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What Every Pianist Needs to Know about the Body is not a book about piano technique. It is a book about the body. It offers a wealth of information about bodily structure and free movement, covering such topics as the core support of the body and the places of balance, the suspension of the arm structure, movements of the joints of the arm and hand, and much more. Though rarely taught, and not part of traditional piano pedagogy, this information is vital for pianists.

Using the powerful tool of body mapping, the book explains how this information relates to piano playing. It describes sitting in balance to permit enhanced freedom of the arms (and avoid shoulder and back pain), tension-free pedaling, and the anatomy of forearm rotation. It offers a detailed discussion of the wrist and elbow joints, which is vital for pianists who suffer from (or worry about) carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. Throughout the book, detailed illustrations supplement and illuminate the text.

The book contains numerous practical suggestions on how to develop improved habits of movement. It describes the most common habits that can be the source of limitation or injury.

Pianists who assimilate this information into their body maps can avoid or recover from injury. In addition, whether injured or not, they can achieve new levels of freedom, security and expressivity in their playing.

The book includes special sections for organists by Thom Miles and Roberta Gary.

What Every Pianist Needs to Know about the Body is published by GIA Publications, Chicago IL, USA. A video demonstrating topics from the book is also published by GIA Publications (VHS-566).

Click here to read Barbara Lister-Sink's review of What Every Pianist Needs to Know about the Body.

To order the book or the video from the publisher, call 800 442-1358 or 708 496-3800, or Click here to order online.

The book is also available from Amazon:


Click here to read excerpts from the book.

Chinese Edition

What Every Pianist Needs to Know about the Body is now available in a Chinese edition. Click here to learn about the Chinese edition. Click here for another site from which to purchase the Chinese edition.

Korean Edition

What Every Pianist Needs to Know about the Body is available in a Korean edition, published by Joongangart Publishing. The Korean edition can be ordered from this Korean Bookstore.

Japanese Edition

What Every Pianist Needs to Know about the Body is now available in a Japanese edition. Click here to read the publishers description of the book, and Click here to order the Japanese edition online.

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