Reflections on Piano Education
Written by ANDREW EALES
I wish that I could tell you that playing the piano is a completely benign and entirely safe activity. But that would be untrue, because although practice is not inherently dangerous, it can certainly pose challenges and potential dangers to any player, both mental and physical.
Physically, the risks of tension, fatigue and repetitive strain injury are a common concern. Mentally, musicians face fears of inadequacy, self-doubt and performance anxiety, all of which can combine to affect our practice and general well-being.
It is only by acknowledging and addressing these concerns and challenges that we can cultivate a healthy and productive practice routine…
Facing Down Danger
In his superb book The Lunar Tao (2013, reviewed here), Deng Ming-Dao speculates that,
“One might argue that a great deal of civilisation arises from the mastery of doing dangerous things safely. We do many risky things each day: light fires, use knives, drive cars, cross streets, work with big equipment. A thousand times a day, we actually hold danger in our hands, but we’ve learned how to keep ourselves safe and continue our work.”
For pianists, it can be in the practise room that some of the darkest and most serious dangers are to be found. Here, we find ourselves grappling with a sense of inadequacy or unpreparedness. We too often approach our practice believing ourselves to be unworthy imposters or worse, with residual trauma from past humiliation and a hint of hopelessness.
It is often our mental tension that undermines our best efforts. Responding to so powerful a trigger, physical tension soon dominates our repeated efforts at mastering a tricky passage, overcoming a technical challenge, or memorising an Active Repertoire.
Safety Measures
Deng Ming-Dao concludes,
“It is only by risking danger that we ever accomplish anything. The secret is to put safety measures in place and to evade danger whenever the unexpected arises.”
In my book about How to Practise Music, I offer a range of strategies that will help to mitigate against dangerous piano practice.
Naturally, I recommend you read the whole book carefully, but here are a few important points to consider right away:
Scheduling: if we are poor at time management, our practice time becomes rushed, and we will be in a state of mental tension before playing a single note. Try to schedule other activities, carve out time to focus on piano playing, and ask for the support of your family or cohabitants.
Environment: the space in which we practice, and the instrument we play on, have a huge impact on our focus. Consider privacy, temperature, humidity, lighting and air quality. Prepare other equipment, sheet music, and refreshments in advance.
Warming Up: allow time for healthy preparation. It is helpful to include physical stretches and breathing exercises before sitting at the piano. Try these Qigong exercises.
Variety: practice is the whole process of enhancing our music making. A wide range of activities can contribute to that process. Keep your practice fresh, tap into a wide variety of approaches, and vary the content of your practice. My book includes many suggestions.
Taking Breaks: frequent short breaks are important for our mental wellbeing, to avoid physical injury, and increase our overall productivity. Ideally, get some fresh air, and let your mind have a quiet reboot!
The strategies I have listed above only offer a starting point for evading the dangers of piano practice. The book includes many more, of course!
But with proper preparation, a mindful approach, and physical care, we can all enjoy a fulfilling and safe practice experience!
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