The period from February to April is always a busy one for adjudicators (or music judges). Many music festivals (often those affiliated to BIFF, or the British and International Federation of Festivals) take place at this time, as well as other competitions organised by musicians far and wide.
One such event is the Stars of the Albion, which is an international performing arts festival and competition. It’s an annual event, uniting young talented musicians and dancers from across the world. The project forms a unique bridge connecting different cultures and, in particular, that of Russia and Great Britain. It aims to provide valuable opportunities for young emerging artists to perform, learn, communicate and develop.
Organised and promoted by Musica Nova Academy of Music, which was founded and is owned by Russian singer, pianist and educator Evgenia Terentieva (pictured, second from the left, with some former winners). This bilingual establishment (situated just around the corner from King’s Cross station, on Crommer Street), combines the British and Russian principles of teaching. It’s held under the Patronage of the World Association of Performing Arts (WAPA) and is supported by the Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian cultural centre in the UK.
This is the 5th performing arts festival & competition, and it will be held from the 16 – 18 February 2018 in London (primarily at the Mission of Rossotrudnichestvo (Russia House in the UK) at 37 Kensington High Street, London W8 5ED).
The competition consists of two rounds. The first one has been based on video recordings (either on DVD or YouTube), and the second round is open to the public and held at the concert hall of the Russian Cultural centre, and at the Musica Nova Academy. Forty soloists and fifteen ensembles or groups will be selected to come to London to participate in the second round. Participants come from Great Britain, France, USA, Malta, Cyprus, Russia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Ghana to take part in the competition.
This is my third year on the panel of judges at this competition and it has always been a fascinating day spent with colleagues and fellow judges, hearing a complete mixture of music and dance. Last year I was one of four judges for the piano and strings section and the standard of playing was generally high.
Anyone can attend this event. The awards ceremony and gala concert will take place on Sunday 18th February at the Rudolf Steiner Theatre in Central London. You can also attend the opening ceremony on Friday 16th February, which features performances of previous winners and some of the adjudication panel (at the Mission of Rossotrudnichestvo in Kensington High Street).
The classes include the following disciplines;
• Singing (classical, contemporary, folk)
• Instrumental playing (solo and ensemble)
• Dance (ballet, modern, historical dance, street-dance)
(as well as classes in music theatre, fringe theatre, one man show, performance in fine art, and performance in photography).
Age category: Children from 6 years old to adults, no age limit.
The Georgia, Langley’s most exquisite new condominium development, features two five-storey buildings situated on the edge of Downtown Langley. These spacious and thoughtfully-designed homes are the perfect match of style and function. Residences include 9’ ceilings, open concept living, stainless steel appliances, granite counters, high quality laminate floors and even air conditioning in master bedrooms.
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The Georgia is just steps from the locally-owned shops, boutiques, and restaurants of charming Downtown Langley, where you can enjoy a unique small town shopping experience. For a taste of the outdoors, the nature trails of the Nicomekl River Habitat are just a leisurely 10-minute walk from your doorstep. With Langley’s wonderful sense of community, lush offerings of nature and close proximity to Vancouver, The Georgia offers urban living with the serenity and affordability of a suburban community.
Pricing for The Georgia
1 bedrooms starting in low $300’s, 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms starting in low $400’s. Sign up to our VIP list above for priority access to The Georgia updates.
Floor Plans for The Georgia
A variety of unit types are offered, including adaptable units, ranging from 466 – 1,087 sq ft. Contact me today to discuss availability and plans according to your needs.
The Georgia Interiors
Open concept living.
Chef-inspired kitchens.
Practical bathrooms.
Amenities at The Georgia
Each building includes a lounge adjacent to the entry, a fitness room on the first floor, meeting room on the second floor, library on the third, yoga room on the fourth, and theatre on the fifth floor.
Parking and Storage
The Georgia will provide 245 underground parking stalls and 39 surface visitor stalls.
Maintenance Fees at The Georgia
TBA.
Developer Team for The Georgia
Whitetail Homes is the Fraser Valley’s multi-family development specialist. With thousands of homes either constructed or project managed directly by Whitetail’s principals in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, you can be assured that your brand new condo or townhome will be of the upmost quality – now and for years to come.
Expected Completion for The Georgia
Phae 1: 2020. Phase 2: 2021. Sales begin Spring 2018.
Are you interested in learning more about other homes in Langley, Surrey, or White Rock?
The ISB Environmental Wilderness Campus (EWC) welcomed the first group of Grade 7 ISB students to the campus on Wednesday, 24th of January, as part of the Middle School Outdoor Education Program.
The facility, located in Petchaburi on the banks of a reservoir that is part of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s sustainability and water conservation project, has 40 Rai of land and capacity for close to 50 students. It is fully equipped with a boat house, accommodation, a canteen, a swimming pool, and multi-purpose classrooms. It also features sustainability initiatives, such a grey water recycling system with solar power being installed.
