Erika Donald

Ph.D. candidate in Music Research (Music Education)

Supervisors: Dr. Marcelo M. Wanderley (Music Technology, McGill University), Dr. Virginia Penhune (Psychology, Concordia University)

Research Interests

Movement, coordination, and motor learning using 3D motion capture technology
Effective teaching strategies and teacher education
String performance and pedagogy
Technology and interaction in music performance and education
Contemporary music, chamber music, non-Western music

Academic Background

Ph.D. candidate Music Education - McGill University, in progress
M.Mus. Solo Cello Performance - McGill University (Canada), 2008
B.Mus. Cello Performance - University of Manitoba (Canada), 2005

Current Projects

Visual feedback and motor learning in string playing
Musicians' health
Weston Fellowship in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Expanded Performance (EP) trio

Past Projects

The CIRMMT/McGill Digital Orchestra Project - Performance Research Assistant
Jeux d'ombres for cello with live electronics and dance - collaboration with composer Anthony Tan and dancer/choreographer Melina Stinson
At the Core: Effects of tempo on bow arm and torso movements of highly skilled cellists using motion capture technology - collaboration with David-Anthony Savoca, Dr. Julie Côté and Dr. Marcelo M. Wanderley (funded by a SSHRC Master's Scholarship)

Publications

Erika Donald. (2012). “Performance Students as Future Studio Teachers: Are they prepared to teach?” In Waller, Janice. (ed). Educating Professional Musicians in a Global Context: Proceedings of the 19th International Seminar of the Commission for the Education of the Professional Musician (CEPROM), International Society for Music Education: 44-48.
Erika Donald, Theodora Stathopoulous, and Lisa Lorenzino. (2012). Full Report: “Adopt or Adapt? El Sistema as an Inspiration for Music Education in Canada.” Commissioned by the Québec Music Educators' Association/Association des éducateurs de musique du Québec (QMEA-AEMQ). Available at: http://www.qmea-aemq.org/news/adopt-or-adapt-el-sistema-as-an-inspiration-for-music-education-in-canada/.
Erika Donald. (2011). “Volunteering in the Classroom at the Shriners Hospital for Children.” Canadian Writers Society: The Write Place, 1(2): 9.
Erika Donald, Benjamin Duinker, and Eliot Britton. (2011). “Designing the EP trio: Instrument identities, control and performance practice in an electronic chamber music ensemble.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME). Oslo, Norway.
Xenia Pestova, Erika Donald, Heather Hindman, Joseph Malloch, Mark T. Marshall, Fernando Rocha, Stephen Sinclair, D. Andrew Stewart, Marcelo M. Wanderley, and Sean Ferguson. (2009). ”The CIRMMT/McGill Digital Orchestra Project.” In Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC09), pp. 295-298, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Erika Donald. (2009). “Masterclasses with Janos Starker.” In Endpins: Newsletter of the Manitoba Violoncello Society.

Conference Presentations and Published Abstracts

UPCOMING: Erika Donald, Virginia Penhune, and Marcelo Wanderley. (2013). Learning to Play the Cello: An analysis of 3D movement and the effects of visual and auditory feedback throughout the learning process. Society for Music Perception & Cognition (SMPC), Toronto, ON, August 2013.
Erika Donald. (2012). Abstract & poster: “Performance Students as Future Studio Teachers: Are they prepared to teach?” 30th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference and Commission of the Education of the Professional Musician (CEPROM), Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece.
Erika Donald, Theodora Stathopoulous, and Lisa Lorenzino. (2012). Abstract & presentation: “Adopt or Adapt? El Sistema as an Inspiration for Music Education in Canada.” In Proceedings of the 30th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece: 372.
Erika Donald, Marcelo M. Wanderley and Isabelle Cossette. (2010). “Effects of tempo on bow arm and center of mass movements in highly skilled cellists and their pedagogical implications.” 11th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Erika Donald. (2010). “The Teaching Practices of Irene Sharp: Exceptional Cello Pedagogue.” 29th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference and Forum on Instrumental & Vocal Teaching, Beijing, China.
Erika Donald. (2010). “Paving the Way: Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals in Studio Teaching” International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research in Music Pedagogy, University of Ottawa, Ontario.
Erika Donald. (2009). “Jeux d'ombres: Reflections on interaction and collaboration in live electronics.” The Performer's Voice: An International Forum for Music Performance & Scholarship, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Poster: Erika Donald, David-Anthony Savoca, Julie Côté, Marcelo M. Wanderley, and Isabelle Cossette. (2009). “At the Core: Effects of tempo on bow arm movements and postural stability of highly skilled cellists. Congrès FAMEQ: Fédération des associations de musiciens éducateurs du Québec, Montréal.
Erika Donald and Xenia Pestova. (2009). “The Digital Orchestra Project: Digital Musical Instruments and Performance Practice.” SPARK Festival of Electronic Music and Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Erika Donald. (2009). “Balance & Bowing: Investigating the Effects of Tempo on Bowing and Torso Movements in Expert Cello Playing” McGill University Music Graduate Students’ Symposium, Montreal.
Erika Donald and Xenia Pestova. (2009). “The Digital Orchestra Project: Digital Musical Instruments and Performance Practice.” McGill University Music Graduate Students’ Symposium, Montreal.

