Professional Pianists Research Articles

Exploring motivational patterns in high-performing pianists: evidence from Cliburn competitors’ biographies

This research examines the motivational patterns of high-performing classical pianists, characterized by a combination of implicit motives (i.e., non-conscious preferences for specific incentives). Utilizing the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software, I analyzed textual data from biographies of 107 pianists (i.e., Juniors aged 13–17: n = 38; Professionals aged 18–30: n = 30; Amateurs aged 35 and older: n = 39) participating in the prestigious 2022–2023 Van Cliburn Competitions. My results showed distinct profiles of implicit motives among pianists compared to non-pianists, with significantly higher need for achievement and need for power. While professional pianists exhibited the lowest level of need for power, junior pianists demonstrated the highest level of need for affiliation. Gender and age predicted part of pianists’ implicit motives. Male pianists demonstrated higher need for achievement than females. Finally, age negatively predicted need for affiliation. These findings highlight the motivational patterns within the classical piano community, offering theoretical implications for understanding implicit motives and practical applications for pianist education. Study limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Effects of Acute Piano Performance With Blood Flow Restriction on Upper Limb Muscle and Perceptual Response in Pianists.

Long-term and prolonged piano performance does not provide essential skeletal muscle training benefits while increasing the risk of injury to the upper extremities. Unlike high-intensity exercise training, moderate blood flow restriction (BFR) training has been found to improve neuromuscular mechanisms with a variety of physical exercises (machine, elastic band, walking, electrical stimulation, and body weight). We investigated the physiological and perceptual responses related to piano performance with or without BFRbased on acute responses of neuromuscular mechanisms.Student or professional pianists (n=7) performed the "Revolutionary Etude" on the piano with (Piano-BFR) and without (Piano-Ctrl) BFR. During the Piano-BFR performance, 150-180 mmHg of cuff pressure was applied around the most proximal region of both arms as a moderate BFR. Changes in upper limb girth, muscle thickness, and hand grip strength were measured before and immediately after the performance. After the performance, perceptual and other responses were recorded.Immediately after the performance, the Piano-BFR condition induced greater changes in girth (forearm and upper arm), muscle thickness (forearm), and handgrip strength than the Piano-Ctrl condition.Piano-BFRwas (p<0.01) higher than Piano-Ctrl on eight questions regarding perceptual response (upper arm fatigue and difficulty playing the piano). Piano performance with BFR was revealed to increase upper extremity muscle size and fatigue in pianists after playing. Piano performance with BFR was revealed to increase upper extremity muscle size and fatigue in pianists after playing. The effect of BFR on neuromuscular mechanisms on piano performance was greater in the forearm than in the upper arm.

Subjective experiences of tertiary student pianists with playing-related musculoskeletal disorder: a transcendental phenomenological analysis.

The literature suggests that the medical community needs musicians to provide an insider's perspective to understand the physical and psychological dimensions of playing an instrument, and healthcare providers need to understand musicians' experiences in order to develop coping strategies. Compared with professional pianists, student pianists are a neglected group. However, student and professional pianists both want to maintain their playing careers and have the experience of giving up playing because of playing-related musculoskeletal disorder (PRMD). There are a few studies conducted on student pianists' experiences with PRMD, but none have been conducted in the Chinese context. Given the distinctive characteristics of higher music education in China and Chinese piano students, this study aims to investigate the lived experiences of tertiary student pianists with PRMD. Phenomenology is the most suitable qualitative method for investigating lived experiences. This study employed a transcendental phenomenological approach to investigate the experiences of student pianists, collecting data through one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions. Since phenomenological research emphasizes the homogeneity of research subjects, all 25 participants in this study are tertiary student pianists from seven Chinese higher education institutions. Four themes and ten sub-themes were identified in this study. They are as follows: Theme one, Perceptions of PRMD, with sub-themes of body perceptions, negative thought, and emotional changes; Theme two, Complex Identity, with sub-themes of future pianists' identity, nuanced identity of student pianists, and the dual identity between student pianist and patient; Theme three, Coping Strategies, with sub-themes of self-regulation and actively seek help from social relations; Theme four, Influences and Meanings, with sub-themes of negative influences of PRMD and positive meanings of PRMD. This study explores the experiences of tertiary student pianists with PRMD, including their subjective thoughts and feelings. It also highlights the importance of understanding tertiary student pianists' experiences in developing health education and healthcare measures tailored to them.