From the center, students can enjoy activities such as kayaking, hiking, rock-climbing, navigation and orienteering and programs in ecology, conservation and sustainability. They will also work within the local communities through our collaboration with local run outreach projects and schools. The land surrounding the campus is expansive and we have re-established a wetland environment next to the facility and re-introduced native plants. Aside from ISB’s Middle School students, the center will also be used for High Schoolers for supporting coursework in the sciences and geography as well as an inspiring location for IB Theory of Knowledge classes and artists retreats. We look forward to welcoming our upper Elementary students to the center soon as well!
The official opening is taking place in March and we hope you’ll join us to celebrate this momentous occasion! We’ll also be celebrating at the ISB Wild Panthers Ball in May! More information on both to follow soon!
When was the last time you did a big clothing purge? (And before you think we’re all sweaters, jeans and jumpers, we’re not – we’re inspecting the panty pile) Oh yes, the undies drawer is getting a clean out! A good bra and panties can last years, but only if you take really good care of them.
Not sure if it’s time to toss your undergarments? These are some obvious tell-tale signs that they’ve given up the ghost.
They WERE sexy, NOW they’re stretchy!
Undies are not like wine; they don’t get better with age! In fact, after a while you may notice a fray here, fade there. Truth is, over time the elastic in the waistband eventually wears out, causing them to lose their shape — and potentially fall off your body. The same goes for your brassiere. “If your bra is no longer stretchy in the straps or back, it won’t offer the proper support,” says Lexie Sachs, a textiles product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute.
They’re a little smaller than you remember
Because underwear is washed so often, shrinkage can be expected, especially if they’re made of cotton. You don’t want to cut off your circulation or be sentenced to a day of discomfort – ditch any briefs that may feel a little too tight for your tush!
When it comes to your bra, your breasts probably change way more than you realize, so that bra that was once a perfect fit might be causing you some problems including back pain. And while not as problematic as back-pain, no lady wants her tatas turning downwards either! Spillage, or a band that doesn’t lay horizontal, and tightness (even on the last clasp), are all signs your bra is too small.
You’d rather go commando!
This should be a given, but if you have a pair of undies that just don’t feel right — it’s time to toss them! Especially if you’re a fan of the lacy version. These delicate pieces can – after multiple washes – get rough and irritating. According to Mona Gohara, M.D and Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, scratchy or irritating underwear can cause cysts and other symptoms.
You stayed in shape, they didn’t!
If the padding or cups of your bra shift and rumple, it’s time to buy a new one, says Sachs. The last thing you want are gaps or bulges — your cups should align with your breast. Otherwise, you’re not getting the support you need, which is why you want to be wearing a bra in the first place.
Even though your undergarments might now show these signs of wear-and-tear right away, you should still plan a cupboard clear-out every six to 12 months. It ain’t all bad news though, even if you have to let go of your favourite polka-dot panties, you won’t have to get rid of your favourite bra so soon, if you simply rotating them regularly!
My column for the latest bi-monthly newsletter for Pianist Magazine contains tips and suggestions for how to keep a rhythmic pulse. Accuracy in this respect is an incredibly important component when learning to play any instrument, and many of you have written asking about the best ways of doing this. So here are my ideas – I hope they are of interest. You can read the original version here.
Keeping time (or playing rhythmically) can be a challenge for many, and particularly for pianists, as they are often playing alone and therefore have the opportunity to change the tempo as often as they wish! For those who feel they need to curb any tendency to rush or linger, here are a few ideas to implement at your practice sessions.
To create the best tempo in any work (for you), locate what you feel is the most taxing area of the piece being studied and decide what speed is most comfortable in order to achieve clarity, fluency and a musically coherent performance.
Once you’ve instigated a speed (when learning a new piece), go through the piece and tap the rhythm of the right hand part with your right hand (on the lid of the piano), and the left hand part with the left hand (also on the piano lid). You could do this hands separately at first, then both hands together. Ensure you count as you do this, so you establish a firm, steady beat. It’s easier to attain rhythmic precision (at the start of the learning process) when notes are separated from the rhythm.
For fluency and rhythmic accuracy, consider using a metronome at the beginning of the learning process. Listen to the ‘tick’; both the speed of the tick and the ‘space’ in between. One of the most useful methods to attain accurate pulse keeping, is learning to ‘sit’ on the metronome tick. This skill can be acquired by playing exactly with the tick every time it occurs, as opposed to just before or after; both of which can happen with alarming regularity if you’re not used to attuning your ear and mind to decisively following a pulse. To do this effectively, it’s best if notes are securely learned, so you’re free to focus on time-keeping.
Once the metronome has been used for a period of time and you’ve got used to playing along to an omnipresent beat, aim to count out loud as you play, or count along to the beat you have established. It can be a good idea to sub-divide the beat for this purpose. If your piece is in crotchets, count in quavers, and if it is in quavers, count in semiquavers, and so on. It may be exhausting, but by playing along to your verbal counting, you’ll quickly become accustomed to where you are in the bar and should eventually be able to ‘feel’ the pulse. As a general rule, the smaller the sub-division, the more accurate your pulse keeping.
