Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists - Paperback

by Lora Deahl (Author), Brenda Wristen (Author)

Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists brings together information from biomechanics, ergonomics, physics, anatomy, medicine, and piano pedagogy to focus on the subject of small-handedness. The first comprehensive study of its kind, the book opens with an overview of historical, anatomical, and pedagogical perspectives and redresses long-held biases concerning those who struggle at the piano because of issues with hand size. A discussion of work efficiency, the human anatomy, and the constraints of physics serves as the theoretical basis for a focused analysis of healthy movement and piano technique as they relate to small-handedness. Separate chapters deal with specific alternative approaches: redistribution, refingering, strategies to maximize reach and power, and musical solutions for technical problems. Richly illustrated with hundreds of examples from a wide range of piano repertoire, the book is an incomparable resource for piano teachers and students, written in language that is accessible to a broad audience. It balances scholastic rigor with practical experience in the field to demonstrate that the unique physical and musical needs of the small-handed can be addressed in sensitive and appropriate ways.

Author Biography

Lora Deahl is Professor of Piano and Keyboard Literature and Associate Dean of Curricular and Undergraduate Issues at Texas Tech University.Lora Deahl is Professor of Piano and Keyboard Literature and Associate Dean of Curricular and Undergraduate Issues at the Talkington College of Visual and Performing Arts at Texas Tech University. She is recognized for her solo and chamber performances throughout the U.S., Asia, and Latin America as well as pedagogical and scholarly articles in international and national journals of music. Recipient of the Chancellor's Council Teaching Award from Texas Tech University and the Outstanding Collegiate Teacher Award from the Texas Music Teachers Association, her students hold teaching positions around the world.

Brenda Wristen is Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is recognized for her research on the biomechanics of piano technique and varied aspects of musician health, and has published in numerous journals in the fields of piano pedagogy, music education, and performing arts medicine. She is a frequent presenter at international and national professional meetings.