September 2024 MTNA e-Journal

Injury Prevention and Virtuosity: The Schmidt-Shklovskaya Piano Method and Nikolai Bernstein’s Motor Control Theory
By Natalia Lauk/strong

The 20th-century Russian pianist and pedagogue Anna Schmidt-Shklovskaya developed an injury-preventive method that combines pedagogical and scientific principles. Well-known in Russia, this method has proven effective in reducing fatigue and anxiety while enhancing performance. Schmidt-Shklovskaya’s book, On the Development of Piano Skills, translated into English by this author, offers accessible strategies for injury prevention. The method integrates the “singing” sound principles of Felix M. Blumenfeld, Vladimir Horowitz’s teacher, with insights from physiologist Ivan Kryzhanovsky. Kryzhanovsky, a close collaborator of Nobel Prize winner Ivan Pavlov, treated young Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich for playing-related injuries. Additionally, it incorporates motor control theory from neurophysiologist Nikolai Bernstein and draws on Schmidt-Shklovskaya’s extensive experience in injury prevention and pianistic recovery. [View]

Private Studio and Classroom Instructional Strategies for Students with ADHD
By Stephanie Krell, NCTM

There is significant statistical evidence that music teachers will be presented with the opportunity to instruct students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at some point in their career. This investigation examines specific deficits commonly observed in these students and provides current theories relevant to the educator’s teaching strategies within the private studio and classroom settings. It also includes scientific research on learning techniques that promote positive brain development. These elements will aid the instructor in creating a musical environment in which the student with ADHD may cognitively thrive and resolve on a continued investment in the music learning process. [View]

Poster Sessions

Beginner and Advanced Pianists’ Eye Focus on Piano Instructional Videos: A Pilot Investigation
By Ting Ting Goh, NCTM [View]

The Missing Piece of a Fingering Model for Piano: Two-Hand Coordination
By Lixi Qin [View]

Current Research

The Musical Identities of Piano Students: A Phenomenological Case Study
By Karen Gerelus [View]

Diversifying Piano Pedagogy: A Comparative Study of Brazilian Piano Works and Established Piano Methods
By Helber Fernandes Ribeiro [View]