Playing It Their Way: An Innovative Approach to Teaching Piano to Individuals with Physical or Mental Disabilities

In the United States today, there are approximately 4 million children with a disability, many of whom are interested in–and capable of–learning a musical instrument, but are unable to find an instructor willing to take them on as students. Over the past decade, Karen Z. Kowalski, a pediatric occupational therapist and professional piano instructor, has combined OT applications with music theory to design a program that teaches piano to individuals with special needs–from the first private session to the, yes, concert hall. Playing It Their Way is based on her popular series of lectures designed to educate music instructors on the rewards of teaching this special–and still untapped–population of students. Using a lively mix of anecdotes and practical instruction, Kowalski offers tried-and-true methods (conventional and otherwise) for teaching music to special-needs students. Conditions such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, attention deficit disorders and autism are presented in an easy-to-understand format and geared specifically to music teachers. Playing It Their Way inspires instructors as well as parents to realize the musical potential in every disabled child.