University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Valsalva maneuver and brass instrument performance: Review and personal account

Durkin, Sean

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/103428

Description

Title
The Valsalva maneuver and brass instrument performance: Review and personal account
Author(s)
Durkin, Sean
Issue Date
2019
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Pugh, James
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Pugh, James
Committee Member(s)
  • Carrillo, Teofilo
  • Taube, Heinrich
  • López-Ortiz, Citlali
Department of Study
School of Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
Keyword(s)
  • Valsalva maneuver
  • glottis closure
  • throat closure
  • brass playing technique
  • brass instrument pedagogy
  • brass performance impediments,issues and problems
  • trumpet
  • trombone
  • french horn
  • tuba
  • euphonium
Language
en
Abstract
The Valsalva maneuver is a medical term with multiple, conflicting definitions. It was originally used to describe a clinical procedure in 1704. In recent history, the term has been used to describe an impediment in brass instrument performance. The goal of this document is to review the term Valsalva maneuver and clarify the impediment in question. Following a brief overview of breathing mechanics and brass playing, the Valsalva maneuver is discussed in its original, medical context. Here the term can be used to describe three separate phenomena—exhalation against a closed mouth and nostrils, exhalation against a closed glottis, and exhalation that causes specific effects to the cardiovascular system. This collection of definitions, while all related to exhalation, renders the Valsalva maneuver an imprecise and potentially confusing term. In the past century, brass instrument pedagogues have begun using the term to describe undesired glottis closure while playing a brass instrument. In their efforts to understand and explain this phenomenon, new definitions of the Valsalva maneuver have been adopted in the brass playing community. These definitions are accompanied by various, differing views on how to approach and solve the problem. After presenting this information, I detail my personal history with the impediment. This experience includes my initial recognition of the problem and the development of a method used to overcome it. This method does not exist in the current literature, and it raises specific questions that could be valuable to future study.
Type of Resource
  • text
  • image
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/103428
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2019 Sean Durkin

Owning Collections

Doctoral Project Theses [Option 2] - Music PRIMARY