Commissioning New Works for Piano Technique Development: Exploring the Fit 4 Piano Etudes

<i>Fit 4 Piano</i> is a multimedia e-book that explains and demonstrates ideas and exercises for developing a coordinated piano technique by pianist and teacher Rae de Lisle (1947 - ). The book was developed from the author’s research into injury prevention for pianists after experiencing a career-ending injury herself. The ideas in the book are further applied in a subsequent publication, the <i>Fit 4 Piano Etudes</i>, where twelve composers were commissioned to write piano etudes based on Fit 4 Piano concepts of intermediate-level difficulty.<br/> <br/>In this lecture-recital I demonstrate and discuss a selection of the etudes and the pianistic skills that are deployed within them before offering suggestions on how these etudes can act as a scaffold to teach more challenging repertoire. I also offer reflections on other skills that these etudes have the potential to develop: movement-focused learning, defamiliarization, and conveying style.