The Jacobs School of Music collaborates with its students, faculty, and staff to create a setting for learning and working that promotes health and wellness by maintaining safe and healthy learning environments and fostering a culture focused on open communication about wellness issues. You'll benefit from the Jacobs School's collaboration with units across the IUB campus, including the Hearing Clinic in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and the School of Public Health.
Your health and wellness is essential to your success.
Selected Resources
The Jacobs School of Music has partnered with the IU Health Center’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to staff a counselor onsite at the Jacobs School part-time.
Brad Stepp, a clinical psychologist with the IU Health Center, is stationed at Jacobs 20 hours per week. Students still make appointments through the Health Center, but Dr. Stepp also has drop-in hours and spends time conducting outreach, such as educational seminars and workshops for students.
Location: Merrill Hall, MU011F
Cost: Two free appointments, then $30 per appointment (for students who have paid the health fee).
The Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS) specializes in assisting students with various disabilities including physical, psychological, learning, neurological, medical, vision, hearing, and temporary impairments to achieve their academic goals.
The Division of Student Affairs is home to more than 150 programs designed to guide students through life at IU, help resolve their problems, provide assistance during emergencies, support their health and safety, enhance their learning, and prepare them for life after IU. See the Health & Safety index for more details.
The Hearing Clinic in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences provides services related to audiometric testing, aural rehabilitation, hearing conservation, hearing screening, and assistive listening devices.
The IU Health Center specializes in care for college-aged patients. The IU Health Center is a four-story facility that includes a full-service medical clinic, lab, X-ray facility, women's clinic, and pharmacy.
Project Jumpstart offers a Mind & Body series each fall, including topics such as Alexander Technique, practice techniques, and mindfulness and yoga.
Indiana University is committed to providing the greatest possible degree of safety for all members of the university community. Protect IU makes it easy for you to find all the information you need to know about health, safety, security, and preparedness.
Courses with an asterisk (*) may be restricted to students in particular majors. See the Schedule of Classes for more information.
MUS F340/F540 Postural Alignment for the Musician (1 cr.) Biomechanical integration of the muscular and skeletal systems to promote a balanced and supported posture for all musical activities. Centering and relaxation skills.
MUS F341/F541 Mindfulness-Based Teaching and Wellness (1-2 cr.) P: Junior or senior standing. This class is for music students interested in learning about and incorporating mindfulness-based meditation and wellness practices into their work as music teachers and learners. Topics will include the scientific foundations of mindfulness-based practices, along with strategies for incorporating these principles into music teaching and learning.
* MUS F342/542 Movement for Singers (1 cr.) This course will consist of an introduction to techniques and methods of movement specifically designed for singers, incorporating basic yoga postures, mindfulness, basic ballet positions, and improvisatory organic movement.
* MUS J208 Conditioning for the Ballet Body (1 cr.) Injury prevention is an important part of ballet education. Principles of physical therapy, Pilates, and basic floor exercises will be used to train muscles to be strong enough to support all ballet work and supple enough to move freely with as little tension as possible.
MSCI M115 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (3 cr.) An introductory course using a systems based approach to study the structure and function of the human body.
SPH-N 231 Human Nutrition (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Introductory chemistry and biology. Basic principles of nutrition with emphasis on identification, functions, and food sources of nutrients required for optimal health. Students should complete a course in Biology before beginning this course.
SPHS-S 542 Care of the Professional Voice (3 cr.) Physiological, psychosocial, and occupational aspects of professional voice use. A multidisciplinary perspective on research and practice in the areas of otolaryngology, social psychology, vocal pedagogy, voice science, and communication disorders. Examines historical and current approaches to preventing, assessing, and treating voice breakdown in singers and other professional voice users.
Suggestions from the National Association of Schools of Music
Looking for more information specific to your health and wellness as a musician? The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) have developed a comprehensive set of advisory documents on hearing health, neuromusculoskeletal health, and vocal health issues for musicians in postsecondary schools and departments of music. Information of a medical nature is provided by PAMA; information regarding contextual issues in music programs is provided by NASM.
[Source: NASM]
- Neuromusculoskeletal health is essential to your lifelong success as a musician.
- Practicing and performing music is physically demanding.
- Musicians are susceptible to numerous neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Some musculoskeletal disorders are related tobehavior; others are genetic; still others are the result of trauma or injury. Some genetic conditions can increase a person’s risk of developing certain behavior-related neuromusculoskeletal disorders.
- Many neuromusculoskeletal disorders and conditions are preventable and/or treatable.
- Sufficient physical and musical warm-up time is important.
- Proper body alignment and correct physical technique are essential.
- Regular breaks during practice and rehearsal are vital in order to prevent undue physicalstress and strain.
- It is important to set a reasonable limit on the amount of time that you will practice in a day.
- Avoid sudden increases in practice times.
- Know your body and its limits, and avoid “overdoing it.”
- Maintain healthy habits. Safeguard your physical and mental health.
