Dr Tania Lisboa

Tania Lisboa joined the Royal College of Music in September 2001 and she is currently a Reader in Performance Science and Digital Learning. Dr Lisboa has acted as a commissioner to the International Society for Music Education’s Commission for the Education of the Professional Musician from 2016-2020 and she was elected an Honorary Member of the Royal College of Music in 2018. She is also an honorary Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London. Her current research focuses on expert practice and memory of music, digital learning, and music in health and SEND.

Her doctoral research at Sheffield University employed longitudinal studies with young cellists to investigate the relationship between musical understanding and a multi-modal approach to teaching and learning. Since 2003, Tania has also managed the RCM’s videoconferencing programme. Recent activities in this area include links with international conservatoires and universities in the USA, Europe and Asia.

In parallel with her academic research, Tania pursues an active career as a solo cellist. A native of Brazil, where she also trained as a pianist, her concert engagements encompass Europe, Asia, and North and South America. In addition to the standard repertoire, she has recorded the complete works for cello and piano by C Guarnieri and by H Villa-Lobos for Meridian Records, the latter in three volumes.

Tania is a LAHP (London Arts & Humanities Partnership) doctoral student supervisor, currently supervising the work of Patrick Avery, Dainora Daugvilaite and Lydia Ballam.

Selected publications

Fonte V, Pipa L, Williamon A, & Lisboa T (2022), Memorising contemporary piano music as described by professional pianists, Music and Science, 5, 1-15 [DOI].

Lisboa T, Jonasson P, & Johnson C (2022), Synchronous online learning, teaching, and performing, in GE McPherson (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Music Performance, Volume 2 (pp. 499-527), Oxford University Press [ISBN: 9780190058869].

Lisboa T, Shaugnessy C, Voyajolu A, & Ockelford A (2021), Promoting the musical engagement of autistic children in the early years through a program of parental support: An ecological research study, Music & Science, 4, 1-24 [DOI].

Demos AP, Lisboa T, & Chaffin R (2018), A longitudinal study of the development of expressive timing, Psychology of Music, 48, 50-66 [DOI].

Lisboa T, Chaffin R, & Demos AP (2015), Recording thoughts while memorizing music: a case study, Frontiers in Psychology, 5 (1561), 1-13 [DOI]

Cervino A, Laws C, Lettberg M, & Lisboa T (eds.) (2011), The Practice of Practising, University Press Leuven [ISBN 9789058678485].

Chaffin R, Lisboa T, Logan T, & Begosh K (2010), Preparing for memorized cello performance: the role of performance cues, Psychology of Music, 38, 3-30 [DOI].

Lisboa T (2008), Action and thought in cello playing: an investigation of children’s practice and performance, International Journal of Music Education, 26, 243-267 [DOI].

Faculties / departments: Research, Academic staff

Latest Publications

Lisboa, T. and Santiago, D. and Fonte, V. and Shaughnessy, C. and Perkins, R. (2024) Group music-making with families affected by Zika virus in Brazil. In: Music and Parental Mental Wellbeing. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 262-280. ISBN 9780192863287 (paperback) 9780191954191 (online)

Thompson, G. and Lisboa, T. and Ockelford, A. (2023) Autism and family-centred approaches in and through music. In: The Oxford Handbook of Early Childhood Learning and Development in Music. Oxford Handbooks . Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 949-966. ISBN 9780190927523 (print) 9780190927554 (online)

Fonte, V. and Pipa, L. and Williamon, A. and Lisboa, T. (2022) Memorising contemporary piano music as described by professional pianists. Music & Science, 5 pp. 1-15. ISSN 2059-2043

Lisboa, T. and Jónasson, P. and Johnson, C. (2022) Synchronous online learning, teaching, and performing. In: The Oxford Handbook of Music Performance, Volume 2. Oxford Handbooks . Oxford University Press, Oxford. ISBN 9780190058869 (hardback) 9780190058876 (e-book) 9780190058883 (e-book)

Lisboa, T. and Santiago, D. and Perkins, R. and Silva, K. J. (2022) A música no atendimento a crianças afetadas pelo vírus Zika e suas famílias: uma prática informada por evidências [Music in the care of children and families affected by Zika virus: practice informed by evidence/La música en la atención a niños afectados por el virus zika y sus familias: una práctica informada por evidencias]. Project Report. Royal College of Music and Federal University of Bahia, Brazil.

