Cultivating Mindfulness in Music Teaching: Introducing the ARTfulness Program for the Professional Development of Instrumental and Vocal Teachers

One-to-one instrumental and vocal music teachers face distinctive pedagogical andemotional challenges that may affect well-being, professional satisfaction, and teachingquality. The ARTfulness program was developed to integrate evidence-based mindfulnessand compassion practices, addressing intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions ofteaching. This protocol describes a non-randomized, mixed-methods feasibility study.The program comprises four weekly 90-minute online sessions with guided homepractice. Feasibility will be assessed across eight dimensions (acceptability, demand,implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration, expansion, and limited-efficacytesting). Quantitative measures include mindfulness in teaching, dispositionalmindfulness, and self-compassion. Qualitative data will be collected from questionnaires,session inquiry transcripts, and post-program interviews and analyzed using reflexivethematic analysis. The study aims to evaluate recruitment, retention, adherence, andpreliminary impact, informing program refinement, outcome measures, and the design offuture trials. ARTfulness seeks to enhance teacher well-being and professional practicewhile advancing methodological rigor in educational mindfulness-based interventions.