February 2025 MTNA e-Journal

Striking the Right Chord Addressing Musculoskeletal Pain in Pianists Through Collaboration Background on Pianists and Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
By Dana Blake, Nick Washmuth and Jason Terr

This article discusses a music curriculum, created by a group of physical therapists in collaboration with a piano teacher, with the objectives of helping musicians understand that playing-related pain is not necessarily tied to the quality of one’s musicianship and that pain can often be diagnosed, remedied, and prevented from returning with the help of a supportive environment. The goal is to encourage musicians to become more open to sharing a physical issue in performance upon its genesis, rather than waiting until it becomes debilitating. Through this continued collaboration we aim to help musicians, especially keyboardists, 1) identify the relationship between pain and anatomy; 2) utilize the fundamentals of ergonomics to the different regions of the body; and 3) apply these concepts to safely playing their instrument for years into the future. [Read More]

Indexed Piano Repertoire in Support of Music Theory and Aural Skills Reinforcement
By Jesse Pierson, NCTM

Piano, music theory and aural skills curricula include an abundance of opportunities for mutual reinforcement. Whether in a private piano studio or the collegiate setting, piano repertoire includes thick enough textures to provide students with kinesthetic, visual, and aural exposure to music theory topics. Due to discrepancies in the sequencing of music theory, aural skills and piano pedagogy, implementation becomes challenging. To reconcile the pacing differences in in these areas, this study presents a searchable index of beginning and intermediate piano repertoire that is cross listed for level of difficulty and the concepts of music theory that are present within each piece. Instructors can use this index to supplement existing curricula with repertoire that is accessible to their students and reinforces music theory more effectively. Implementation strategies are presented for several teaching scenarios. [Read More]

Poster Sessions

Comparison of Select Studio Models as Stepping Stones for Emerging Careers
By Verena Abufaiad and Michaela Boros [View]

Using Cognitive Science to Facilitate More Efficient Practice
By Lucy Tan [View]

Current Research

Constructivism as a Framework for Teaching 18th-Century Beginner-Level Contrapuntal Skills
By Karen Kim [View]

A Unique Musical Memoir—On an Overgrown Path (Series I & Series II) by Leoš Janáček
By Chang Li [View]