Playing (less) Hurt - Information

How can musicians express themselves and recreate the great masterworks with ease and expressivity and yet avoid injury in the process? Musicians face many challenges: a highly competitive environment, performance anxiety, demanding repertoire, years of solitary practice, and awkward postures. The hectic pace of rehearsals and performances when added to the mix often results in the very real risk of physical pain and injury.

“Playing (less) Hurt” is a readable and comprehensive guide and reference for all concerned with pain in musical work: professional and amateur musicians, teachers and students, doctors and therapists. This book is essential for all musicians. String, keyboard, percussion, harp, brass and wind players will play better and feel better.

Read About:

• WHY IT MAY HURT TO PLAY 
• INJURY SUSCEPTIBILITY QUIZ 
• RISK FACTORS AND DANGER SIGNALS
• HEARING, BACK, DISC, ARM AND SHOULDER PROBLEMS 
• 10 ONSTAGE TRICKS 
• TMJ, TEETH, LARYNX AND JOINT LAXITY 
• STRETCHING AND STRENGTHENING 
• REHABILITATION AND WORK HARDENING 
• MUSICIAN’S SURVIVAL KIT 
• 10 DO’S AND 10 DON’TS 
• INSTRUMENT MODIFICATIONS   
• GUIDE TO SAFE PRACTICING

Janet Horvath

Janet Horvath, associate principal cello of the Minnesota Orchestra for more than two decades, is a soloist, chamber musician, writer and advocate of injury prevention. A trail-blazer in speaking and writing openly about the physical stresses experienced by musicians, Horvath has contributed importantly to improvements in working conditions and in awareness for musicians' work-related ailments and their prevention.

“Playing (less) Hurt” is the culmination of 20 years of lecturing and teaching in the field of Performing Arts Medicine.

BIOGRAPHY (For a more detailed bio, click here.)

Praise for Janet Horvath’s Playing (less) Hurt:

“As someone who has been teaching instrumental playing principles for well nigh seven decades, I find Ms. Horvath’s book rife with helpful, valuable, and entertaining data. The ground she covers is immense, written with knowledge, understanding, style, aplomb and humor. No reader can put it down without some beneficial learning.”

Janos Starker
Distinguished Professor of Music
Indiana University

“Musicians too often suffer pain and dysfunction strikingly at odds with their extraordinary skill and the perceived ease of their achievements. Janet Horvath’s eloquent guide provides a much-needed reference for diagnosing, treating, and avoiding these potentially devastating conditions. Her book comes to the rescue of even the most brilliant teachers and their equally brilliant students.”

Garrick Ohlsson
Pianist

“This well and intelligently written book … provides a systematic examination of the many risks to their health faced by present day musicians … an articulate advocate for making musicians, managements and medical people alike aware of the potential for physical consequences of the demands of the instrument … a valuable resource for musicians already in an orchestra and for those anticipating this career.”

Alice Brandfonbrenner, M.D.
Director, Medical Program for Performing Artists
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Editor, MPPA mag.

“Every musician should be aware of the valuable musical and medical information in this book.”

William Preucil
Concertmaster, The Cleveland Orchestra

“Janet Horvath has written a book of vital importance to all musicians … an essential guide to protecting and promoting playing health. “Playing Less Hurt” is a book I urge music teachers, students and professionals to read.”

Nora Shulman
Principal Flute, The Toronto Symphony

“ … a wonderful resource of information …impressive research and work …”

Michael Sachs
Principal Trumpet, The Cleveland Orchestra

“ … a very timely book [which] applies to musicians at an international level … With acute and sympathetic insight, Janet Horvath lists and analyzes every possible injury that can befall players on any instrument. She offers many useful suggestions as well as physical exercises both to prevent and to alleviate these injuries … I strongly recommend it.”

Kato Havas
World-renowned violin teacher and
Author, “Stage Fright, Its Causes and Cures”