Mondomusica New York is excited to welcome Dr. John Chong, President of Performing Arts Medicine Association (P.A.M.A.) and the Medical Director of the Musicians’ Clinics of Canada, as a guest seminar speaker under the category of Health and Wellness for Musicians. Dr. Chong began his career as a pianist, but his music career was interrupted, when at the age of 14 he injured his right hand from over practicing the piano. His interests shifted to study in the fields of medicine, clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, occupational health, public health and preventive medicine, acupuncture, and psychotherapy.  
 Dr. Chong explains, “New York City is of course… the most cosmopolitan, international, artistic hubs in the world…” to have Mondomusica hosted in New York opens the market to a diverse community with incredible interests and passions.
In his upcoming seminar, he explores the field of performing arts medicine by leading a discussion of common symptoms and medical problems of musicians. These symptoms are outlined from a psychophysiological and ergonomic perspective with special emphasis on neurobiological mechanisms. Issues related to prevention of hearing, neuromusculoskeletal, vocal and psychological health problems are addressed especially from an educational institution perspective.
At Mondomusica New York, Dr. Chong will conduct a demonstration using the latest biofeedback technology, which illustrates the power of regulation of the autonomic nervous system for the treatment and prevention of repetitive strain injuries, motor control problems, anxiety, depression, neuropathic pain, nerve entrapments, and stress-related disorders.
Dr. Chong states, “Mondomusica is what I call part of the PAMAforte program; collaborating with big groups with a common interest, in this case health and safety of string players and people who make string instruments. [This is a] great opportunity to open this conversation.” PAMAforte will create the possibility of breakthroughs in performing arts medicine health care, research, and education internationally.
Mondomusica New York, the finest American exhibition for violin and string-instrument making, will be held from April 10-12 at 82Mercer in Manhattan. These seminars will feature guest speakers who are professionals in the music industry and will discuss important updates and issues surrounding the music community.
 
Dr. John Chong is the President of P.A.M.A. After an injury to his right hand from piano performance at age 14, John went on to study electronic music, composition, electrical engineering, medicine, clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, occupational health, public health and preventive medicine, acupuncture, and psychotherapy. As the Medical Director of the Musicians’ Clinics of Canada, he has treated musicians with repetitive strain injuries, motor control problems, anxiety, depression, neuropathic pain, nerve entrapments, and stress-related disorders since 1986. His current clinical and research interest is regulation of the autonomic nervous system using neuro-biofeedback techniques for the prevention of repetitive strain injuries, focal dystonia, chronic pain, and depression. He was a founding member and is now the President-Elect of the Performing Arts Medicine Association.