Finally, curb any sense of rushing (or slowing down), and encourage excellent articulation (or touch) by paying attention to the ends of notes; experiment by employing ‘active’, strong fingers, placing every finger precisely, producing a full, rich tone, paying special attention to the fourth and fifth fingers. Each note (or chord) must ideally be in its rightful place at any time, and shouldn’t be ‘cut’ or brushed over.
As with many facets of piano playing, listening will prove to be a vital element when learning to play in time. If you can train your ears to be really aware of what is being played, then you’re on your way to honing rhythmically sound performances.
Image: Nathan Nelson/Flickr
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
William E Heinecke is the first of generations of the Heinecke family to come through International School Bangkok (ISB). Bill’s children, John and David, completed their entire schooling at ISB. John, who is COO of the Minor Food Group, has an extremely notable career himself and currently serves on ISB’s Board of Trustees. Bill’s grandchildren are currently enrolled at ISB, making them ISB’s first family spanning three generations.
Bill was recently awarded Corporate Hotelier of the World 2017 at HOTELS Annual Hoteliers of the World Awards. Heinecke is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Minor International and is undoubtedly an exceptional entrepreneur. He – and the Minor Group as a whole – also have a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and community outreach. He is a role model for young learners of today and an example of the values ISB stands by and the attributes the school aims to develop in their learners. For learners to be successful in the world today, they need to be creative thinkers, self-managing, socially-intelligent, value-driven, adaptable and globally-minded. As one follows the development of the Minor Group under Heinecke’s leadership, you can see how he has modelled all of these attributes. Minor Group currently consists of 150 hotels and resorts, in 24 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean and it continues to expand across the oceans.
In an interview with ISB in 2016, Bill – who began business ventures in High School – also sites a “willingness to work hard” and an openness to “try new things and not be afraid of risk” as important characteristics on the road to entrepreneurship. He believes ISB played a key role in his success.
He commented on his award on the Minor Group website saying, “I am truly honoured and humbled to receive this award and to have my name added to the incredible list of previous winners, a true roll-call of industry leaders and pioneers.”
from International School Bangkok http://ift.tt/2ruwGbM
Pier West is a landmark project that will bring vibrant design and refined living to the most significant waterfront property in Metro Vancouver. Respecting the prominence of its location by Westminster Pier Park, Pier West is the final piece in the completion of New Westminster’s waterfront revitalization. The groundbreaking development includes two residential towers, including the tallest building on Metro Vancouver’s waterfront, plus a variety of services that add to the community. The design will be of lasting architectural significance, reflecting a forward-looking vision.
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Pricing for Pier West
As this development is in pre-construction, pricing is yet to be announced. Sign up to our VIP list above to ensure your receive priority access to Pier West updates.
Floor Plans for Pier West
Plans have not yet been made public, however, Bosa intends to offer a family-friendly residence mix of 156 one-bedroom units, 441 two-bedroom units, and 68 three-bedroom units, ranging in size as follows:
1 bedroom580 – 650 sq ft
2 bedroom 860 – 1,350 sq ft
2 bedroom + den 1,190 – 1,495 sq ft
3 bedroom 1,185 sq ft
3-bedroom townhome 1,400 – 1,800 sq ft
Of these, 69 1-bedroom and 195 2-bedroom residences are adaptable. Serious purchasers should contact me today to discuss your needs.
Amenities at Pier West
A 3-storey commercial building will offer residents a 40-space childcare facility, restaurant, and retail space. Each residential tower will have its own indoor amenity space – 4,522 sq ft for the west tower and 3,750 sq ft for the east tower – providing a gym, yoga studio, steam room, and sauna. There will also be a 24-hour concierge service and an Owners’ Club lounge.
A common outdoor amenity space between the towers offers a dog relief area, community garden plots, barbecue area, and communal meeting areas. Site improvements that integrate the property with the surrounding neighbourhood include 9-metre-wide riverfront boardwalk, a 2-acre extension of Westminster Pier Park, and a pedestrian overpass spanning the rail tracks at the foot of 6th Street.
Parking and Storage
Pier West will offer 777 vehicle parking spaces for residents, 61 spaces for visitors, 80 public spaces, 13 commercial spaces, and four daycare stalls. One car share space is also proposed. The majority of parking will be located in a three-level underground parkade, of which 31 stalls are accessible. Six surface spaces have been allocated behind the commercial building and 15 surface residential visitor stalls are located along the north property line. The underground will also provide 832 long-term bicycle stalls and the daycare will offer two. At grade bicycle racks for the restaurant and the residential towers will accommodate 11 bicycles.
Maintenance Fees at Pier West
TBD.
Developer Team for Pier West
Bosa Development is a wholly-integrated, privately-owned developer, contractor and asset manager, and one of British Columbia’s most respected privately-owned firms. Bosa has an impressive five-decade track record of providing efficient and expedient solutions for projects that present varied challenges. Bosa developments include City Gate, Eden and Oscar in Yaletown, as well as 819 Hamilton and Rosedale Gardens in Downtown Vancouver.
