The Science of Artistic Expression: Intersections of Piano Pedagogy and Human Neuromechanics

This dissertation seeks to illuminate the ways in which the scientific field of neuromechanics can inform and improve piano performance and pedagogy resulting in heightened artistic expression. This work represents a beginning to a long-overdue conversation that needs to happen between various fields of study that intersect in the field of piano performance. Historically, despite over 300 years of treatises and methods, there has been little consensus on the best approaches to the pedagogy of piano performance. Additionally, there seems to be a demonstrable lack of understanding of the impact of physiology, biomechanics and proprioceptive awareness on the pianist as well as the ergonomic considerations of the piano itself. Students having technical or artistic shortcomings are often labeled as untalented without consideration for the efficacy of the pedagogical approaches to which they were exposed. Aspiring and famous pianists continue to accrue injuries. Furthermore, there is the noticeable lack of technological advancement of the instrument itself. In order to point to ways in which these concerns might be addressed in the future, this dissertation explored several significant areas: 1) historical pedagogy that focused on the development of piano technique, which showed not only the lack of consensus but the general lack of scientific authentication within the approaches of respected pedagogues; 2) scientific texts which focused on motor control in instrumental performance and other tasks, revealing the richness of resources potentially available to piano pedagogy; 3) the impacts of piano technology on piano playing, an area shown to be far-reaching in both the advancement of piano technique and injury prevention. Another part of the dissertation included several studies into the current experiences of pianists in the field. One study conveyed a significant gap in knowledge but also a desire for better understanding of and more improvement in piano-playing. Another study, a pilot, proposed a way to study the neuromechanical coordination of the fingers and wrists in piano-playing thereby showing a correlation between lateral wrist movement and individual finger strength, speed and control. Crucially, inquiry into linkages between proprioception and piano-playing showed a missing link which could be explored in the future