Dr. Viera responds: "To best answer that, here's a little prelude:

I now actually prefer to call what I do 'psycho-educational mentoring' and here's why. The word 'coaching' has become very popularized. And, in certain ways, it's begun to take on an overly-hyped, overly self-focused image that can appear very empowering on the surface but which, I believe, is actually disempowering, especially over the long term -- including for musicians. So, I'd like to defuse that image and open up another view.

My interest does not/cannot lie exclusively with the person as an isolated being, because nobody really is. My interest lies in working with unique individuals within the context of the world in which they live -- including other people, interests outside music (if they have any!) and really any other parts of life that impact on who they are and want to be, because all these things (or the absence of them) affect the 'human instrument' behind the music. If more musicians realized how much who they are and what they think about affects and changes (and can change) their music, they would treat the 'tuning' of their 'human instrument' as a non-negotiable part of their practice routine. That's what I'm talking about; that's what my work is about -- opening up, developing and driving home this vital 'human' aspect of music-making in partnership with musicians brave enough, and savvy enough, to take this on. If readers get nothing else from this interview other than a willingness to consider how important this 'human' ingredient is, then I'd consider our talk a success! So, can we 'bold' that part?" (Done.)

"While this approach obviously can lead to exploring many possibilities, here's a simple, practical, tangible example of what I'm talking about. Regardless of how it outwardly appears, I think many of the finest musicians are team players, or at least know how to be. I don't mean they're all particularly social, but rather they know when to reach outside themselves when they're playing in order to embrace and be part of the whole music-making effort. How this plays itself out can cover anything from what does (or doesn't) come together technically to what unfolds as true art.

If you're in a chamber music group, for example, and your intonation as a group is less than stellar, it could be because you're not actually playing together but rather are playing as individuals reading the same piece of music. And I'm not just talking about listening to the other players and trying to match pitch. I'm talking about 'being with' them, actually being aware you're playing with other people, sending out what Norman and I would call your 'mental wires' and connecting to the other individuals in your ensemble. Next time you're out of tune as a group, try it!

Obviously, I'm using examples that seem to relate specifically to classical musicians; but I've used these successfully with pop and jazz musicians as well because the underlying issues are the same, even though the wrapping paper is different.

Anyway, to keep it simple, we can stick to the word 'coaching' for this interview. It can be a mouthful to say 'psycho-educational mentoring' every other sentence!"

Why coach musicians?

"I love the human possibility and working with the person and what, as you know, I call their 'human instrument.' And I love what that instrument 'can do' when offered an ecology that promotes, supports and actually allows it to bloom. So much in our industrialized western society fosters competition and distancing, where another's success could mean one's own failure and so we learn to fear or resent another's success. And in music this can be even more exaggerated because, for example, there are only a few orchestra jobs but a lot of musicians competing for them. And so, as humans, conditioned the way we are, we are often deprived of the extraordinary opportunity, and privilege really, of wishing for and supporting another's success.

One of the fantastic things about coaching is that it allows me to be a part of this opportunity to co-create with another person a pathway that will assist them along the road toward realizing their personal vision for their life and music making -- actually partnering with them along the road to their success, not only as a musicians but also as fulfilled human beings. It can be incredibly effective to hold and reflect back to them and keep alive for them their vision, even when they themselves have lost sight of it. It requires a 'long view' in a world that operates mostly in 'short view' ways. Along the road, there also can be ample opportunity to celebrate the seemingly small successes, successes which in fact are important victories toward realizing larger visions.

Interestingly, musicians already understand a lot about having a 'long view.' Otherwise, they would not be able to advance musically, because it takes years of discipline and practice that do not always yield immediate results or gratification. And so, in many ways, musicians are ideally suited to receive personal and professional coaching around big goals, because they don't need to be convinced about the value of a 'long view.' But they often can benefit from having a 'mentor coach' who can offer assistance and encouragement along the way and who understands the music world but is not in competition with them. Also, coaching can help the musician build value for the smaller successes they may otherwise dismiss and thereby miss the important clues, lessons and interim inspirations these successes offer."

So, is coaching like having a private lesson then?

"No. Because in a private lesson, the teacher is the expert, often advising the student according to what they see is needed in the student's actual playing to help them advance towards their professional musical goals. Along these lines, the teacher is like an expert consultant on a particular subject, namely music, that the student needs greater reference about. Also, there is a musical instrument involved, even if it is someone's voice. And that instrument is the focus of the development, not the human themselves, not the human instrument as such. But in coaching, the focus is the 'human instrument', and the player of that human instrument, the person being coached, is the expert on their life and vision. The coach is not there to school them on that life or vision but rather to partner with them along the journey to realizing their vision, mentoring them in staying true to that vision, about which the person being coached is seen to be the first and foremost expert."

So, is coaching the same as psychotherapy?

