Flutist learns how to play without pain

Vanessa Breault Mulvey: Musicians are ''not all the same size or proportion.''

For years, flutist Vanessa Breault Mulvey of Reading has guided her students in positioning their bodies correctly to maximize both their physical comfort and playing ability. Now she has become the first instructor in Massachusetts - and among only 48 worldwide - who have become certified to do so by Andover Educators.

Mulvey traveled to the Orinda, Calif.-based organization to study the physiological and neurophysiological basis of music training. The goal, she said, is to free musicians from pain and injury caused by ergonomically incorrect repetitive motion.

"With my students, I've always been interested in and aware of how they use their bodies when playing, whether it's the angle of the instrument or how they hold their head," said Mulvey, who is a faculty member at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge and has a studio in Reading.

"The problem comes from musicians trying to play exactly like their teachers. But we're not all the same size or proportion," she added. "When you know your anatomical structure, you can use that information to your advantage to move very precisely and efficiently."

Using "body mapping," Mulvey said she can now more effectively help musicians train their movements in coordination with the body's design. She is additionally certified to teach the course "What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body," which she most recently presented at the Eastern Division of the Music Educators National Conference from March 12-15 in Providence.

"My hope is for people in pain and discomfort to learn to overcome it and play better than ever," Mulvey said.

Cindy Cantrell