Oxford University Press

Authors: Lora Deahl, Brenda Wristen
Format: Book
Instrumentation: Piano

• A unique and important guide for almost all pianists
• Brings together ergonomics, biomechanics, physics, anatomy, medicine, and music pedagogy
• Includes over 300 musical examples taken from the standard pedagogical and concert piano repertoire
• Demonstrates the concrete application of adaptive strategies within appropriate musical contexts

Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists brings together information from bio-mechanics, ergonomics, physics, anatomy, medicine, and piano pedagogy to focus on the subject of small-handedness. The first comprehensive study of its kind, the book opens with an overview of historical, anatomical, and pedagogical perspectives and redresses long-held biases concerning those who struggle at the piano because of issues with hand size. A discussion of work efficiency, the human anatomy, and the constraints of physics serves as the theoretical basis for a focused analysis of healthy movement and piano technique as they relate to small-handedness. Separate chapters deal with specific alternative approaches: redistribution, refingering, strategies to maximize reach and power, and musical solutions for technical problems.

Richly illustrated with hundreds of examples from a wide range of piano repertoire, the book is an incomparable resource for piano teachers and students, written in language that is accessible to a broad audience. It balances scholastic rigour with practical experience in the field to demonstrate that the unique physical and musical needs of the small-handed can be addressed in sensitive and appropriate ways.