Claire Hammond the pianist
Piano and Mental Health
Studies show that playing the piano or any other instrument improves mental health. Children or adults that play an instrument experience less anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Playing piano is great source of stress relief, provides endless opportunities and certainly boost self-esteem.
According to Robert Smithson, ‘The great thing about playing the piano is doing mindful activity that demands our attention and this is not just a temporary fix. For many sufferers whose condition is receptive to it, it can bring long-term benefits – but only so long as they continue with the activity.’
Pianist Clare Hammond talks about her recovery from mental illness. Through engagement with her community, work in prisons and schools which helped her to overcome this heart-breaking illness.
Clare Hammond, acclaimed as a pianist of “amazing power and panache” (The Telegraph), and a concert pianist who in 2016 was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artist award, suffered depression but has found the way out whilst performing music to people beyond the concert hall.
‘As performers we have to be extremely focused, even as young children before we embark on a career,’ she says. ‘The profession is very competitive and you have to develop a high level of skill. I thrived on these demands but found this self-centred frame of mind increasingly challenging to deal with.’ Ironically, it was discovering music’s power to connect people that transformed her outlook and set Clare on the path to recovery.
‘I cannot explain what is happening cognitively but experientially, I began to understand the communicative aspect that lies at the core of music. This profoundly impacted both my recovery and, subsequently, my artistic development. ‘I started to perform in prisons and saw the radical effect that classical music can have on people in difficult circumstances, even if they have no prior experience of the genre. Music offers us a chance to escape, inspires hope and fosters strength. Through seeing its power to affect the mental health of others, I began to understand the value of my own work.’ For all musicians and pianists who may be suffering with depression, Clare offers some words of encouragement. ‘Although it can feel utterly overwhelming at the time, we learn so much about ourselves and the human condition from adverse experience. Know that others have been there before you and found a way through. Play or listen to music that tells that story and know this will not last forever.’
This article is taken from issue 116 of Pianist. Download the issue here.
The benefits of playing the Piano
There are so many reasons as to why we should learn to play the piano. It’s constantly improving our brain's function. Playing the piano can trigger the brain to bring back memories and piano lessons can help lower the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Stress Relief
As we already know that playing the piano improves mental health. Playing the piano makes you experience less anxiety and depression and just few minutes of everyday practice can improve your self-esteem and make you feel more positive.
FACT: Piano lessons are used as form of therapy to treat ADD.
The benefits of playing the Piano: Neuroplasticity
Playing the piano changes the brain in a positive way! Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change form and function specifically when stimulated by physical activity. The Brain has the ability to grow, change and adapt as a result of experience, so when you play the piano you are constantly improving your memory, speech, language, attention and math skills.
Split Concentration/divided attention
Split concentration is also called divided attention. Whilst playing the piano, our brain’s ability to respond to multiple demand helps sharpen your concentration skills. When you play the piano, you must ‘read music, use both hands, work with pedals, listen to the notes you’re playing and sometimes sing as you play’. Wow, that’s a lot of multitasking! This essential skill will greatly improve your concentration ability in the outside world.
FACT: Playing piano in early age can make structural changes to the brain.
The benefits of playing the Piano:
· Improves your school test results and performance
· Students that take piano lessons have better cognitive development than students who do not take lessons
FACT: Children that studied the piano for two years can remember 20% more vocabulary words than their peers.
The benefits of Playing the Piano: Aural Awareness
Playing the piano can improve your overall aural awareness as it helps you to recognise tones, intervals, chords and pitch. Good aural awareness can fight dyslexia, makes it easier to identify and understand sound patterns especially when it comes to foreign languages, and it can help you recognise a lot of different background noise.
The benefits of Playing the Piano: Improves your physical health
Playing piano sharpens fine motor skills and improves your writing. Music has also been shown to lower blood pressure and increase your immune response. Playing the piano will also make your hands and arm muscles much stronger.
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