Brief Exposure to Notated Scores: Pianists' Quick Impressions of Musical Style

This study concerns classical musicians' ability to recognize style periods from very brief visual exposure to musical notation. 25 professional pianists were shown nine 500-ms displays of musical excerpts from piano works by J. S. Bach, L. v. Beethoven, and F. Chopin. The pianists were told to describe what they saw and to assess the style period of the music. Recognition was relatively good: 49% of the verbal protocols included a correct style period label or the right composer name. Verbal protocols also supported the notion that style recognition chiefly relies on intuitive, holistic integration of information, rather than on reflective, analytic processing. First, correct responses regarding style period occurred significantly earlier than incorrect ones, which suggests that they may have taken place more intuitively. Second, correct recognitions were not preceded by richer spoken contents than was found in the case of non-recognition. Indeed, the opposite was the case for composer recognition, which again associates recognition with intuitive processing. It is argued that the rapid recognition of musical style characteristics is a prerequisite for stylistically sensitive sight reading.

Research on Artificial Intelligence and Piano Playing Technology in Colleges and Universities Based on 5g Big Data Networks

Abstract By analyzing the importance of fingering in piano performance and the challenges posed by existing techniques, this study develops a 5G and AI-based piano fingering automation system. The system leverages deep learning and big data analysis to generate efficient and scientific fingering suggestions. Experiments demonstrate that the system can recommend correct fingering in 98% of cases, achieving 85% consistency with the fingering of professional pianists. The system effectively improves the efficiency and accuracy of students’ learning. After using the system for one week, 25 students experienced a 30% improvement in their playing skills and a 40% reduction in their error rate. The results indicate that the system holds significant potential for application in piano education at colleges and universities, effectively assisting in both learning and teaching.

Practically Feasible Sensor-Embedded Kinetic Assessment Piano System for Quantifying Striking Force of Digits During Piano Playing

PurposeUnderstanding the pathogenesis of playing-related hand disorders through investigations based on coordination and biomechanical perspectives is indispensable. This study aimed to establish a sensor-embedded kinetic assessment piano system (SeKAPS) and conduct reliability and validity tests for this system. In addition, the differences in digit coordination between professional pianists and non-musicians were investigated.MethodsTwelve subminiature load cells were embedded in the middle of the 12 corresponding keys of an upright piano. A customized calibrated system with a load cell was used to establish the criterion-related validity of the SeKAPS. The reliability of the SeKAPS was determined by 22 volunteer pianists. The other ten professional pianists and ten non-musicians were recruited to indicate the feasibility of the SeKAPS to distinguish the performing differences between groups.ResultsThe R2 values of regression analyses for the load cells were 0.993–0.999 (p < 0.001), indicating high validity. The ICC values of the modified keys were 0.82–0.93, indicating high reliability. The results indicate that SeKAPS is accurate in detecting the striking force of digits during piano playing. Significant differences existed in the mean peak force and mean CVs of the peak force of the specific digits between the two groups. The results showed differences in finger control strategies between the pianists and non-musicians.ConclusionThe SeKAPS may provide a valuable assessment for assisting pianists in understanding digit force control and movement strategies to achieve efficient digit coordination.

Impact of music performance anxiety on cardiovascular blood pressure responses, autonomic tone and baroreceptor sensitivity to a western classical music piano-concert.

Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) is a prevalent condition among musicians that can manifest both psychologically and physiologically, leading to impaired musical performance. Physiologically, MPA is characterized by excessive muscular and/or autonomic tone. This study focuses on the cardiovascular blood pressure responses, autonomic tone and baroreceptor sensitivity changes that occur during musical performance due to MPA. Six professional pianists perform a piece for piano written only for the left hand by Alexander Scriabin. The following parameters have been studied during the performance: ECG, non-invasive beat to beat continuous arterial blood pressure and skin conductance. Sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic flow was studied with Wigner-Ville analysis (W-V) from R-R ECG variability, and baroreceptor sensitivity with the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). During the concert a significant increase of heart rate, systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressure were observed. No significant differences were found in skin conductance. The W-V analysis, which studies frequency changes in the time domain, shows a significant increase of sympathetic flow and a decrease of parasympathetic flow during the concert which is associated with a significant decrease in sympathetic and vagal baroreceptor sensitivity. The study of cardiac variability using the Wigner-Ville analysis may be a suitable method to assess the autonomic response in the context of MPA, and could be used as biofeedback in personalized multimodal treatments.