Amanat Architect is an architectural firm that is active in the field of public and institutional projects with substantial expertise in assembly buildings, embassies, and educational facilities. The firm has experience in urban design, housing, industrial, and health facilities. Amanat operates at an international level, undertaking projects in Canada and the United States, as well as Europe, the Middle East, and China. Awards and honours include the Shahyad Monument Design Award and the Tucker Award for Architectural Excellence.
Expected Completion for Pier West
Early 2022.
Are you interested in learning more about other homes in Burnaby, Coquitlam, or New Westminster?
Many thanks to all for taking part in my first competition of the year. The prize is a copy of Piano Gallery, a new collection of 14 pieces written by Pam Wedgwood and published by Faber Music.
The winner is:
SHARON SCOTT
Congratulations! Please send your address via the contact page here on this blog, and your book will be on its way.
More competitions coming soon! For more information on Piano Gallery, click here.
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
Steady sales and diminished listings characterize 2017 for the Metro Vancouver housing market
VANCOUVER, BC – January 3, 2018 – After reaching record levels in 2015 and 2016, Metro Vancouver* home sales returned to more historically normal levels in 2017. Home listings, on the other hand, came in several thousand units below typical activity.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that sales of detached, attached and apartment properties reached 35,993 on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in 2017, a 9.9 per cent decrease from the 39,943 sales recorded in 2016, and a 15 per cent decrease over the 42,326 residential sales in 2015.
Last year’s sales total was, however, 9.7 per cent above the 10-year sales average.
“It was a steady year for home sales across the region, led by condominium and townhome activity, and a quieter year for home listings,” Jill Oudil, REBGV president said. “Metro Vancouver home sales were the third highest we’ve seen in the past ten years while the home listings total was the second lowest on record for the same period.”
Home listings in Metro Vancouver reached 54,655 in 2017. This is a 5.1 per cent decrease compared to the 57,596 homes listed in 2016 and a 4.5 per cent decrease compared to the 57,249 homes listed in 2015.
Last year’s listings total was 4.4 per cent below the 10-year listings average.
“Market activity differed considerably this year based on property type,” Oudil said. “Competition was intense in the condominium and townhome markets, with multiple offer situations becoming commonplace. The detached home market operated in a more balanced state, giving home buyers more selection to choose from and more time to make decisions.”
The MLS® HPI composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver ends the year at $1,050,300. This is up 15.9 per cent compared to December 2016.
The benchmark price of condominiums increased 25.9 per cent in the region last year.Townhomes increased 18.5 per cent and detached homes increased 7.9 per cent.
“Strong economic growth, low interest rates, declining unemployment, increasing wages and a growing population all helped boost home buyer demand in our region last year,” Oudil said.
December summary
Sales of detached, attached, and apartment properties totalled 2,016 in the region in December 2017, a 17.6 per cent increase from the 1,714 sales recorded in December 2016 and a 27.9 per cent decrease compared to November 2017 when 2,795 homes sold.
Last month’s sales were 7.5 per cent above the 10-year sales average for the month.
“As we move into 2018, REALTORS® are working with their clients to help them understand how changing interest rates and the federal government’s new mortgage qualifications could affect their purchasing power,” Oudil said. “Only time will tell what impact these rules will have on the market.
“Home buyers today should get pre-approved before making an offer to ensure that your home buying goals align with your financial situation,” Oudil said.
There were 1,891 residential homes newly listed for sale in December 2017. This represents a 44.1 per cent increase compared to the 1,312 homes listed in December 2016 and a 54 per cent decrease compared to November 2017 when 4,109 properties were listed.
The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® in Metro Vancouver is 6,958, a 9.7 per cent increase compared to December 2016 (6,345) and a 20.5 per cent decrease compared to November 2017 (8,747).
The sales-to-active listings ratio for December 2017 is 29 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 14.4 per cent for detached homes, 38.8 per cent for townhomes, and 59.6 per cent for condominiums.
Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.
Sales of detached properties in December 2017 reached 617, a 14 per cent increase from the 541 detached sales recorded in December 2016. The benchmark price for a detached home in the region is $1,605,800. This represents a 7.9 per cent increase compared to December 2016.
Sales of apartment homes reached 1,028 in December 2017, a 12.3 per cent increase compared to the 915 sales in December 2016.The benchmark price of an apartment in the region is $655,400. This represents a 25.9 per cent increase compared to December 2016.
Attached (or townhome) property sales in December 2017 totalled 371, a 43.8 per cent increase compared to the 258 sales in December 2016. The benchmark price of an attached home in the region is $803,700. This represents an 18.5 per cent increase compared to December 2016.
The first competition of 2018 features an innovative, attractive volume penned by renowned composer Pamela Wedgwood. Piano Gallery (published in November 2017 by Faber Music) is a collection of 14 piano pieces which, as the title suggests, have all been inspired by great works of art. Each piece corresponds to a particular painting, and these paintings have been beautifully printed and included as a pull-out (in the middle of the publication) alongside the music.
‘I’ve relished writing this music that responds to the mood, colour, style, story and even humour behind each painting.’
