Studies indicate that as many as 93% of pianists experience playing-related injuries (Degrave et al., 2020). Up to 68% of these injuries are reported in individuals with smaller hand spans. Smaller-hand virtuosos like Clara Schumann, who suffered from hand injuries potentially exacerbated by her practice of Brahms’s First Piano Concerto (Altenmüller & Kopiez, 2010), and Scriabin, who injured his right hand while practicing Liszt’s “Don Juan,” (Altenmüller, 2015) were not immune. This data also suggests female pianists are often more vulnerable to injuries due to generally smaller handspans (Farias et al., 2002).

         I am part of those statistics. Despite a natural affinity for music, I faced challenges with precision, battled fatigue, and suffered from performance anxiety. Later in my career, I developed a repetitive strain injury (RSI). In search of a solution that would help performers like myself, I discovered a piano method emphasizing injury prevention and restoration. Applying this method during my doctoral studies in the fall of 2023 enhanced my performance and reduced both fatigue and anxiety. Despite my injury, the method enabled me to proficiently perform Liszt’s Transcendental Etude No. 4 (“Mazeppa”). I translated the method as a part of my doctoral research. You can find my presentation and the dissertation below.