Perceptions and Reflections of a Professional Pianist: A Case Report on Learning Human Anatomy through Cadaveric Dissection

Anatomical knowledge of the human body is a prerequisite for effortless and expressive movement for musicians. A 35-year-old professional pianist, with no prior experience in the medical field, voluntarily completed a cadaveric dissection module of the upper extremity and spine. The pianist was able to explore the intricate connections between human anatomy and the performance of piano music, gaining knowledge to enhance music quality and to manage and prevent injuries. This case describes the pianist’s perceptions and reflections and highlights the potential value of anatomical education for individuals in non-medical fields. This is, to our knowledge, the first documented case of a musician learning anatomy through cadaveric dissection.

RUSSIAN COMPOSER AND INDIAN MAHARAJA

The article looks into one of the episodes of Russo-Indian relations in the middle of the XX c.: the patronage of Indian Maharaja of South-Indian native state of Mysore Rajachamarajendra Wadiyar (1919–1974) to Russian composer of classic music Nikolai Karlovitch Medtner (1879/80–1951). N. K. Medtner left Russia in 1921 to tour in Europe. However in Russia and in Europe the public and musicians were seeking for new forms and new sounds, classic compositions of Medtner were not popular, didn’t gain glory. His concert tour over the USA also turned out to be a failure. Great Britain was the only country where his talent was appreciated and the Medtner family decided to settle in London. He gained his living by giving concerts, teaching, etc. During the Second World War they had to move to the country, health of the aged composer was beginning to fail him. After the war the financial position of the family was very poor when Rajachamarajendra Wadiyar, Maharaja of South Indian native state, appeared with a proposal to subsidize making records of Medtner’s compositions. Rajachamarajendra Wadiyar was not a successor to the throne by birth, he was a nephew to the ruling Maharaja, meanwhile, as he was blessed with musical talent, he planned to become a professional pianist. Since in 1940 both the ruling maharaja and his own father died so he had to succeed to the throne. Maharaja Rajachamarajendra Wadiyar set up Medtner society to promote the compositions of Russian composer.

Decisions on the quality of piano performance: Evaluation of self and others.

In common with other professional musicians, self-evaluation of practise and performance is an integral part of a pianist's professional life. They will also have opportunities to listen to and evaluate the performances of others based on their own criteria. These self-constructed perspectives towards to a piano performance will have an influence on both self-evaluation and external evaluation, but whether differently or similarly is not known. Consequently, this research study aimed to explore how judgements on the perceived quality of a performance are undertaken by professional standard pianists and what criteria are applied, both with regards their own performances as well as the performance of others. Participants were six professional pianists (3 men, 3 women) who were based in the United Kingdom (Mean age = 31.5 years old. SD = 5.1). They were asked to play individually six trials of a piece of R. Schumann's "Träumerei" Op. 15 No. 7 in a hired hall for recordings. Then, within 2 months, each participant was asked to come to a self-evaluation session to listen to and evaluate their own six recordings, using a Triadic method as a Repertory Grid. For the external evaluation focused session, the participants were asked to return again to evaluate a further six recordings made up of 'best' recordings as selected by each participant from their own individual self-evaluations. Analyses of the resultant data suggest that there was no significant difference between the participants in their overall ratings in the external phase, but that self-evaluation showed significant individual differences amongst several participants. The performance criteria in both self-evaluation and external evaluation predominately overlapped with each other in terms of musical factors, such as tone quality, phrasing, and pedalling. The ranking of the performances was highly correlated with perceptions of overall flow, tone quality and pedalling. It appears that pianists apply similar criteria to decide performance quality when evaluating their own performances as well as others.

Superior visual rhythm discrimination in expert musicians is most likely not related to cross-modal recruitment of the auditory cortex.

Training can influence behavioral performance and lead to brain reorganization. In particular, training in one modality, for example, auditory, can improve performance in another modality, for example, visual. Previous research suggests that one of the mechanisms behind this phenomenon could be the cross-modal recruitment of the sensory areas, for example, the auditory cortex. Studying expert musicians offers a chance to explore this process. Rhythm is an aspect of music that can be presented in various modalities. We designed an fMRI experiment in which professional pianists and non-musicians discriminated between two sequences of rhythms presented auditorily (series of sounds) or visually (series of flashes). Behavioral results showed that musicians performed in both visual and auditory rhythmic tasks better than non-musicians. We found no significant between-group differences in fMRI activations within the auditory cortex. However, we observed that musicians had increased activation in the right Inferior Parietal Lobe when compared to non-musicians. We conclude that the musicians' superior visual rhythm discrimination is not related to cross-modal recruitment of the auditory cortex; instead, it could be related to activation in higher-level, multimodal areas in the cortex.