Pamela Wedgwood
The works are easily accessible and intended for the intermediate level pianist (around Grade 4 – 6 of ABRSM standard). Playing through them, I would suggest they contain a variety of styles, yet Pam’s own voice can still be clearly heard. I enjoyed Starry Night (painting by Vincent Van Gogh), Fatata te Miti (painting by Paul Gauguin) and Large Wave (painting by Hokusai).
You can discover the music and paintings behind them for yourself by taking part in my competition. I have one copy to giveaway to one lucky winner. As usual, just leave your comment in the comment box below this blog post, and I will pick the winner on Sunday evening (British time). Be sure to check the post here on this blog, to see if you’ve been selected. Good luck!
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
I first met Austrian pianist Andreas Eggertsberger in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) last November, when we were both presenting at the UCSI University Piano Pedagogy Conference. I was fortunate to catch Andreas’ fascinating presentation which focused on this little known condition. Injuries are frequently considered a taboo subject for pianists, and tend to be surreptitiously swept aside or ‘brushed under the carpet’, however, I thought many might be interested to hear his story.
I have written extensively (both on this blog and in magazine articles) about the importance of being aware of body movement, hand positions, and posture when playing the piano (it’s a subject I feel passionately about!). But, increasingly, I hear stories of pianists who can’t play anymore or those who have (and continue to) suffer terrible pain due to physical injuries sustained whilst playing. Andreas’ extraordinary journey must surely serve as a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks this issue isn’t a serious one. Over to Andreas…
My Experiences with Focal Dystonia
Injuries often occur in the music world. Although still a taboo theme, a lot of musicians are suffering from it. While pain is something which is commonly known amongst musicians, there is another injury out there which is approaching something much subtler. It is called focal dystonia. Prominent sufferers in the piano world are pianists like Leon Fleisher, Gary Graffman, Keith Emerson, Michele Beroff, Michael Houstoun or Hung Kuan Cheng. The principal oboist from Chicago Symphony, Alex Klein, has a long story of losing, regaining and losing his job again because of dystonia.[i] Most likely it seems that Robert Schumann was also prone to this devastating condition.[ii]
What is focal dystonia?
Dystonia belongs to the family of movement disorders. It is a neurological condition with a very broad range of manifestations. The basic underlying problem involves over-activity of the main muscles needed for a movement, extra activation of other muscles that are not needed for the movement, and simultaneous activation of muscles that work against each other.[iii] The term focal describes where just an isolated area is affected. For pianists, it usually means that one hand (in most cases, the right hand) is disturbed, although in some cases both hands are troubled by it.
Weird Movements
In the Summer of 2012, I was participating in a Summer festival in Italy. A violinist colleague and friend pointed at my left hand as I was playing the fugue from Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata (Sonata in B flat major, Op. 106). She told me that she has never seen a pianist whose hands were moving so differently. She was telling me that she could hear a different colour and that there is always an issue of accuracy when she listens. Some notes got swallowed. She directed my attention to my index finger and we came to the conclusion that if it stretches that much, then I could not bring it down on the key on time. Besides that, my middle finger was curling. The ring and pinkie finger were also stretching a lot. All of this seemed to be unnatural and was causing problems. At the end, we came to the conclusion that this was a real issue for me.
Here is a recording of my playing of the fugue which made my friend so uncomfortable:
The next day I started to compare my finger movements with other pianists. I found a recording with Wilhlem Kempff and consciously compared his hands to mine:
I saw that his hands moved in the same direction. I started looking at pianist’s hands everywhere! A video of Michelangeli playing the 4th movement of the 2nd Chopin Sonata (Sonata in B flat minor, Op. 35) confirmed that hands in normal cases were mirroring each other and not going on different paths:
I started also looking at the hands of the other participants at the festival. And I could not find any pianist whose hands were heading in different directions. Everyone’s hands were moving synchronic. Mine were different. This was separating me from the rest.
I told my observations to the piano professor in the festival and expressed my concern that there might be something wrong. The reply was that I should not worry about it and just enjoy the sound. The same week I played for another teacher at the same festival and she too told me that I should not be concerned. Some great musicians make some weird movements. She gave the example of a famous violinist who held his bow quite awkwardly.
At this point I was quite skeptical towards this advice, but I was also clueless about what wasreally going on.
The Diagnosis
Back in Austria I had to play a recital at the festival in Gmunden. I played the whole concert with a feeling of losing control. In the intermission, I told a friend that I think that something is wrong but that I have no idea what it was. The next day he visited me in my home and I played for him. He too came to the conclusion that I have to change and this was indeed a problem.
I investigated the problem further and implemented a simple exercise comparing the right and left hand:
As I found out, I was unable to play the little exercise clearly with my left hand. I sent the video to a piano professor. He replied to me that it is normal that left and right are not equal. But was it normal that the left hand was failing basic patterns? If this was normal then Chopin would never have written a piece like the Etude Op.10 No. 12 because no one could execute it clearly if such weakness in my left hand was the normal case.
