Jim Litzelman and Aging Backwards

Leila has a wonderful conversation with Jim Litzelman about his journey with focal dystonia. Listen in as Jim shares about his performance and teaching career, and his focus on releasing tension, stretching, and injury prevention. In 2020, Leila was privileged to meet and get to know Jim Litzelman when she began serving as a member of the AMT or American Music Magazine editorial committee. If you are a member of the Music Teachers National Association, then you receive the AMT and perhaps you’ve read Jim’s article published in the October/November 2021 issue? The article is called “My Personal Journey to Aging Backwards.” In the article, Jim shares his experience with focal dystonia first diagnosed over 30 years ago when he was a doctoral student. In addition, Jim reveals the discovery he made that improved this neurological condition. Grab your earbuds and sneakers and listen in as you hear how Jim’s expected career path was derailed and what he’s learned about the importance of technique. His valuable insight and approach can be easily implemented in your next lesson with students of all levels. A Few of Jim’s Tips Law of Three Rs of Muscular Tension Right Amount: based on the sound we want to produce Right Place: always in the fingertips Right Time: when the finger plays "If it doesn’t feel good, you aren’t doing it right." "The human body can take an enormous amount of use and misuse before it says “mm-mm!” If you do this again, you’re going to feel pain." "We need to educate the teacher of the beginning pianists." "Practice Asymmetrical Inversion." "Stretch with Essentrics by Miranda Esmonde-White" Find Leila at LeilaViss.com