Intention: The Power of the Heart

Kathleen is truly multidimensional. She not only understands the complexities of the elite musician (and is one herself) but fully understands the underlying physiology which is so relevant in resolving the psychophysiological issues of the performing artist. Her ability to integrate new technology into the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders of the performing artist makes her truly one of a kind. There are few who understand so well, and integrate these two completely different areas of study, and without the knowledge of both, it is difficult to aid those in the performing arts with these various limitations. Her knowledge of biofeedback and its role in teaching, training, assessment and treatment is second to none.

Working with students to better communicate the composer’s intentions has always been a central thrust of my teaching. So many times, a musician’s body is tied in knots in unseen ways, and Kathleen Riley’s Biofeedback Lab & muscle/video monitoring allows us to “see” the tension on the screen. This invaluable information often leads to a magnitude of benefits, including the freedom to play without pain. This, in turn, frees the musician to “sing”.

Kathleen Riley came to the Cleveland Institute of Music to work with students and faculty who were dealing with physical issues.  I was one of them, having had some shoulder problems.  Her work with me was patient, diligent, professional--and extremely helpful.  She was able to combine her expertise with the relevant technologies with her knowledge of anatomy in a highly effective way.  In particular, we used biofeedback to determine when I was overly or unnecessarily engaging or tensing the shoulder muscles.  I was thus able to redirect the energy to the fingers and arms.  She was of great value to me, and to many students with whom she worked.

Several years ago, I had received a diagnosis of Benign Essential Tremor from the Neurology Department at The Cleveland Clinic. I went through typical drug protocols, most of which had unpleasant side effects including drowsiness, sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, confusion. As much as the violin and music mean to me, I could not continue to live like this. I worked with Dr. Kathleen Riley, who understood so well what it takes physically, mentally and emotionally to perform optimally as a musician. I spent at least 6 intensive months working with her for retraining my arm and hand movements. I find myself today still using the effective protocols she gave me to manage my condition and remain at the level necessary to perform as a member of The Cleveland Orchestra. Biofeedback is a powerful tool that can enable musicians to see “inside” themselves and learn to make effective changes, and I am grateful to Kathleen for her expertise and guidance.

As a professional theatre musician with dystonia, I am forever grateful for Kathleen Riley and her expertise. I worked with Kathleen for over 4 years after having been diagnosed with focal hand dystonia. Her powerful work with Biofeedback and hand/finger exercises helped me regain technical control and keep the dystonia at a manageable distance.

Kathleen Riley’s work with Biofeedback is invaluable for coaching musicians to achieve and maintain optimal performance. Her expertise brings a deeper awareness of what we do and how we do it as musicians.

Kathleen is pioneering study and practical applications of bio-feedback among musicians. The results of her analysis and expertise offer musicians a way to self-observe, to know more about how this very complicated process of piano performance actually works. I highly recommend her to any working musician or medical professional who works with musicians.