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Brittany Bonner (MMus鈥�20) exhales. She glances in a mirror to observe signs of tension in her body. She inhales deeply, picks up her oboe and plays again.

The oboist from Mansfield, Texas, is practicing her vibrato 鈥� a gentle-but-regular variation in pitch 鈥� to add natural-sounding depth to her tone. A convincing vibrato requires controlled breathing, and muscular tension can interfere or cause it to disappear.

Fortunately, Bonner鈥檚 got James Brody to help sort things out.

鈥淢usicians move athletically,鈥� said Brody, the 精品SM在线影片 music professor who founded CU鈥檚 Musician鈥檚 Wellness Program, which helps students avoid or recover from injuries caused by repetitive motions and quirks of technique, setting themselves up for longer periods of peak performance.

Brody, also an oboist and the program鈥檚 primary faculty instructor, sees more than 100 CU students annually. Some have injuries such as tendonitis or vocal cord dysfunction, which, if unaddressed, can compromise a musician鈥檚 future and sense of identity.

鈥淢usic students lead complicated lives,鈥� said Brody, who also refers them to a network of on-campus physicians, physical therapists and counselors, as necessary. 鈥淲hat they do is tied very closely with their vision of themselves.鈥�

Established in 2003, the wellness program offers students individualconsultations and academic credit听courses, all of which involve the Alexander Technique. It鈥檚 a method of releasing tension through adjustments to posture and movement based on body awareness.

Students use yoga balls, mats and mirrors in Brody鈥檚 office, where he keeps, as an instructional aid, a full-size model human skeleton. The program will move to bigger quarters in 2020, once the music school鈥檚 $57 million, 64,000 squarefoot addition opens.

CU was among the first universities to offer a music wellness program, according to Brody, who convinced administrators the Alexander Technique and other wellness approaches could equip music students for success. He adopted it himself in his early twenties, as he recovered from a devastating car accident.

The program helped draw Bonner, 25, to CU.

鈥淚鈥檝e had to take a few steps back to try to go a few steps forward in听 my playing,鈥� said Bonner, who鈥檚 played oboe since sixth grade, performs in CU鈥檚 graduate woodwind quintet and plays about six hours daily in ensembles and alone.

Brody helped Bonner realize she was bringing her hands too far forward while playing. She鈥檚 since adjusted her arm stance, leading to a more efficient posture and sound.

鈥淲hen [injury] occurs,鈥� Brody said, 鈥渙ften the musician will try harder instead of observing habitual behavior and altering maladaptive patterns. Brittany may have averted a damaging situation.鈥�

Sometimes, a performer鈥檚 challenges are psychological. Bonner said she experiences performance anxiety daily, and is working to diffuse it when it arises.

鈥淚 understand the life of a music student,鈥� said Matthew Tomatz of CU鈥檚 Counseling and Psychiatric Services, a psychotherapist and former trumpet player who works with music students. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e competing fiercely with your friends. 鈥� Underneath all of that is a huge uncertainty about career and what it will yield.鈥�

Bonner, whose favorite composers include Dvorak and Beethoven, aspires to join a professional orchestra.

In the wellness program, she鈥檚 in good company: Edward Dusinberre, first violinist in the world-renowned, CU-based Tak谩cs Quartet, has worked with Brody for 15 years.

鈥淗is guidance has enabled me to be much more mindful of the way I play,鈥� said Dusinberre, who鈥檚 seen students become more efficient and healthier performers.

鈥淲hen someone learns to play with less effort and strain,鈥� he said, 鈥渟uddenly a greater range of volume and types of sound are possible.鈥�

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Illustration by David Plunkert

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