The Neuroscience of Musical Practice: A Conversation with Dr. Molly Gebrian

Meet Dr. Molly Gebrian — violist, scholar, and one of the leading voices at the intersection of music and neuroscience.

With a unique background in both viola performance and neuroscience, Dr. Gebrian brings a scientific lens to the world of musical practice. In this interview, we explore how her research sheds light on how musicians learn, memorize, and improve—revealing that smarter, more brain-friendly practice may be the key to unlocking better performances.

(Note: This interview has been edited for clarity.)

Sarah Kisin: Could you start by giving us a short introduction and how you became involved in the interdisciplinary space of music and neuroscience?

Molly Gebrian: Absolutely. I went to Oberlin College and Conservatory, where I double-majored in viola and neuroscience. Initially, I pursued neuroscience just out of personal interest, with no plans to combine it with music. But after graduating and starting my master’s at New England Conservatory, I found myself missing neuroscience. While I couldn’t take formal classes there, I pursued independent studies on music and the brain. Then, during my doctoral studies in viola at Rice University, I was back at a research institution and took graduate-level neuroscience courses while working in a lab. That’s when I started combining both fields more intentionally, even teaching a class on music and the brain. When I began teaching at a university in Wisconsin, I started presenting more on the science of practicing—and it all grew from there. So, it happened somewhat by accident, but I’m very glad it did.

Sarah: Why do you think it’s important for musicians—especially advanced ones—to understand what’s happening in their brain while practicing?

Molly: Great question. We spend so much time practicing, and we all want to do it efficiently and effectively. It’s frustrating to practice for hours without improvement—or even getting worse. Practicing feels physical, but it's really training your brain. Understanding how the brain learns helps us practice better, more effectively, and with less frustration. Many optimal learning strategies are actually counterintuitive—for example, we learn most during breaks. Or instead of practicing one thing for a long time, it’s better to mix it up. Understanding neuroscience helps us align our strategies with how the brain actually works.

Sarah: There’s so much research in music and neuroscience—from music therapy to brain anatomy. Why did you focus on musical practice rather than something like therapy?

Molly: It was entirely personal. I wanted to practice better. As an undergrad, I started noticing parallels between what I was learning in neuroscience and what my viola teacher was saying about good practice habits. So, I wanted to dig deeper and understand the neuroscience behind it to improve my own practice.

Sarah: Let’s talk about interleaved practice. What is it, and why is it significant at the neurological level?

Molly:Interleaved practice means switching between different tasks or sections rather than practicing one thing in a large block. It’s not how most people naturally practice, but research shows it helps us learn faster and perform better. Interleaving trains flexibility in the brain—switching gears constantly, which mirrors what we do in performance. Your brain works harder to recall information, which strengthens learning. It also reinforces memory by forcing retrieval multiple times.

Sarah: If I’m practicing and take a break, what’s the best thing to do during that time? Are some break activities more effective than others?

Molly: Good question. Within a practice session, your “breaks” can just be switching between different kinds of material—like from a lyrical section to a fast technical one. But between sessions, breaks like closing your eyes for five minutes, taking a walk, or doing something creative like drawing can be beneficial. Avoid going on your phone—it doesn’t help your brain reset.

Sarah: So, interleaved practice is both switching between music tasks and between music and other activities?

Molly: Yes and no. Technically, interleaved practice means switching between similar tasks—like different sections of music. Switching between music and something unrelated is actually part of spaced practice. But musicians can interleave with homework or other cognitive tasks, which still offers benefits.

Sarah: What role does sleep play in learning and memory for musicians?

Molly: Sleep is critical—it’s the ultimate break. When we sleep, our brain consolidates new information by transferring it from the hippocampus (short-term storage) to the neocortex (long-term storage). Without enough sleep, this transfer can fail, leading to “corrupted files” in your brain—you learned it, but you can’t access it. Studies show that performance improves significantly after sleep, which doesn’t happen when people are sleep-deprived. So prioritizing sleep is essential for long-term learning and improvement.

Sarah: Can you talk about the types of memory involved in music performance and how musicians can practice to avoid memory slips?

Molly: Musicians rely on three main types of memory:

• Implicit (muscle) memory: what it feels like to play

• Aural memory: what it sounds like

• Declarative memory: the actual notes and rhythms

We usually have one dominant type and tend to neglect the others. But strengthening all three helps prevent memory slips. For muscle memory, practice without sound—for string players, mute the instrument. For aural memory, sing the piece from memory. For declarative, try writing it out. Also, avoid playing anything you don’t understand musically. The brain holds onto information better when it’s meaningful.

Sarah: Is there an ideal amount of time to practice? Can over-practicing harm learning?

Molly: Yes. No one should practice more than 4–5 hours per day—that’s the upper limit for focused work. Never practice more than 25–30 minutes without a 5-minute break. After 1.5 hours total, take a longer break (1.5–2 hours). Over-practicing without breaks leads to physical injury and slows learning. The brain and body both need downtime to process and recover.

Sarah: So when professional pianists say they practice 9+ hours a day, that’s not something to emulate?

Molly:Correct. They’re succeeding despite that, not because of it. They’d likely be even better—and feel better—if they practiced less and took more breaks.

Sarah: Are there differences in how these principles apply to different instruments?

Molly:The principles are the same across instruments, but how they’re applied varies. Pianists, for example, practice hands separately and might mime one hand. That doesn’t apply as much to strings or winds. Wind players focus a lot on breath and embouchure. The details change, but the brain principles are universal.

Sarah: What are your thoughts on mental practice?

Molly: Mental practice is incredibly effective. Studies show that combining mental and physical practice leads to the most progress. I do it daily—before I play a passage, I visualize and hear it in my head. I use it on planes, in the car (not while driving!), or any time I can’t physically practice. I focus on specific problems, not just running the piece mentally from start to finish—unless that’s what I’m working on.

Sarah: What strategies help musicians perform better and manage nerves?

Molly: Mental practice and visualization are key. Picture yourself in the performance space, feel the environment—what you’re wearing, the stage, the audience. Do this repeatedly, so it feels familiar. Interleaved practice and performance testing—playing sections cold, on the spot—are also important. That way, performance isn’t the first time you’re testing whether you can play it right away.

Sarah: What are some common misconceptions musicians have about practicing?

Molly: The biggest: more is better. It’s not. Also, that breaks are unimportant, or that practicing one thing for a long time is ideal—it’s not. Another overlooked idea is goal-setting. “I want to sound better” isn’t specific enough. Go into each session with clear, measurable goals and a strategy. Lastly, people often wait to record themselves until they’re close to performing. I record constantly—even 10-second phrases. That way, I always know how I sound and can adjust early.

Sarah :Have you noticed differences in how neurodivergent musicians practice?

Molly: Absolutely. The same practice principles apply to everyone, but neurodivergent musicians often benefit even more—especially from interleaved practice and frequent breaks. ADHD musicians tend to interleave naturally, and hearing that it’s not only okay but ideal is empowering. Autistic musicians may not naturally switch, but thrive when they have structured plans for doing so. In general, neurodivergent brains take in more info and need more processing time, so breaks are essential.

Sarah: Looking ahead, what developments in your field are you most excited about?

Molly: I’m excited to create more resources for neurodivergent learners and their teachers. There’s also promising growth in brain imaging technology. As we improve our understanding of what the brain is doing during breaks and learning, I think we’ll unlock even better ways for musicians to learn and perform.