I came to the conclusion that I had to look further. One evening I was thinking about the pianist Leon Fleisher. Why could he not use his right hand for around the half of his life? As I googled his name I found out that he has focal dystonia in his right hand. And that this was a neurological condition. As I watched one of his videos, I was able to draw aparallel to my own problems:
As one can clearly see, his ring and pinkie finger were constantly curling.
I then started to read about focal dystonia. And the more I read about it the more it was clear that this was my real problem. It was a neurological issue which was often treated with botox injections and was practically unhealable. But also, that musicians could manage the condition well and came back into playing, as Michael Houstoun had done, who recently recorded Beethoven’s 32 Sonatas to great critical acclaim.[iv]
I told a piano professor in Austria about my findings and that I want to consult a neurologist. He was quite amused about it and asked me what a neurologist has to do with piano playing and scales.
Nevertheless, I went to see a neurologist who made a careful investigation. At the end, he confirmed my assumption. To really make sure that this was dystonia and no other issue I had to have a brain scan. If this was normal we can exclude all other sorts of neurological issues and focal dystonia would be confirmed.
As we assumed, my MRI was completely normal. After this process, I had a completely sure diagnosis. It was recommended that I get in touch with Dr. Altenmüller[v] who is a great scholar on this issue.
I sent Dr. Altenmüller a video and he saw the problem too and recommended to start a retraining with Laurent Boullet[vi] in Berlin.
Unfortunately, I had to leave Europe and go back to USA where I was a third year DMA candidate at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (USA), about to play all my doctoral recitals.
Complete Breakdown
Back in Ann Arbor I told my teacher that I was officially diagnosed with focal dystonia. “Focal what?” was his reply. I told him that it was a movement disorder where people had lost their control over their hands. At the end of our conversation he told me that there are people with real serious hand problems and that this was nothing to worry about it. I should just play through it.
This plan did not work out well and after a few weeks I was in real trouble. I started having problems playing scales:
When playing with my ring and pinkie finger, the middle finger would involuntarily move to the ring finger:
The same would happen also when playing slower:
I could not feel the space between the keys anymore. As I tried out to play the last page of the first Brahms concerto (Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15), I only played wrong notes. It was impossible to play it at all:
After these recordings, I went home and I realized that I had problems opening my hand at all. I couldn’t even tie my shoes. I could not open my hand enough to hold a glass with my left hand. Focal dystonia was now causing problems in my every-day life.
Road to recovery
I had to take a break for the next few weeks. I could barely open my hand. After some time, the cramping got less and less. So, I could start to practice again. But after this experience I knew I had to begin solving it. The normal lesson was of no help and I wrote to Laurent Boullet who was offering retraining in Berlin. We made an appointment on Skype the next days. After playing for him via Skype I began to understand what was going on. My index and middle finger were compensating for the instability of my ring finger. As soon as I started to stabilize the edge of my hand the curling and stretching of my middle and index finger became less.
I also had to change the position of my wrist. Ideally the wrist should be positioned slightly under the metacarpophalangeal joint, also known as the large knuckle. When playing I consciously rested the ring finger as much as I could on the keyboard. I made sure if kept contact as much as I could with the surface of the keyboard.
A good example of the ideas which I applied to retrain is the C–minor Sonata (Sonata in C minor, Hob. 20) by Haydn. The triplets F-Ab-Bb were unrhythmical as the second finger was hyper extending. I was playing them with the fingering 3-2-1. As I silently held down an additional key with the fourth finger the hyper extension decreased. My aim was to accomplish this without depressing the additional key. I used a combination of rotation and lateral movement towards the thumb to make the execution of the triplets effortless. I practiced this passage diligently, sometimes up to four hours a day. After 9 months, I realized that I had achieved the precision I was seeking in this passage.
I did something very similar with the passage in Beethoven’s Sonata in D minor (‘Tempest’) Op.31 No. 2. I kept the ring finger depressed while I was playing with the others. I also added some rotation on E and C#.
I made exercises to consciously use my fingers just as weight transferers. Weight cuffs (0.5kg) were worn around the wrist to help highlight the sensation in the MCP joints for providing support for the hand.
I also played with the middle and ring finger only while I stayed relaxed with the other fingers.
In scale passages, learning how to cross the fingers over the thumb while maintaining stability and flexibility in the thumb:
Over time things have changed. In 2012, I played Mozart’s Sonata KV331:
As one can see: the index finger was hyper extending already in the theme. In 2016 this had significantly changed:
It comes out clearly when comparing the third movement in both recordings. Listening to the two recordings, it is clear that the sound in the later recording has more projection and that it is more fluid. The tone has got a much more cantabile quality and the sound was generally fuller.
The way into Dystonia
As I was diagnosed with dystonia I was thinking that it was probably going on for much longer than I was aware of. Some issues in my biography started making much more sense.