Lisboa, T. and Shaughnessy, C. and Voyajolu, A. and Ockelford, A. (2021) Promoting the musical engagement of autistic children in the early years through a program of parental support: an ecological research study. Music & Science, 4 ISSN 2059-2043 (online)

Camlin, D. A. and Lisboa, T. (2021) The digital ‘turn’ in music education (editorial). Music Education Research, 23 (2) pp. 129-138. ISSN 1461-3808 (print) 1469-9893 (online)

Lisboa, T. and Jónasson, P. and Johnson, C. and Waddell, G. and Williamon, A. (2020) A guide to effective online music lessons. [Video]

Demos, A. P. and Lisboa, T. and Begosh, K. T. and Logan, T. and Chaffin, R. (2020) A longitudinal study of the development of expressive timing. Psychology of Music, 48 (1) pp. 50-66. ISSN 0305-7356 (print) 1741-3087 (online)

Jónasson, P. and Lisboa, T. (2019) Professional musicians as researchers: leading changes through a study on memorisation. In: Leadership of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Music Education. ISME Global Perspectives in Music Education (2). Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9780367077327

Lisboa, T. and Demos, A. P. and Chaffin, R. (2018) Training thought and action for virtuoso performance. Musicae Scientiae, 22 (4) pp. 519-538. ISSN 1029-8649 (print) 2045-4147 (online)

Demos, A. P. and Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. (2016) Flexibility of expressive timing in repeated musical performances. Frontiers in Psychology, 7 (1490). ISSN 1664-1078

Lisboa, T. and Demos, A. P. and Chaffin, R. (2015) Spontaneity in performance: effects of thinking on expressive variation in tempo. In: International Symposium on Performance Science, 2-5 September 2015, Kyoto, Japan.

Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. and Demos, A. P. (2015) Recording thoughts while memorizing music: a case study. Frontiers in Psychology, 5 (1561). ISSN 1664-1078

Clark, T. and Lisboa, T. and Williamon, A. (2014) Learning to be an instrumental musician. In: Advanced Musical Performance: Investigations in Higher Education Learning. SEMPRE Studies in the Psychology of Music . Ashgate, London, pp. 287-300. ISBN 9781409436898

Clark, T. and Lisboa, T. and Williamon, A. (2014) An investigation into musicians' thoughts and perceptions during performance. Research Studies in Music Education, 36 (1) pp. 19-37. ISSN 1321-103X (print) 1834-5530 (online)

Clark, T. and Lisboa, T. (2013) Training for sustained performance: moving toward long-term musician development. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 28 pp. 159-168. ISSN 0885-1158

Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. and Demos, A. P. (2013) Recording thoughts as an aid to memorization: a case study. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2013, 23-31 August 2013, Austria.

Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. and Demos, A. P. and Gerling, C. (2013) Flexibility in the use of shared and individual performance cues in duo performance. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2013, 23-31 August 2013, Austria.

Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. and Logan, T. (2011) A self-study of practice: words versus action in music problem solving. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2011, 24-27 August 2011, Canada.

Chaffin, R. and Lisboa, T. and Logan, T. and Begosh, K. T. (2010) Preparing for memorized cello performance: the role of performance cues. Psychology of Music, 38 (1) pp. 3-30. ISSN 0305-7356 (print) 1741-3087 (online)

Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. and Logan, T. (2009) How memory fades: very-long-term recall of Bach. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2009, 15-18 December 2009, New Zealand.

Lisboa, T. and Gualda, F. (2009) Left-hand expression in cello playing: exploring approaches to shifting. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2009, 15-18 December 2009, New Zealand.

Chaffin, R. and Lisboa, T. (2009) Practicing perfection: how concert soloists prepare for performance. ICTUS Music Journal, 9 (2) pp. 115-142.

Lisboa, T. (2008) Action and thought in cello playing: an investigation of children’s practice and performance. International Journal of Music Education, 26 (3) pp. 243-267. ISSN 0255-7614 (print) 1744-795X (online)

Lisboa, T. (2008) Book review: 'Mastering the Art of Performance' by Stewart Gordon (OUP, 2006). British Journal of Music Education, 25 (1) pp. 103-115. ISSN 0265-0517 (print) 1469-2104 (online)

Lisboa, T. and Chaffin, R. and Logan, T. and Begosh, K. T. (2007) Variability and automaticity in highly practiced cello performance. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2007, 22-23 November 2007, Portugal.

Clark, T. and Williamon, A. and Lisboa, T. (2007) The phenomenology of performance: exploring musicians' perceptions and experiences. In: International Symposium on Performance Science 2007, 22-23 November 2007, Portugal.

Williamon, A. and Thompson, S. and Lisboa, T. and Wiffen, C. (2006) Creativity, originality, and value in music performance. In: Musical Creativity: Multidisciplinary Research in Theory and Practice. Psychology Press, London, pp. 161-180. ISBN 978-1841695082

Lisboa, T. and Williamon, A. and Zicari, M. and Eiholzer, H. (2005) Mastery through imitation: a preliminary study. Musicae Scientiae, 9 (1) pp. 75-110. ISSN 1029-8649 (print) 2045-4147 (online)

Lisboa, T. (2003) An overview of Villa-Lobos’ compositions for the violoncello. Música Hodie, 3 pp. 44-51. ISSN 1676-3939 (print) 2317-6776 (online)

Contact

For enquiries please contact:

Dr Tania Lisboa

Research Fellow, Doctoral Supervisor

research@rcm.ac.uk

tania.lisboa@rcm.ac.uk

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