Voluntary Auditory Imagery and Music Pedagogy

Abstract

Andrea Halpern and Katie Overy review research on auditory imagery from a psychology perspective. They then argue that auditory imagery can be used actively as a tool in various music education and rehearsal contexts. As exemplified by aspects of the pedagogical approaches of Zoltán Kodály and Edward Gordon, as well as Nelly Ben-Or’s techniques of mental representation for concert pianists, Halpern and Overy suggest that the conscious and deliberate use of auditory imagery could be exploited more in music education, as it has profound benefits for musicians as a rehearsal strategy. The authors call for further empirical investigations of how voluntary auditory imagery might be used most effectively as a training technique for both professional musicians and in classroom settings.