Thank you to the South Carolina Music Teachers Association (SCMTA) for hosting my Zoom presentation, “Schumann’s Hand and Musicians’ Wellness,” on February 18, 2023.
The SCMTA series of statewide Zoom speakers grew out of the COVID shutdown when local chapters could not meet in person. Each chapter identified a presentation by one of their members to be broadcast via Zoom. The shared presentation series has continued as a beneficial opportunity to learn from and interact with colleagues from around the state without leaving home. I was honored to represent the Columbia Music Teachers Association. My session was recorded and is available to members on a private YouTube channel.
SCMTA received the recognition “2023 State Affiliate of the Year” from the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).
Schumann’s Hand and Musicians’ Wellness
The cause of Robert Schumann’s debilitating hand injury has long been debated. The explanation of focal dystonia (or overuse, as Schumann himself suggested in 1839) has often been dismissed in preference for a physical malady or a mechanical gadget. During the twentieth century, Schumann’s hand injury was frequently alleged to have resulted from using some kind of device to make the fingers stronger and more independent; in the twenty-first century, the cause is usually understood as an overuse injury, such as repetitive strain or focal dystonia. His case illustrates the evolution in our understanding of musicians’ injuries and wellness.
I use Schumann’s hand as a steppingstone to talk about the greater field of musicians’ wellness, which embraces topics of injury prevention, performance-related musculoskeletal disorders, practice strategies, mental health, holistic health approaches, and auditory issues. Education through open-access online resources includes wellness resources on websites for MTNA (mtna.org; see wellness and webinars topics on pulldown menu under “Learn”), College Music Society (music.org; see musicians health pulldown menu under “CMS Library”), Performing Arts Medicine Association (artsmed.org), and Athletes and the Arts (athletesandthearts.com; see podcasts and broad array of “Topics” in pulldown menu).
I conclude with suggestions for “best practices” for practicing collected from online webinars and resources. I also incorporate my roundup of hand strengthening gadgets, plus my theory on the nature of Schumann’s Cigarrenmechanik.