Invited Talks

UPCOMING: Invited speaker, Voices for Afghan Women, Summer Evening Garden Reception, organized by University Women Helping Afghan Women (UWHAW) of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) - Ottawa. Ottawa, ON, June 2013.
X-Periment: an international dialogue on Artistic Experimentation in Music - ORCiM-Pentacon Research Festival. Presentation with the EP trio, and panelist: Masters Education & Artistic Research. Ghent, Belgium, October 2011.
“Reflections on performance and interaction in live electronics”, University of Manitoba Composition seminar, 2010.
“CIRMMT Expanded Performance Trio/Playing with live electronics”, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, 2010.
Session presenter, Learning to Teach: A Professional Development Workshop for Graduate Students, McGill University, 2010.
Panelist, 1st Studio Teaching Workshop, McGill University. “The Balancing Act: Short-term and Long-term Goals in Studio Teaching”, 2010.
Concordia University Hexagram Series, Co-lecturer with Joseph Malloch and D. Andrew Stewart on the CIRMMT/McGill Digital Orchestra Project, Montreal, 2008.

Recent Performances

Afghanistan National Institute of Music and Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO), Kabul, Afghanistan, 2012.
X-Periment: an international dialogue on Artistic Experimentation in Music - ORCiM-Pentacon Research Festival. Television Sky by Eliot Britton. EP trio. Ghent, Belgium, October, 2011.
Electronic Music Studies Network / Electronic Music Foundation sforzando! conference. Television Sky by Eliot Britton. EP trio. New York City, USA.
International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME). Television Sky by Eliot Britton. EP trio. Oslo, Norway.
Cluster New Music & Integrated Arts Festival. Solo cello and EP trio performances. Winnipeg, Manitoba, 2010.
MusiMars Contemporary Music Festival. Premiere of Ferrofluid by Eliot Britton. Montreal, 2009.
MUTEK: Electronic Music and Digital Creativity Festival. Middle Clouds: Family A, B, C for amplified string quartet and laptop by Ben Shemie. Montreal, 2008.
Music + Technology Incubator III. sounds between our minds by D. Andrew Stewart. CIRMMT/McGill University, Montreal, 2008.
Premieres and recording of Jeux d'ombres for cello with live electronics and dance by Anthony Tan with Erika Donald and Melina Stinson. Montreal, 2008.
MusiMars Contemporary Music Festival. The Digital Orchestra project: Premieres of The Long and the Short of It (solo cello) by Heather Hindman and sounds between our minds (soprano t-stick) by D. Andrew Stewart . Montreal, 2008. Recorded live for CBC Radio 2 ('The Signal').

Selected Workshops

What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body, Andover Educators 5th Biennial Conference, Montclair State University, NJ, 2011, and McGill University (organizer), 2011.
International Summer School in Systematic, Comparative and Cognitive Musicology, Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 2009.
Irene Sharp Cello Seminar, Stanford University, 2004.

Teaching Experience

Guest Artist and Teacher, Afghanistan Winter Music Academy, Kabul, Afghanistan, 2012 and 2013. See article: Canada is rebuilding Afghanistan through music - one cello at a time
Course Lecturer, Basic Materials of Western Music I - MUAR 201, McGill University, Fall 2012.
Course Lecturer, String Techniques - MUIT 201, McGill University, Winter 2011.
Cello Faculty, Brandon Suzuki Summer Institute, Brandon University, Brandon, MB, July 2010.
Teaching Assistant, The Art of Listening - MUAR 211, McGill University, Winter 2010.
Substitute Lecturer, String Techniques - MUIT 201, McGill University, Winter 2009.
Guest Instructor, Winnipeg Summer Cello Institute, Winnipeg, MB, 2008.
Cello Instructor, McGill Conservatory of Music, McGill University, 2007 - present.
Private Cello Instructor, Montreal, QC, 2007 - present.
Cello and Suzuki Group Class Instructor, University of Manitoba Preparatory Studies Program, Winnipeg, MB, 2001-2006.
Program Coordinator, City of Brandon Kids in Bloom Summer Day Camp, Brandon, MB, 2002.
Counselor, Kids in Bloom and YMCA Summer Day Camps, Brandon, MB, 1998-2001.