Learn Faster, Perform Better

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. She also investigates the intersections between music and language. 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 will join the faculty at New England Conservatory of Music in Fall 2024 to teach courses on the science of practicing.

Foreword by Dr. Noa Kageyama
Introduction
Section I: Brain Basics
Chapter 1: Good Practicing and How It Changes the Brain
Chapter 2: Practice Like a Pro
Chapter 3: Use Errors to Your Advantage
Section II: Using Your Time Well
Chapter 4: The Fastest Way to Learn Music: Take More Breaks
Chapter 5: Can You Learn Music in Your Sleep?
Chapter 6: What's the Perfect Schedule of Breaks?
Chapter 7: Be More Consistent in Performance
Chapter 8: Why Exact Repetitions May Not Be the Best Goal
Section III: The Power of the Mind
Chapter 9: The Power of Mental Practice
Chapter 10: Mental Practice and the Brain
Chapter 11: How to Focus to Play Your Best
Chapter 12: The Most Effective Ways to Memorize Music
Chapter 13: Boost Confidence in Memorized Performance
Section IV: Challenges Specific to Music
Chapter 14: Improving Rhythm and Tempo
Chapter 15: Improving Pitch and Intonation
Chapter 16: How to Play Faster
Conclusion: Bringing It All Together
Acknowledgements
Appendix A Complete List of Practice Strategies
Appendix B Sample Spaced Practice Calendars
Appendix C Variable Practice Strategies
Appendix D Bonus Rhythms
Glossary
References