University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Coordinating mind and body: A comparison of three somatic approaches for improving wellness and performance in pianists

Zhou, Yuanchang

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/98884

Description

Title
Coordinating mind and body: A comparison of three somatic approaches for improving wellness and performance in pianists
Author(s)
Zhou, Yuanchang
Issue Date
2017
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Tsitsaros, Christos
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Hobson, Ian
Committee Member(s)
  • Heiles, William
  • Parisi, Susan
Department of Study
School of Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
Keyword(s)
  • Somatics
  • Hand injury of pianists
  • Alan Fraser
  • Dorothy Taubman
  • Barbara Lister-Sink
  • Mind-body coordination
Language
en
Abstract
Among all barriers to a professional pianist’s performance, hand injuries can be the most traumatic. Chronic pain and other debilitating problems can not only cause physical suffering, but severe and emotional turmoil as well. When discouraged by countless cancellations due to physical problems, many pianists consider themselves failures. Throughout history, celebrated pianists such as Robert Schumann, Alexander Scriabin, Gary Graffman, Leon Fleisher, and Glenn Gould fell victim to hand injuries, in some cases even causing permanent damage that sidelined, or even terminated, their performing careers. Often traditional medicine is not the most ideal solution for effectively curing a pianist’s hand injuries, as most problems are more likely related to improper movement and use of the body while playing. The purpose of this essay is to introduce three effective somatic approaches to piano playing, offering not only possibilities for the treatment of physical problems, but also preventive methods to help in obtaining a pain- free experience for performing pianists.
Type of Resource
  • text
  • image
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/98884
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2017 Yuanchang Zhou

Owning Collections

Doctoral Project Papers [Option 3] - Music PRIMARY