"...A Coupl'a Million Years of Wacking Two Rocks Together"
Jul 26, 2010
It is understandable that my students think I am out of my mind as I continue to enforce the posturing of their pinkies, or the shaping of their hands as their fingers descend onto the piano keys. But it is how our hands and fingers work together that have lead us humans to the life we lead right now. We can enjoy playing music because our fingers have enough dexterity to almost have a mind of their own. And people are able to beautifully mold these instruments because our primitive ancestors learned to make stone tools, which of course lends itself to creating perfectly carved instruments that we enjoy playing.
So, if we evolved beyond other mammals because of how intricately we are able to use our hands, what does that mean for piano players? I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
This blog title comes from a quote by NPR's Christopher Joyce, and his story on the human hand.