Brenda Kimball Piano Studio

12/02/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CE54Fpnsf/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Trust me, when you’re 70-80 years old, you’re going to either regret that you didn’t or be grateful that you did do everything in your power to nourish your brain when you were in your younger years of life. Studies have revealed that playing a musical instrument (learning and practicing) builds more new neural connections (neuroplasticity) in the brain than almost any other activity on the planet.

Playing an instrument engages nearly every part of the brain at once, including auditory (sound), motor (movement), and visual (reading music) areas. This simultaneous activation strengthens neural pathways and the connections between them.

The process of translating written music (visual) into precise finger movements (motor) and hearing the correct sound (auditory) forces the brain to integrate information from different sense. This improves cognitive flexibility and the ability to multitask.

Unlike skills that are learned and then automated (like tying your shoelaces), playing music involves a continuous process of learning new techniques, memorizing passages and improvising. This constant challenge of mastering new skills maintains and strengthens neuroplasticity throughout life.

Additionally, long-term musical training can lead to both structural and functional changes in the brain. For example, studies show musicians often have larger gray matter volumes in areas related to motor, auditory, and visuospatial processing, as well as a larger corpus callosum.

Also, the act of learning new music helps create new synapses (connections between neurons), while repetitive practice strengthens existing ones. This is a key mechanism of neuroplasticity that allows information to be processed more efficiently.

Playing also requires complex cognitive control, including planning, attention and working memory. The brain strengthens the neural networks associated with these functions, which can lead to better focus and organization in other areas of life.

PMID: 29213699, 38178844, 20889966, 33776638, 25725909, 24672420

12/01/2023

One of the most important principles of movement, at the piano or any other situation is the connection of the whole body. The hands and fingers are connected to the arm, the shoulder, the torso/spine, the pelvis, and ultimately the feet. If any part is locked up and not doing its job, another part will have to work harder and move more to compensate.

I find that I play with more ease and accuracy after a Feldenkrais lesson, sometimes shockingly better!

Thanks for sharing, Kathy L. White!

The Feldenkrais Method® focuses on movement being a movement of the whole self, from toe to head. And that that movement whether reaching, bending or turning is a functional movement which can be improved by Feldenkrais lessons.

Take turning. To turn to the right involves a rotational movement around your vertical axis, your spine. The movement starts at the feet and/or legs. This allows the right hip to move backwards a little to the left and your left hip forward and a little to the right. The spine twists to the right carrying the chest and upper body. The shoulders and arms also turn followed by the head and eyes. There is a shift of weight more to the right side. Try turning slowly to the right and feel what you are doing.

This short lesson – Every Movement is a Movement of the Whole Person -https://www.feldenkrais.co.uk/explore/listen-to-lessons/?audio_year=2010
explores turning whilst standing and lying on your back.

Photo by Maria Teneva on Unsplash
®

11/18/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100057097614802/posts/850771340169445/

After I practice or play the piano I can think more clearly, I’m in a better mood, and my day is more productive. I don’t know why that is, but maybe it has something to do with the way music affects the brain.

How about you?

Thanks to the Kennedy Centre for sharing . . .

10/20/2023

Fun to watch!

09/29/2022

Great intro to healthy playing technique, based on Taubman approach. Inclues optimal bench height and sitting, warning signs, and basic principles, and practice suggestions (when to practice, and how much).

03/12/2021

Such a great opportunity to attend this workshop from home! Although I'll miss seeing old friends again this year, I have loved the online Golandsky Institute events over this past year.

I watch the lectures right at my piano so I can experience the technical solutions and musical examples immediately.

If you've wanted to learn how to play with greater ease and solve technical problems, but haven't had the time or money to travel across the country (or across the world-as some of the antendees do), don't miss this.

Come join an ever-expanding, world-wide community of performers, students, college professors, teachers, dedicated amateurs and music-lovers!

✔ Discover how to solve elusive problems with the Taubman Approach

✔ Bring problem passages that don't yield to practice alone to our highly-trained faculty in technique clinics.

✔ Attend discussions that spotlight particular excerpts from the repertoire, and participate in interactive break-out groups with hands-on attention from our experts.

✔ Observe our world-renowned teachers build scale and arpeggio technique.

✔ Attend master classes...and so much more!

Excited about the Golandsky Institute Virtual Summer Symposium?
Submit feedback and stay informed at bit.ly/GISummerSurvey

11/14/2020

I’m beyond thrilled to have found a ton of free music to share with my students. At Christmas time I usually lend out from my library of Christmas music, but this year I’m teaching them online because of Covid. Now I have something to share, and I don’t have to worry about having them pick it up or return it.

Also, a ton of music they can download to build their reading skills!

The Mayron Cole Piano Method is the only piano method that takes students from kindergarten to college... and it's the FREE piano method!

07/08/2020

Videos of the free June 25 Golandsky Institute workshop are up on YouTube. See how teachers of the Taubman Approach solve typical problems that advanced pianists come up against.

Edna Golandsky Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 2, mm. 7-8: How to play D♭ with the 5th finger in bar 7 so it doesn’t feel weak. Also, how to play the piece without getting tired. Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 4, m. 3: How to coordinate the two hands particularly on the first two left-hand […]