Current issue

In the realm of performing arts, physical movements are crucial for the embodiment of artistic expression while concurrently preventing the development of injuries. It has been widely recognized that playing-related physical injuries are prevalent among musicians, underscoring the pivotal role of physical education in preventing such injuries. However, it remains unknown to what extent pianists prioritize physical considerations in the pursuit of achieving ideal musical expression. Here we attempted to answer a research question of whether pianists place significance on physical aspects of piano performance for achieving ideal musical expression. We conducted a questionnaire-based study in Japan, collecting responses from a cohort of 100 Japanese pianists who had received professional education in piano performance at music conservatories and from professional pianists over years. Among the ten issues encompassing physical, perceptual, cognitive, and aesthetic dimensions that gathered the highest priority among the respondents, six pertained to physical concerns. These included the reduction of superfluous muscular tension and motions degrading music performance, and enhancement of articulation and legato techniques. A chi-squared test rejected independence between the number of respondents who prioritized resolving physical issues and those who prioritized resolving musical issues, which indicates a relationship between physical and musical considerations. Younger pianists, particularly those in their teens and twenties, exhibited significantly higher awareness of physical concerns of piano performance. These results offer compelling evidence of the critical need for establishing physical education curriculum in the artistic development of pianists, which is particularly pronounced in the early stage of their career.

Many studies have been conducted examining musicians’ injuries and their prevention; however, most of this research focuses on the advanced pianist. Pedagogues and researchers agree that the early stages of piano study are crucial for developing proper habits regarding piano technique, and many believe that inefficient physical movements can be a factor in playing-related injury. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate current perspectives and perceptions of pre-college piano teachers regarding teaching technique to the beginner-level student and the relationship those perspectives have with injury prevention. The researcher created a questionnaire that was distributed to pre-college piano teachers from across the United States (N = 204). Participants were recruited via email and social media. This questionnaire contained questions concerning the order in which beginning piano techniques should be taught, participants’ preferred method books, participants’ perceptions on the relationship between technical training and injury prevention, and the influence method books have on technique pedagogy. Additionally, an open-ended question allowed participants to describe their teaching philosophies and strategies in their own words. Thematic coding was conducted on the responses. Results suggest that many teachers believe a relationship between beginner-level technique instruction and injury prevention exists. When teachers were divided into groups according to their preferred method books, the order in which they introduced technical skills to students varied. While 23% of participants believed that the method book was very influential on how they taught beginner students technique, 77% of the participants felt it was less influential (M = 3.35). Further study into the influence of method books upon teaching philosophies is warranted. This study provides the basis for more research to be conducted on beginner-level piano technique in order to aid in the prevention of future injuries and to promote healthy and fulfilling piano playing.

Dysmusia, likely a type of dyslexia in the music domain, is of particular importance to piano students as the complexity of two-staff reading and coordination requirements of piano playing have led to teachers and students alike reporting and observing challenges. As research in this field has not yet expanded to measurement, our overarching aim was the proposal of a screening tool for dysmusia, first tested with young piano students without suspected dysmusia, that could contribute baseline data and reflect tentative relationships between the most reported dysmusia manifestations: music reading, music writing, and audiation. Twenty-four piano students completed tests on paired music reading and writing conditions, sight-reading, and audiation. The key findings were that participants with a higher level of music sight-reading proficiency performed more accurately on paired tests compared to the lower group, that the music reading tests were more difficult than the writing tests, and that music reading expertise had no significant bearing on audiation performance.

Since the early stages of piano learning, students are expected to practice at home in order to develop their performance skills. Given that practice is critical to develop musical expertise, the purpose of this study was to examine the practice habits of precollege piano students and the factors that affected their application of practice strategies. In this descriptive study, we used Sojump, an online survey program, to create and disseminate the questionnaire to the precollege piano students from the southeast region of China. The self-report questionnaire consisted of eight items related to practice habits, 18 items regarding practice strategies, and seven items related to demographic information. A total of 188 students (n = 188), aged from 6 to 16, completed the questionnaire. Respondents were asked to indicate the frequency of their practice habits, and the practice strategies they applied using a Likert-type scale anchored by 1 to 5. The most common applied practice strategy was starting to play slowly and then gradually speeding up. Results indicated significant positive correlations between some of the respondents’ self-reported practice habits and their years of learning, attained piano grade, and parental monitoring. Additionally, we found significant positive relationships between certain practice strategies used by respondents and their years of learning, attained piano grade, and parental monitoring. Implications for piano teachers are discussed, and suggestions for further investigations are provided.