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Common signs of tension in piano students
Simple teaching observations you can use in lessons
How Fit 4 Piano principles can support healthier technique
Who this is for and why it matters
This guide is designed for piano teachers who want to help students develop a more natural, coordinated, and confident approach to playing. Whether your students are beginners, exam candidates, or advanced players, learning to recognise tension early can make a powerful difference. Good technique is not just about playing faster or louder. It is about helping students move in ways that support the music. When students learn to release unnecessary tension, their playing can become more resonant, expressive, reliable, and enjoyable.
Meet Dr Rae de Lisle
Dr Rae de Lisle is one of New Zealand’s leading piano pedagogues and a pioneer in healthy, sustainable piano technique. As Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Auckland, she has taught many of the country’s finest pianists, including John Chen, the youngest-ever winner of the Sydney International Piano Competition. Rae’s own journey from concert pianist to researcher shaped her passion for injury prevention and natural movement at the piano. Her groundbreaking PhD on focal dystonia has received international acclaim, and her teaching has influenced pianists around the world. Through her multimedia publication Fit 4 Piano, Rae shares the principles of effortless, coordinated piano playing that have transformed generations of students.
What People Are Saying
Discover how our guide has helped educators like you revolutionize their classrooms with effective strategies and solutions.
This is a wonderful new resource for pianists and piano teachers around the world. As a holistic guide to piano teaching at all levels it can’t be bettered – this will become a hugely influential course, with practical solutions and applications for every stage of teaching.
NZ Concert Pianist
Thank you Rae for producing such a wonderful course. The fact that it was online enabled me to go back to view different topics once I had completed the course. Also I could proceed at my own rate and convenience. As I was going through the course I applied some of the technique that was demonstrated, and the students involved noticed an improvement almost immediately. I just don’t have enough words to express how invaluable the course is. Thank you to all who made it possible.
Pianist and teacher
For the longest time. I'd been trying to figure out what I was missing in my technique... It wasn't until I watched your course that everything started to make so much sense. ...I wasn't able to play fast passages without my hands and fingers seizing up. Now, I can do that with so much freedom, with no pain, and I can even control the shaping and dynamics! It's like magic.
Exploring Piano Technique Online Course
I am having a wonderful time trying out these ideas on everybody from my youngest beginners to my University students and adult students. Already seeing some wonderful results in terms of freer and more natural movement and better sound quality. What a wonderful resource.
Pianist and lecturer
About Fit 4 Piano
Fit 4 Piano helps pianists and teachers develop natural, efficient movement at the piano. Created by Dr Rae de Lisle, the Fit 4 Piano approach supports healthy technique, resonant tone, and confident playing from beginner to advanced levels.
Transform Your Teaching Today
Download the free guide and start spotting tension patterns in your students today.
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