Expressive timing and mechanical instruments: exploring temporal idiomaticity in some music box performances

Drawing on earlier work in digital musicology that analysed beat onset data to create timing profiles for recorded performances, this research addresses the question of what kinds of timing data might be produced by a hand-cranked mechanical instrument. Mechanical instruments have been studied as part of the pre-history of recording technologies, but have not typically been considered seriously as performance media. However, a prominent tradition of nineteenth-century street performance – organ grinding – relied on mechanical instruments. If a hand-cranked mechanical instrument does not produce a totally regular rendition, then what might such a performance look like in terms of temporal variation? My hypothesis was that different players would produce different kinds of patterns, and that some of these patterns could be related to conventions of expressive performance. Six participants played two extracts, by Scott Joplin and Fredric Chopin, on a music box. I extracted onset bpm data using Sonic Visualiser and used a combination of Self-Organising Maps and manual data analysis to broadly group the different patterns of emphasis in these recordings and six others by professional pianists for comparison. The data showed that several participants employed phrase-arching, and also indicated not only 1) that different players demonstrated different tendencies in terms of temporal variation and beat emphasis but also 2) that different tendencies emerged among music box players across the two repertoire samples. I argue that these results suggest that it is possible to play both idiomatically and expressively with a hand-cranked mechanical instrument.

The Impact of Piano Styles on Muscle Force in Pianist Students

The study of the consequences of different sonata styles (baroque, classical and romantic piano repertoire) on pianists’ upper limbs represents a research topic for both the musical and medical fields. Twenty piano students were examined using a MicroFet2 dynamometer after playing three sonatas (Scarlatti K. 1 Sonata as a representative of the baroque style, Haydn Sonata no. 60 for the classical style and Chopin second Sonata for the romantic style). The phase sequence was randomised for each subject: firstly, continuous interpretation of 10 bars of a sonata was conducted 10 times, with the metronome tempo set by the investigator; secondly, the subject interpreted 10 bars of a different sonata continuously, standardised by tempo, which was carried out 10 times; finally, the continuous interpretation of 10 bars of the remaining third sonata, standardised by tempo, was carried out 10 times. After each performance of the 10 bars, the elbow extensor’s isometric muscle force was measured. Significant differences were found between the elbow extensor’s isometric muscle force assessed after playing Scarlatti’s sonata and Haydn’s sonata (p = 0.005 for left arm, p = 0.03 for right arm), between Scarlatti’s sonata and Chopin’s sonata (p &lt; 0.0001 for both left and right arms) and between Haydn’s sonata and Chopin’s sonata (p = 0.01 for left arm, p &lt; 0.0001 for right arm). In healthy piano students, the dynamometric assessment of elbow extensors’ isometric muscle force after playing three different sonatas (baroque, classical and romantic) showed that the lowest values were recorded after playing the baroque style. Our results showed bilateral symmetry in the elbow extensor’s isometric muscle force for all three piano styles. The testing of arm muscles, besides that of the fingers, should be considered as a regular evaluation for future professional pianists with regard to the prevention of musculoskeletal complaints.

You Can Tell a Prodigy From a Professional Musician

According to Feldman (1993), musical prodigies are expected to perform at the same high level as professional adult musicians and, therefore, are indistinguishable from adults. This widespread definition was the basis for the study by Comeau et al. (2017), which investigated if participants could determine whether an audio sample was played by a professional pianist or a child prodigy. Our paper is a replication of this previous study under more controlled conditions. Our main findings partly confirmed the previous findings: Comparable to Comeau et al.’s (2017) study (N = 51), the participants in our study (N = 278) were able to discriminate between prodigies and adult professionals by listening to music recordings of the same pieces. The overall discrimination performance was slightly above chance (correct responses: 53.7%; sensitivity d’ = 0.20), which was similar to Comeau et al.’s (2017) results of the identification task with prodigies aged between 11 and 14 years (approximately 54.6% correct responses; sensitivity approximately d’ = 0.13). Contrary to the original study, musicians and pianists in our study did not perform significantly better than other participants. Nevertheless, it is generally possible for listeners to differentiate prodigies from adult performers—although this is a demanding task.

