The School of Music wants all of our students to be performing at their best. To help you stay as well as you can, we have compiled a list of resources that can help you throughout your studies.
We also encourage you to talk with your instrument teachers or any other member of the School of Music staff about any issues you are facing and we will offer support.
COVID-19 has been a worrying and stressful time for many of us. Some of the effects of this virus will not be fully understood for several years. It is so important to reach out for support if you are feeling sad, worried, overwhelmed by this situation. Support options for the UQ community are provided here.
General Wellbeing
The University provides some wellbeing services for its students, and these programs can be accessed through the links below.
UQ Student Services Health and Wellbeing provides a range of mindfulness programs to help your confidence and overall wellbeing.
UQ Health Care is a campus-based health centre with GPs and nurses dedicated to the health care needs of UQ Students.
Safety in Classes
The School of Music takes its obligations to provide you with a safe learning environment seriously. One of those obligations is to make sure you are made aware of potential risks and how to manage them. We have developed three risk assessments covering circumstances that may arise during your studies:
- one-on-one teaching sessions
- off-campus teaching sessions
- after hours practice sessions using UQ facilities
Please familiarise yourself with these risk assessments before starting any of these activities.
Hearing Health
The School of Music has identified that some students and staff may be at risk to noise induced hearing loss through exposure to excessive noise. Hearing protection has been identified as the most effective control measure to reduce this risk.
Your course profile states if hearing protection is required equipment. The UQ Audiology clinic provides discounts to students for specialised, custom-fit musician earplugs. If you forget to bring your custom-fit earplugs to a class, the School of Music may be able to provide replacement hearing protection so you can still participate in that class.
The School is conducting ongoing testing to identify potential exposure levels throughout all activities. If you believe you are involved in an activity that may produce hazardous noise levels or multiple activities throughout the day involving exposure to loud noise, please notify the course coordinator.
UQ Student Services Counselling
Enrolled UQ Students are eligible for six free one-on-one counselling sessions each year. There are also a range of workshops and programs designed to improve your wellbeing that run throughout the year for students. More information on these services can be found here.
If you need help immediately, please call the 24/7 UQ Counselling and Crisis Line 1300 851 998.
For further help, one-on-one crisis appointments can be arranged by calling the UQ Counselling and Crisis Line during the business hours of 8:30am-4:30pm. Please notify Student Services that this is what you need.
If you are a survivor of sexual misconduct or assault you can book a specialist trauma-informed counselling session through our Sexual Misconduct Support Unit.
Our Concerts and Engagement Officer, Paul Young, is part of UQ's First Responder Network. Survivors of sexual assault or misconduct are encouraged to contact Paul via email, phone (07 3365 3952), ZOOM, or in person at the UQ School of Music Administration Office: 429, Level 4, Zelman Cowen Building, St Lucia Campus.
Sexual Assault survivors can also contact 1800 Respect 1800 737 732 for 24/7 counselling support.
Performance Psychology
Music performance anxiety is the experience of intense and persistent anxiety that builds before a performance.
We want to help you deal with issues of stress and anxiety around performance. If you are having any issues with stress and anxiety, we encourage you to speak to your instrument teacher or any other member of the School of Music staff who will offer support.
- Gallwey, W. (1997). The inner game of tennis (Rev. ed.). New York: Random House
- Herrigel, E. (1971). Zen in the art of archery. New York: Vintage Books
- How to make stress your friend – TED talk
- Kenny, D. 2011. All right on the night? Music performance anxiety is more common than you think.
- Kenny, D. 2011. The Psychology of Music Performance Anxiety. Oxford University Press.
- Kenny, D. & Osborne, M. 2006. Music performance anxiety: New insights from young musicians. Advances in Cognitive Psychology 2(2-3) 103-112.
- Werner, K. (1996). Effortless mastery: Liberating the master musician within. New Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold Jazz.