Nadia Azar monitors professional drummer Jeff Burrows’ heart rate and energy expenditure while he drums. [DAVE GAUTHIER/University of Windsor]
By Sara Elliott
Drummers’ bodies endure a brutal beating during live shows, but Nadia Azar’s research seeks to alleviate that stress.
“Professional athletes don’t just go out in the field or onto the ice and play their game. There’s a lot of preparation that comes before that, such as getting in the gym and working on strength and conditioning,” says Dr. Azar, kinesiology professor.
“For percussionists, their body is their instrument, and I’m trying to leverage knowledge of injury prevention and physical conditioning to help them be successful in their careers and to have lengthy careers, because what they do is hard work.”
For her research, she monitors drummers’ heart rates and energy expenditures on stage during their live performances and creates infographics of their exertion.
Azar also has set up a professional drum kit in her Drummer Mechanics & Ergonomics Research Laboratory (DRUMMER Lab) on campus.
Nadia Azar sets up a monitor on professional drummer Jeff Burrows to measure heart rate and energy expenditure. [DAVE GAUTHIER/University of Windsor]
Azar is one of the only researchers in Canada studying the niche field of percussion and health and well-being, biomechanics, and motor control.
Now she is bringing her drummer mechanics and ergonomics expertise and research directly to percussionists through the Canadian Percussion Network (CPN).
“The network connects percussionists from across Canada who are interested in bridging the gap between performance and research,” Azar explains.
The collaborative network is funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Development Grant and spearheaded researchers from McMaster and McGill universities, along with Azar and colleagues from Acadia University and the University of Manitoba.
“I’m the lead for the health and well-being research axis – I’m trying to bring in health and wellness information for percussionists. We are interested in a series of questions like, ‘why would it be important for percussionists to know about injury prevention - what’s that going to do for you as a performer?’”
The network brings experts and their research straight to percussionists via a series of virtual events and an in-person meeting called, The Space Between.
The Space Between events break down the barriers between research and performance by creating new opportunities for connection and collaboration. Azar says they are bridging the gap between the two groups.
“It isn’t always easy to find this information, or good resources, or trustworthy resources, so bringing in professionals in the health and wellness field can help,” she says.
The network was born out of the pandemic and started with virtual events.
“My colleagues couldn’t play together and wanted to keep the community engaged so they started holding these virtual events and because it went well, they wanted to expand it,” says Azar.
Ultimately, she says her research is about learning how percussionists can prevent injuries from happening in the first place.
Nadia Azar has set up a professional drum kit in her Drummer Mechanics & Ergonomics Research Laboratory (DRUMMER Lab) on campus. [DAVE GAUTHIER/University of Windsor]
“Just like an athlete, you’re not going to perform at your best if you’re injured because you’re going to be in pain. It’s not going to feel as fluid, it’s not going to be as smooth, you’re not going to produce the quality of sound you’re aiming for, you’re not going to have the endurance,” she says.
“It is also important to talk about other health related behaviours that also contribute to performance that aren’t necessarily injury prevention specific – like nutrition, hydration, mental skills training.”
All The Space Between presentations and performances and the virtual events are archived on the CPN website.
The fourth networking event, The Space Between IV, took place in Manitoba in August.
To learn more about Azar’s research follow her Instagram feed through her handle @drnadiaazar.