- Day-to-day decisions can impact your neuromusculoskeletalhealth, both now and in the future. Since muscle and joint strains and a myriad of other injuries can occur in and out of school, you also need to learn more and take care of your own neuromusculoskeletalhealth on a daily basis, particularly with regard to your performing medium and area of specialization.
- If you are concerned about your personal neuromusculoskeletalhealth, talk with a medical professional. If you are concerned about your neuromusculoskeletalhealth in relationship to your program of study, consult the appropriate contact person at your institution.
- This information is provided by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). For more information, check out the other NASM-PAMA neuromusculoskeletalhealth documents, located on the NASM website.
- See also the NASM/PAMAStudent Information Sheet on “Protecting Your Vocal Health.” Vocal health is an aspect of neuromusculoskeletal health.
[Source: NASM]
- Vocal health is important forall musicians and essential to lifelong success forsingers.
- Understanding basic careof the voice is essential for musicians who speak, sing, and rehearse or teach others.
- Practicing, rehearsing, and performing music is physically demanding.
- Musicians are susceptible to numerous vocal disorders.
- Many vocal disorders and conditions are preventable and/or treatable.
- Sufficient warm-up time is important.
- Begin warming up mid-range, and then slowly work outward to vocal pitch extremes.
- Proper alignment, adequate breath support, and correct physical technique are essential.
- Regular breaks during practice and rehearsal are vital in order to prevent undue physical or vocal stress and strain.
- It is important to set a reasonable limit on the amount of time that you will practice in a day.
- Avoid sudden increases in practice times.
- Know your voice and its limits, and avoid overdoing it or misusing it.
- Maintain healthy habits. Safeguard your physical and mental health.
- Drink plenty of water in order to keep your vocal folds adequately lubricated. Limit your use of alcohol, and avoid smoking.
- Day-to-day decisions can impact your vocal health, both now and in the future. Since vocal strain and a myriad of other injuries can occur in and out of school, you also need to learn more and take care of your own vocal health on a daily basis. Avoid shouting, screaming, or other strenuous vocal use.
- If you are concerned about your personal vocal health, talk with a medical professional.
- If you are concerned about your vocal health in relationship to your program of study, consult the appropriate contact person at your institution.
- This information is provided by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). For more information, checkout the other NASM-PAMA neuromusculoskeletalhealth documents, located on the NASM website.
- See alsothe NASM/PAMA Student Information Sheet on“Protecting Your Neuromusculoskeletal Health.” Vocal health is an aspect of neuromusculoskeletal health.
[Source: NASM]
- Hearing health is essential to your lifelong success as a musician.
- Your hearing can be permanently damaged by loud sounds, including music. Technically, this is called Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Such danger is constant.
- Noise-induced hearing loss is generally preventable.
- You must avoid overexposure to loud sounds, especially for long periods of time.
- The closer you are to the source of a loud sound, the greater the risk of damage to your hearing mechanisms.
- Sounds over 85 dB (your typical vacuum cleaner) in intensity pose the greatest risk to your hearing.
- Risk of hearing loss is based on a combination of sound or loudness intensity and duration.
- Recommended maximum daily exposure times (NIOSH) to sounds at or above 85 dB are as follows:
- 85 dB (vacuum cleaner, MP3 player at 1/3 volume) –8 hours
- 90 dB (blender, hair dryer) –2 hours
- 94 dB (MP3 player at 1/2 volume) –1 hour
- 100 dB (MP3 player at full volume, lawnmower) –15 minutes
- 110 dB (rock concert, power tools) –2 minutes
- 120 dB (jet planes at take-off) –without ear protection, sound damage is almost immediate
- Certain behaviors (controlling volume levels in practice and rehearsal, avoiding noisy environments, turning down the volume) reduce your risk of hearing loss. Be mindful of those MP3 earbuds. See chart above.
- The use of earplugs and earmuffs helps to protect your hearing health.
- Day-to-day decisions can impact your hearing health, both now and in the future. Since sound exposure occurs in and out of school, you also need to learn more and take care of your own hearing health on a daily, even hourly basis.
- It is important to follow basic hearing health guidelines.
- It is also important to study this issue and learn more.
- If you are concerned about your personal hearing health, talk with a medical professional.
- If you are concerned about your hearing health in relationship to your program of study, consult the appropriate contact person at your institution.
- This information is provided by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). For more information, check out the other NASM-PAMA hearing health documents, located on the NASM website.
The Jacobs School of Music is providing this information for informational purposes only. The information contained on this site is general in nature and not intended to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional, or used in place of a visit, call or consultation from a licensed healthcare provider. If you have any questions about the information found on this site, please call your physician or healthcare provider. By using this site, you expressly acknowledge and agree that the Board of Trustees of Indiana University and the Jacobs School of Music, its employees, and/or agents are not responsible for the results of your decisions regarding the use or misuse of this information, any adverse effects of recommendations stated in these resources, or for any discrepancies or errors contained in these resources.