A message from Randall Faber:

Nancy and I join you and many around the world during this unsettling “lockdown” defense against the pandemic. Cancellation of international travel, cancellation of conventions, cancellation of schools—and now our lessons?

Please know that the Piano Adventures community is here for your support. We have tools to keep you going, whether you choose to teach remotely during this temporary phase or to reflect with your own professional development.

We believe it’s okay (even good) to feel. Perhaps you’re experiencing unusual emotions. It is easy to jump to blame. Anger feels better than fear due to the pseudo feeling of power. It’s also possible that being afraid of our own fear causes an uneasy numbness. At times we feel compelled toward extreme action. At other times we feel—frozen.

It’s also important that we see the situation clearly. Constrained physical mobility can become mirrored in the mind. We become mentally frozen, numbed by immobility and unknowns. The antidote is to intentionally choose physical isolation (thus “owning” the decision), while retaining cognitive mobility.

Consider mental fluidity as psychological melody and harmony. There is a world outside of our heads. And soon we’ll again connect with full senses. There is a “springtime” on the horizon.

This can be time for inner work as we seek “to develop musical minds and hearts.” An opportunity, not only to be truly humane, but to stretch the bounds of being human. This is the role of art—and the appropriate striving of our humanity.

We continue to support piano teachers and students around the world. Watch for our coming messages here or at our North American Facebook Page, “Piano Adventures.”