As a child, I was an incredibly fast learner. After six months of learning piano I played already Wilder Reiter from Schumann’s Album from the Young Op. 68:
It was recommended that I enter the local conservatory in Linz. There I proceeded very fast again. I soon played Mozart’s Sonata in C major KV545 and Beethoven’s Sonata in C minor (‘Pathétique’) Op.13. I was practicing a lot. I was experiencing troubles with the scales in the left hand in the recapitulation of Mozart’s Sonata KV545. I solved the problem with a lot of practice. After practicing them around four hours long (voluntarily!) I could play them perfectly. Youth success continued. I won the national youth competition and a prize in Ettlingen in the international competition for young pianists. I was the youngest recipient of the Yamaha scholarship. I gave my first full recital at aged 12 and played my first Mozart concerto with the Bruckner Orchestra, aged 13. I became the youngest graduate in the history of the conservatory at the age of 15 (a record not broken till today!).
A recording of me playing Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition is revealing some differences between the two hands.
The wrist is high and the bridge is practically not there. Even in the picture “Il vecchio castello” one can see a hand with unnatural movements – a cramped hand (from minute 7.00 onwards, for example):
In summer holidays, I often practiced up to 10 hours every day. The amount of repertoire was growing fast. Soon the index finger started to hyper extend which became one of the typical movements of my dystonia (Minute 1:10):
After graduation in Linz I went on to study in Salzburg. I was experiencing a strange feeling of playing against a wall. The teaching took place quite irregularly and I had to follow my teacher to masterclasses to have a chance to play for him. Time space between lessons was sometimes several months. When I go through the scores I now see passages in the left hand were often circled. But hardly anywhere in the right hand. The first time I gave up working on a piece happened because it was exhausting to use the left hand in the Etude Op.10 No. 12 by Chopin. In Schumann’s Kreisleriana Op. 16, my teacher asked me why I was not able to play the left hand solo passage regularly. It was recommended I practice it and play it slowly.
A quite interesting habit was the inclusion of warm up exercises. One of them was playing chromatically from C to E and back. Then from C# to F etc. While this exercise was not difficult for my right hand, my left hand often needed repetitions to play it accurately.
Later I moved to Vienna. My playing was obviously deteriorating. At the time of my master’s recital, my teacher was telling me that I should be happy when I pass at all. I was practicing English Suite No. 3 BWV 808 by J S Bach and I saw some interesting movements from fingers in my left hand. I thought of them as quite funny, even though the left hand just did what it has to do. And if there would be a problem with it, it would have been a theme in a lesson. I still had no idea that something like focal dystonia even existed. I did not connect my finger movements to any problems which occurred during this time. I had difficulty playing the first solo, a sixteenth note scale run in both hands, in the third movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 Op. 73, and also when playing the octaves at the end of the exposition of the Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 16.
After graduation in Vienna I felt untalented and gave up playing. I studied political science in Salzburg and did not touch the piano for the next four years.
Coming back to play and finally being diagnosed
After four years of not playing at all I was curious to see what was possible. So, I started to play again. And I did nothing less than the Goldberg Variations BWV 998 by J S Bach. I learnt them again very quickly and played them in a recital. At first, piano playing felt easier.But soon I practiced left hand runs much more often again. One Sunday I practiced the 26th variation nearly the whole day, especially the left-hand passages. At the end of the session the passages nearly worked. The whole work was good enough to impress audiences and teachers. I was invited to perform at a piano conference in Serbia and had a great success with it.
I was then invited to study at the YST (Yong Siew Toh) conservatory in Singapore. In one lesson, the teacher there said that he has never seen anyone’s finger moving like this.
In 2008, I was invited to participate in an international piano competition and made it to the semifinal. After the competition, a judge came to me and told me that he expected me to get to the final. But he said that my coordination of the right and hand in the first movement of the Beethoven Sonata in C minor Op.111 was unclear. My left hand was playing in an unsteady manner and was sometimes lacking clear articulation. He seemed to be quite confused about it because it did not fit in to the impression I gave in the first round. I personally came to the conclusion that I probably was lacking in competition experience since this was my first competition for 12 years.
After that I auditioned for DMA in Ann Arbor and was taken into the programme. I was encouraged to play with more energy and to take more risks. I should play with more passion. Many of these elements I simply did with a strong will and much force. The diagnosis of dystonia came finally in 2012.