"No. It is not psychotherapy. Psychotherapy offers assistance to a person experiencing some degree of dysfunction, for some reason (and everyone experiences some dysfunction at some time in their life, although not everyone gets psychological help). The purpose of psychotherapy is to help the client move from being dysfunctional to being more whole again. Coaching, on the other hand, begins with the belief that the person is whole and knows what they want. From that foundation, together the coach and person being coached (coachee) explore ways to move forward inside that knowing, discovering and clarifying what it means to stay on course, embracing the challenges as opportunities, hearing the music of the coachee's life unfolding, which to me is the experience of 'music as a living thing.' Because music is everywhere, of course, and when you can hear it in your life -- not only when you're making musical sounds with your instrument but in everything, like taking out the trash or having a conversation or sorting through your music -- and you can be inside the living experience of that, it can offer a whole new dimension and possibility to the life of your music making. Then your music is not compartmentalized but is a living part of your whole life.

And so far, we are talking mostly about individual coaching, although many of these principles can be applied to groups as well, and in working both with individuals and groups, I am looking to bring to these circumstances the uniqueness of the Frequency Band approach and all that that additionally makes possible, because everything we do comes out from this core tuning and note -- whether it's coaching or teaching or performing or composing or publishing music or anything else. In all of it, there is a oneness of purpose and a vision of a sanctuary and 'unity born of humanity,' where music and people's intentions offer the container through which this vision can appear."

In what special ways can coaching help musicians?

"Well, first and foremost, musicians are humans and it can be a wonderful help and relief actually to have another person, specially able to be there with you, believing in you and helping you to see through intentions and goals that are important to you, encouraging you along the way, holding you accountable in special motivating ways, about things ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary. And this brings up something that many musicians can use some encouragement, support and sometimes good natured nagging around, and often neglect. And that's balancing and integrating their life by embracing the larger world around them and its many giftings. This, in fact, can benefit not only their life but also their art, because if you just lock yourself in a practice room with no windows for hours every day, eventually, you and your music making are probably going to suffer. So keeping balance in the midst of pursuing professional goals is often an important part of coaching musicians because musicians can be prone to a kind of one dimensionality that can lessen the quality (and longevity) of their lives and music making.

Coaching's unique benefits to musicians are actually huge, including everything from how to think about auditions to getting together a press kit to surviving freelance or orchestral life or life on the road to exploring what a musician is and how that is or can become integral with the whole of oneself. It depends on the person and what they want, but maybe this helps give some beginning sense of what's possible.

Another thing I want to talk about at this point is confidentiality. Because something wonderful that coaching offers is confidentiality (within the limits set by law, because where personal injury or injury of others comes in, confidentiality is not guaranteed). And confidentiality is an incredible gift to anyone, but let's look at an example with musicians, amongst whom competition and close-in group dealings are often common occurrences.

So, how safe is it for a professional musician to share with others their weaknesses, as an example? Suppose you feel nervous in a concert but you're the kind who doesn't show it, but you just had a nerve wracking experience that wasn't pleasant and you just want to come out and say it and have someone hear you and understand and acknowledge your courage to 'just keep going' -- and more than that, to do a great job too. And so you mention to someone that you felt nervous and the next thing you know, the word is going around that you're losing your nerve. And I use this example because it's a straightforward one, but you can see how this applies to all sorts of things. And the more successful you are, the better you do, then the harder it is to just be you. Because everybody's watching. And coaching is a place where you can just be you and whatever that is, it will be kept confidential unless you decide to tell others about it. It may be hard for some (although certainly not for others) to appreciate how valuable confidentiality actually can be, but once you experience it, it becomes very clear."

What helps you to understand and relate to musicians' unique challenges and concerns?

"I work with musicians because I love music and value the people who dedicate themselves to making music. As far as what helps me understand musicians and their unique challenges and concerns, well, I personally have been involved with music and performing my whole life and I am married to Norman Bolter, a world-class musician. I also own a music publishing and production business and co-direct a music education and performance endeavor. So, I know the music world from the inside -- the good, the bad and the ugly! And this is different to being an outsider looking in, since from the outside it can look very glamorous and it can be tempting to idealize it, but from the inside it looks like and is about real life. And I actually have my own personal relationship with and love of music and have had my whole life. It is a living part of who and what I am and how I live, and I am happy to play my part inside this domain."

You're also a licensed psychologist? Do you offer psychotherapy too?

"I now keep my psychotherapy practice limited and am not taking any new therapy clients. However, I am very happy to recommend qualified, experienced psychotherapists to those in need of one."

So, are you taking on any new coaching clients?

"While my schedule is already quite full, I am pleased to offer coaching to a limited number of clients when and as I can. I love doing it and am very interested in partnering with musicians interested in the kind of intervention I provide."

Any final words?

"The signature block on my email reads 'helping musicians refresh and further their lives and love of music.' This is what I try to do, want to do. And I am happy and grateful that it seems to be something I 'can do.' I hope to meet many of you along my journeys."

Dr. Viera works worldwide face to face and via Skype or Facetime.

Background and Credentials:

To read more about her background and credentials, please see Dr. Viera's biography.