At Cardinal Keyboard day a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to observe a masterclass and lecture by Elizabeth Grace, M.M. Ms. Grace is an expert in the Taubman Approach, a holistic method of movement that attempts to eliminate tension that could cause injury, specifically for pianists. Dorothy Taubman (1917-2013) believed that “if playing the piano doesn’t feel delicious and euphoric, you’re doing something wrong,” and she studied anatomy thoroughly to develop a system of coordinate motion that would prevent injury before it began.
Ms. Grace discussed the principle of alignment (joints moving naturally as opposed to straining or moving in unhealthy ways) as well as stability vs. mobility (joints as systems of leverage that should be powerful and properly balanced but still able to move quickly) in her lecture, as well as addressing troublesome habits such as curling the fingers, twisting at the wrist, collapsing knuckle joints, stretching in unnatural ways, and isolating digits from the palm when playing the piano. Instead, she suggested some good methods for maintaining proper alignment, like sitting at the proper height and distance from the piano, using whole-body movement, and ensuring the torso, forearm, hand and fingers, and thumb remain aligned but not tense when practicing. She also recommended that pianists utilize techniques such as horizontal movement into the keys, confirming correct fingering, and taking mid-range notes with different hands, all of which should be noted on the score as best practice.
If you or someone you know experiences pain or tension when playing piano or any instrument, please research the Taubman Approach for a helpful and holistic set of techniques to eliminate misalignment that could cause injury. We are often told as musicians that pain is just something that happens when you practice for long periods of time and should be ignored as a sign that your muscles are underdeveloped, and this is why many musicians suffer injury or near-injury before realizing that it’s not a lack of physical strength, but a lack of knowledge and technique causing the issue.
