Health Promotion in Schools of Music.

This article presents information on the efforts of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) to promote health programs in schools of music in the U.S. While in college, majoring in piano performance, not one word was ever mentioned about injury prevention, ways to handle performance anxiety or how musicians can protect themselves from the many risk factors that can endanger one's future as a musician. The Health Promotion in Schools of Music (HPSM) conference, consisting of lectures and thought-provoking discussions, included comprehensive presentations by task force groups organized into four areas: physical health, mental health, audiological health and vocal health .MTNA has long acknowledged the importance of wellness education through its commitment to publish a Musician Wellness Bibliography and the series on essential skills, the inclusion of a variety of wellness sessions in each of our national conferences and this recent decision to partner with and send a representative to the HPSM conference. By providing these educational resources, teachers from all disciplines working with all levels of students are offered opportunities to further educate themselves in this important subject matter.