Conclusions
Focal Dystonia is still quite new to teachers and students. The condition as such was only recognized in the mid 1980s. My personal view is that we still have not much awareness of it. Therefore“It is critical that musicians and teachers keep focal dystonia on the radar. Fortunately, the vast majority will not get focal dystonia, but people should know the signs so they can avoid the common pattern of misreading early symptoms, practicing harder, and thus cementing faulty brain connections.” [vii]
The symptoms I was developing were not perceived as dangerous for a long time. It was a time frame of around 18 years till the right diagnosis came. The seriousness of the problem was often denied or underestimated. Even as I was diagnosed with it, it was not perceived as a problem by my teacher. Managing to come clean about it took over 5 years. Comparing this fugue will show just how much has changed:
I want to offer some thoughts about how I originally got dystonia and how I think we can minimize the risk for future students:
The prevention of focal dystonia starts already at the beginning. It is crucial to learn to move efficiently. “Unless the body maintains movement patterns that are biomechanically sound, the musician is at risk of injury.”[viii]
In situations when we focus on the music only and on learning very fast, we might mistakenly open the door to focal dystonia. As I was starting my lessons I was going for the music and did everything which was necessary to achieve what I wanted. “When preparing for an important performance a musician will often practice without physical awareness because of focus on the music itself. Then it is easy for physical distortions to occur in order to produce a desired musical result and for these to become ingrained as a way of playing that is less than biomechanically ideal.”[ix]
In my own experiences, I was encouraged to achieve a lot in the shortest amount of time. Teachers and audiences were surprised how fast I was growing. My first teacher’s idea was: the earlier, the harder, the better. As I was studying the Mozart Sonata KV545 the excessive practice of the scales and the permanent repetition led to success. In the long-term this might have taught me incorrectly. “…, incessant repetition of certain problematic passages, especially when the way of playing causes tension, can put musicians at risk. Highly motivated practisers tend not to vary the material in their practice sessions, meaning that there is too much repetition of the same physical movement.”[x]
Another point for me is that taking breaks is important. My habit of working through long sessions without breaks and repeating the same over and over was a factor which might have contributed to focal dystonia. Consciously relaxing and evaluating what was achieved will be of great help.
I think another factor is the aim of perfection. Studio recordings nowadays are cut together and show often an unrealistic picture of artists. I think listening to older and uncut recordings can lead to more realistic aims for one’s own performances.
Taking time to learn the fundamentals. The piano might be a quite injury provoking instrument as it is possible to produce a sound with simply depressing a key. Therefore, there is a big temptation to simply move on to the next, more difficult piece, pushing ahead.
Developing both hands equally. Not every Sonata for example is challenging the right and left hand equally. Therefore, it is crucial to play etudes and other pieces which are aiming to develop both hands.
Having a flexible hand position. The wrist should be constantly adjusted in order to avoid fixed hand positions.
It is important for the developing artist to get regular mentoring. Having an irregular teaching schedule with lots of space between lessons makes it possible for bad practice habits settle in or to fall back into them.
It is crucial that teachers and their students are aware of the lurking danger ofdystonia and take issues of coordination seriously. Over time, tiny little problems can become big. There should be an atmosphere where the student can admit problems with a passage. Sometimes teachers might consider watching their students just from the right or left side and compare the finger movements of the two hands. If one hand is moving in a different direction than the other, chances are high that there is a problem developing.
Students can record themselves with smartphones from the side and watch how their hands are moving. Especially virtuosic pieces with scale runs. The reason is that while playing, our eyes will be often ahead and barely get a full picture at all:
13. Rethinking our heritage: In teaching we rely on traditions. But old schools did not think about biomechanics at all. So called finger independence exercises might cause a lot of trouble because they cannot be done without tensions in the forearm.
14. Tailoring the teaching to the needs of a student. One day Richter came to Neuhaus and played the Liszt B minor sonata, S.178. There was not much to teach as Neuhaus wrote. They discussed the interpretation of some passages and the lesson was done. After that another student came in playing the same piece. Neuhaus wrote that he had to work on every bar with her.[xi] This is a great example how a teacher can adjust to the needs of a student. In my experiences, a lot of teachers just give everyone the same approach.
15. It is not about playing without tension but with the right amount of tension. We have to be aware that we release the built-up tension as often as possible.
I am convinced that we can at least minimize the risk of dystonia. It is crucial that it is recognized early as such and pedagogical intervention takes place. Although genetics play a role in the development of dystonia I am convinced that in a lot of cases focal dystonia is the result of an unfavorable use of the body. It might be of more importance how we achieve results and not just that we achieve them.
Over time I got in contact with quite a lot of dystonic musicians. I was astounded to learn just how many people knew someone who was suffering from it. Some of the pianists had won great prizes at competitions like the Cliburn, Busoni or Hilton Head. Very often it was a highly talented individual who went somehow down the wrong road. I was surprised how often I was confronted with it since having been diagnosed.
Focal Dystonia is a highly complex issue. Retraining is a complicated affair and veryindividual. In every case one has to find the fitting exercises. There is no way to apply the same exercises for every case. Recovering from it is possible but very time-consuming.
I hope that this essay will at least raise the awareness of this kind of problem. During my journey, I have encountered a lot of teachers who have never heard of it. I am hoping to improve this, and speak out, informing as many pianists as possible, so they may be able to avoid such issues.
[viii] Wilson in de Lisle, Rae: “Focal Dystonia: An Understanding for the Piano Teacher.” 12th Australian Piano Pedagogy Conference, p.1, 2015.
[ix] Tubiana in de Lisle, Rae: “Focal Dystonia: An Understanding for the Piano Teacher.” 12th Australian Piano Pedagogy Conference, p.5, 2015.
[x] de Lisle, Rae: “Focal Dystonia: An Understanding for the Piano Teacher.” 12th Australian Piano Pedagogy Conference, p.13, 2015.
[xi] Neuhaus, Heinrich. Die Kunst des Klavierspiels, p.149 (1967)
My Publications:
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