Psycho-sensorial categories: Actions and behaviors of piano practice at different levels of expertise

In the current literature, instrumental practice dealing with elementary levels of expertise tends to be underestimated compared to that of professional musicians. Therefore, the purpose of the present research was to investigate actions and behaviors in piano practice carried out by pianists belonging of different levels of expertise. In a case-study approach guided by phenomenological principles, four participants were selected according to their potential representativeness at different levels of expertise, their received formal piano instruction, and accumulated practice time. The participants were asked to record one practice session of two piano pieces from their current repertoire. They were instructed to select one piece that they considered more challenging (piece 1) and another piece that they considered less challenging (piece 2). Semi-structured interviews provided information about their strategies. Nine categories were proposed as characteristic actions and behaviors of piano practice within the scope of the classical Western music tradition, namely, testing, repeating, isolating, alternating, exploring, adjusting, pausing, straggling, and slipping. Such categories proved to be common for all participants, exemplified by the practices of four participants (precollege, undergraduate, graduate students and professional pianists), and provided evidence of the nuances of deliberation, such as the procedures to approach and improve the repertoire (and their effectiveness), the effort to stay engaged and on task, and some of the limits in attention to practice.

Performing-based and pedagogical principles of the activity in professional piano schools

The article describes the activities that leading European and Ukrainian piano schools provide. The focus is on the basic methodological principles that underpin teaching in such institutions. Some peculiarities related to the ways how regional piano schools were organized in Ukraine are analyzed. The significant influence of the Viennese school on the development of pianism is stated. The peculiarities that characterize M. Clementi’s practices, who represented the London school as well as teaching practice of the representatives of the French piano school are described. The emphasis is placed on the methodological achievements of pianists in piano schools according to epochs. The importance of piano techniques and its impact on training a professional pianist is studied. The classification of piano techniques according to three types has been clarified. They are as follows: classical techniques, which are characterized by small finger technique, with an active finger stroke, maximum accuracy of finger movement from the «bone» and free hand on the wrist; romantic techniques, which involve the development of sensations in finger pads, using the weight of the whole hand – its complete release, «legato» connected and melodious finger; expressionist techniques, in which the technique of the shoulder girdle is important, combining the techniques of the first two types with the addition of pianist’s own techniques, where there is a noticeable support at the bottom of the key with a slightly fixed hand. There are two types of piano techniques that are small and large. Textured layouts are typical of small techniques: scales, positional groups, decorations (melismata), warbles, repetitions, all kinds of arpeggios, various figurations, and double thirds. Large techniques include chords, octaves (including broken ones) and other double notes (quintuplets, sextuplets), tremolo, and leaps (skips). The main directions in the Ukrainian piano school development are outlined. They are: democratic principles and their observance; comprehensive development of personality; application of a creative approach to the personal development of students; combination of achievements of national and world artistic culture; the use of national musical heritage; influence of different arts on the personality development; manifestation of students’ creative potential in learning, development of musical perception and mastering of historical and theoretical knowledge; promotion of national and world artistic culture.

Художественно-творческое развитие как стратегическая задача обучения пианистов в Китае

Artistic and creative development is an obligatory attribute of modern pianist education, which is convincingly reflected in the theory of musical pedagogy. However, in pedagogical practice, it is noticeably infringed. Therefore, the search for ways to activate it is extremely relevant, as it can fundamentally change the effectiveness of the education of musicians. There are many reasons for the insufficient creative development of pianists. But some of them are of strategic importance. In this case, we are talking about a violation of the conceptual principle of musical pedagogy “Unity of the artistic and technical with the leading artistic”. The purpose of the article is to analyze the reasons of insufficient musical and artistic development of pianists during their education in China and Russia. The methodology of the research is based on the division of studying pianists into amateurs and future professionals. To achieve it, an analysis of the target settings in the training of pianists, reflected in scientific research, was applied. Results: if we take the technical skill of pianists as a basis, then extreme positions on this issue are observed in the music schools of two well-known musicians in China: pianist Liu Shikun and Professor Liu Ninh. The first is characterized by a focus on the musical and artistic development of the child, the second – on high performance results necessary for professional training. These attitudes are quite justified in a specific situation. But the increased attention to the technical equipment of pianists, justified in the training of professional pianists, comes into sharp contradiction in the training of amateur pianists. The focus on the accentuated technical development of all pianists is a fundamental mistake in the piano pedagogy of China, as it automatically leads to the infringement of artistic development.

