TELMI

Learning musical instruments is challenging. Musicians, whether those at the beginning of their journey or experienced practitioners, must balance the need to learn a great deal of technique and repertoire with limitations in their time, physical and mental endurance, and ability to communicate a complex and abstract set of thoughts and movements. This results in the high rates of stress, frustration, burnout, and injury seen among musicians at all levels, and can deter young musicians from taking up or continuing with their studies.

The TELMI project addressed these challenges by developing a suite of technologies to enhance musical learning. Using the violin as a case study, the CPS developed a pedagogical framework that embraces both traditional methods of violin instruction and modern cognitive research on how people gain expertise and learn skills efficiently and effectively. It conducted new research to examine how musicians currently use technologies in their learning, and their attitudes towards how new approaches should be crafted. The CPS then drove the development and design of four complementary music technology platforms. At the heart of two of them are groundbreaking advancements in audio, video, and motion-capture systems developed by the project partners at Pompeu Fabra University and the University of Genoa. Highskillz brought its expertise in digital learning platforms and gamification to develop systems that can guide musicians through efficient practice habits and helps musicians learn from their peers. SAICO Intelligence provided insights into the music technology marketplace, sparking continuing efforts to make these technologies available to the wider public.

Over three years (2016-19), TELMI resulted in technologies that can analyse violinist’s performance and significantly improve their practice, provide feedback on musicians’ use of their bodies, help musicians plan and structure their practice time, and bring studio classes to a digital space. These platforms are now being further developed to make them available to public so that musicians worldwide can make the most of their time in lessons and practice, reduce injury and inefficiency, expand their access to communities of musical knowledge, and become better performers.

CPS team

Aaron Williamon, RCM (PI)
Letizia Gionfrida, Imperial
Madeleine Mitchell, RCM
George Waddell, RCM

For the full project team,
visit the TELMI website.

Partners

HighSkillz
Pompeu Fabra University
SAICO Intelligence
University of Genoa

Supported by

Horizon 2020
(2016-19)

Visit the TELMI website.