction (CAI). In 2005, (Suzuki, 2005) developed Net-CAPIS, which introduced a connection to a network in a music laboratory (ML). Attempts to improve teaching methods include the use of practice record cards ((Imaizumi, 2004)) and observation of others ((Nakajima, 2002)) . (Ogura, 2006) introduced blended learning using MIDI audio sources. 11

Flow fields of two dimensional jets impinging on the sharp edge are computationally simulated and the effect of various parameters on the edgetone that is created by the flow interaction is investigated. Compressible Navier-Stokes equations are used so that acoustic waves are captured accurately as a part of feedback-loop. For numerical accuracy, Pade type compact finite difference scheme are used. First parameter is the jet velocity. Computational result shows good qualitative agreement with the experiment. Edgetone frequencies obtained by the computation also show good correspondence with those of experimental study in the past. Second parameter is the nozzle lip thickness. Although not considered in the computational study in the past, the nozzle lip thickness influences to the results. Amplitude of acoustics of larger nozzle lip is greater than that of smaller ones. This effect may comes from the fact that acoustic wave as a part of feedback loop is emphasized by nozzle lip. Third parameter is the jet-profile. Four different jet-profiles with the same maximum velocity (from top-hat profile to parabolic profile) and four different jet-profiles with the same mean velocity are computed. The mean jet velocity appears to have strong influence on the stage. The results also indicated that the mean jet velocity and the jet-profile have influence on edgetone frequencies.