Mykola Sylvansky’s Cultural and Pedagogical Activities as A Unique Aspect of His Creative Biography

The article focuses on the cultural and pedagogical activity of Mykola Yosypovich Silvanskyi at the general and specialized piano department at the P. I. Tchaikovsky Kyiv Conservatory. The facts of his creative biography are presented on the basis of the studied materials that are stored in the Central Archive-Museum of Literature and Arts of Ukraine also in the archive of the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine. Knowledges have also been gained due to the interviews with colleagues, students and relatives of M. Silvanskyi. Mykola Yosypovych's compositional work formed the basis of the cultural-pedagogical activity of the artist, because his works are still actively performed both by professional pianists and by students of conservatories at various stages of learning to play the piano. The personal qualities of the artist, which are described in the article, are important for the comprehensive characterization of his cultural and pedagogical activity. The features of his individual performance style are outlined as the features of a pianist with a romantic orientation (this is evidenced by concert programs found in archival posters). The repertoire policy of M. Silvanskyi in the class of general and specialized piano is described, as well as its inextricable relationship with his stage performance and compositional work. The study determines the factors that form the didactic principles of teaching students to play the piano, leading among which was the principle of practical demonstration of the most effective methods aimed at achieving the desired results (borrowed from Ya. Flier during his studies at the P. I. Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory). It is proven that a whole generation of student composers, studying with Mykola Yosypovych in the general piano class, formed artistic and aesthetic values that became leading in their further creative activity and influenced the development of Ukrainian piano music of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The need for further study and understanding of the significance of M. Silvanskyi's creative activity for a better understanding of the artist's role in the development of Ukrainian musical culture is emphasized.

Organic Concept in Rolf-Dieter Arens’s Piano Teaching Strategy

Rolf-Dieter Arens is a distinguished and revered musical figure with a career spanning more than fifty years as a concert pianist, chamber musician, and educator. His innovative teachings have influenced professional pianists, teachers, and students worldwide. The purpose of this study is to document and explain Arens’s distinct piano teaching approach. Data collection methods were participant observation, interviews with students and communication with Arens. Arens’ teaching strategies involve ideas such as the establishment of goals, modelling, listening, visualisation, deconstruction of the musical structure, and subdivision support. However, a major distinction in Arens’s teaching as compared to others is the notion that techniques and artistic interpretation are a holistic unit and are taught simultaneously rather than compartmentally is common. Another major aspect of Arens’s teaching approach involves what is called the “organic” flow which is an understanding of how the musical structure should regulate the artistic and technical decisions for performance. This study provides a substantial guide and reference to pianists and pedagogues who wish to expand their perspectives in the process of music-making as well as improve their teaching and performance techniques.

Are the forearm muscles excited equally in different, professional piano players?

Professional pianists tend to develop playing-related musculoskeletal disorders mostly in the forearm. These injuries are often due to overuse, suggesting the existence of a common forearm region where muscles are often excited during piano playing across subjects. Here we use a grid of electrodes to test this hypothesis, assessing where EMGs with greatest amplitude are more likely to be detected when expert pianists perform different excerpts. Tasks were separated into two groups: classical excerpts and octaves, performed by eight, healthy, professional pianists. Monopolar electromyograms (EMGs) were sampled with a grid of 96 electrodes, covering the forearm region where hand and wrist muscles reside. Regions providing consistently high EMG amplitude across subjects were assessed with a non-parametric permutation test, designed for the statistical analysis of neuroimaging experiments. Spatial consistency across trials was assessed with the Binomial test. Spatial consistency of muscle excitation was found across subjects but not across tasks, confining at most 20% of the electrodes in the grid. These local groups of electrodes providing high EMG amplitude were found at the ventral forearm region during classical excerpts and at the dorsal region during octaves, when performed both at preferred and at high, playing speeds. Our results revealed that professional pianists consistently load a specific forearm region, depending on whether performing octaves or classical excerpts. This spatial consistency may help furthering our understanding on the incidence of playing-related muscular disorders and provide an anatomical reference for the study of active muscle loading in piano players using surface EMG.