tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727140819407436603.post847147988531895778..comments2008-01-17T10:36:17.198-06:00Minnesota Orchestrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12489196910847313061noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727140819407436603.post-61263381379211576692008-01-17T10:36:00.000-06:002008-01-17T10:36:00.000-06:00Bravo, Sarah! It takes courage to stick with something in the face of uncertainty.<BR/><BR/>Another pianist who stayed in music, although his situation was a bit different, was Leon Fleischer. My college piano professor studied with him. How wonderful that he found a treatment for his illness so he could play with both hands again.<BR/><BR/>Didn't MN Orch's Assoc. Conductor also suffer a performance injury?ccyagerhttp://ccyager.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727140819407436603.post-88505028338548694962008-01-16T08:58:00.000-06:002008-01-16T08:58:00.000-06:00Wow, Sam, thanks for that, I’m kinda blushing…<BR/><BR/>Performance injuries are a very real fear amongst all musicians, and, as Sam said, something that most musicians will have a problem with in their professional lives. I feel fortunate (in a very ironic way) that I started having physical problems very early on. I’ve always had small hands, not the best physical set-up for a pianist, and tackled the “big” repertoire nonetheless. Having tendonitis forced a decision; do I go on with what I’m doing (taking the necessary rest and therapy), risking the possibility that I will keep having these problems (potentially even more devastating as my career developed), or do I refocus my energies into something I can physically sustain? Choosing to regroup and refocus, for me, was not courageous but merely the practical solution to what would have been a long-term problem. Instinct told me that taking the long-term view would make me happier in the future. <BR/><BR/>It was a good decision, as it ultimately led to many good things - my life’s career, for one! It also steered me towards the harpsichord (much easier on the hands), which led to learning a whole new repertoire and style of music. I can still play enough piano to score-read and do a little accompanying, but the twinges I feel after an hour or so remind me of the fact that I will never again be able to do the enormous amount of practicing that is requisite for any instrumentalist. This is what I’ve learned from the experience; listen to your body, and then listen to your heart.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04453050275006807362noreply@blogger.com