Piano Lessons the Right Way

One day, I received a text from a mother stating my student, M, fell and broke her left arm while at the playground. Wrapped in a cast for the next few weeks, she was advised by her doctor to rest the injured limb as much as possible. Piano lessons could continue subject to the doctor's purveyed condition.

Thankfully, my experience has equipped me well to handle such twists. Much as I try to evade awful circumstances like this, I think students hurting themselves is a pretty common phenomenon. I could implore to them to exercise great caution in treating their hands but it's certainly impossible for me to keep vigil constantly.

The Internet in our era is a godsend, a portal to a plethora of one-handed music sheets so I was able to quickly reorganize my lesson strategy. Below was what I managed to find in a quick search:

There was a hint of reluctance in me to completely cease using our current books during my student's period of recuperation. For certain songs, interestingly, it was possible to play with one hand as long as the interval between both hands are of comfortable range (usually within one octave). The beauty of playing single-handedly is embedded in nudging the student out of his/her comfort zone. Most of us are blessed with two hands which we often take for granted. Playing with one hand opens the door to new techniques for the young understudy.

For instance:

• stretching the hand

• assisting individual fingers to achieve independence (one finger holds the note while the other plays)

• activate and strengthen all fingers through exercise

Penned the fingering for one-hand before M plays.

Readapting this piece for a solo-handed playing.

M figuring out the rhythmic pattern in certain bars.

It's lesson as usual even with one hand! Yes it's possible!

In my teaching journey, no two lessons are the same. The dynamism encircling my day's schedule and the execution of class prevails. Hence, adopting a flexible approach is imperative for both the teacher and the student. I personally believe there is surely something to learn even in times of adversities. The benefits of teaching one-handed playing in unforeseen situations can help build empathy to less fortunate players and also instill a greater sense of appreciation amongst students for the hands they are wonderfully endowed with.