July 2, 2024

Wells Fargo's study has exposed Chipotle's burrito bowl sizes as wildly inconsistent, with discrepancies large enough to fill a taco shell! This portion of the predicament may leave customers guessing more than just the spice level the next time they order.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: Pianos for smaller hands: The new wave
Research: New report suggests almost two-thirds of musicians suffer from muscular pain
Making news: Barrister banned from practicing after physical altercation at Covent Garden
Laugh of the week
Around the web: A deep dive into Britain's libraries, a word phrase game, a virtual jukebox from myspace, plus more curious internet finds.

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 pm EST!

THE BIG IDEA

Pianos for Smaller Hands: The New Wave

Narrow keys, broad minds, and no boundaries…

Meet the stretto piano — an instrument designed for pianists with smaller hands. The brainchild of Hannah Reimann, founder of Stretto Piano Concerts, the stretto piano features a keyboard that’s about 7/8 the size of a standard one, catering to musicians who’ve long struggled with traditional pianos.

This May, Reimann hosted the fourth International Stretto Piano Festival, showcasing the benefits of these pianos across 16 global concerts

The 4th International Stretto Piano Festival

From May 25 to June 4, music enthusiasts from San Diego to Stuttgart and Latvia experienced the Festival which happened worldwide across 16 concerts. The festival is all about highlighting pianos that better suit the smaller human hands.

The case for piano equity

Despite the modern piano's century-old design, the notion that "one size fits all" is being challenged. Smaller-handed pianists, often facing discomfort and technical limitations, are advocating for a change. The evidence supporting this movement is compelling:

Gender Bias: Studies reveal that the average hand span of those assigned male at birth is approximately 1” larger than those assigned female, impacting playability.
Health Risks: Research indicates that pianists assigned female at birth face a 50-80% higher risk of pain and injury from playing on standard keyboards.
Ergonomics: A 2021 Australian study using EMG data confirms that small-handed pianists endure greater strain on standard keyboards.

A new paradigm for piano design

Leading the charge are pioneers like Reimann and companies like Pask Piano, which advocates for alternatively sized keyboards. Their motto, "If everyone plays the same size, most are playing the wrong size," underscores the need for options in keyboard sizes. The Klavins Piano company's Una Corda Stretto is one such innovation, featuring:

A 5.8” octave width, compared to the traditional 6.5”.
Narrower strings and optimized touch control for better playability.

While smaller-sized keyboards have been around since the 1990s, widespread adoption is far from the reality. Reimann's custom-designed keyboard for her Steinway demands significant changes in manufacturing, making it an even more expensive process.

Hear the stretto piano in action here:

— MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Barbara Hannigan. (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Ron DeSantis Cuts $32 million in Arts & Culture Funding in Florida — Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis has vetoed over $32 million in art and culture grants from the 2025 state budget, impacting numerous cultural institutions across the state without providing a specific reason for the cuts. | OperaWire

Amelia Earhart: how the feminist icon's tragic story inspired a thrilling new work — Composer Michael Daugherty and violinist Anne Akiko Meyers discuss how Amelia Earhart's adventurous life and mysterious disappearance inspired the new violin concerto "Blue Electra," which premiered in November 2022. | Classical-music.com

While U.S. Companies Struggle, German Opera Houses Move Ahead Ambitiously — While U.S. opera houses struggle to recover post-pandemic, German opera houses like Hamburg and Berlin's Staatsopers are ambitiously staging expensive, challenging works, demonstrating a stark contrast in the current state of opera production between the two countries. | The Observer

RESEARCH

San Francisco Symphony (Photo: Kristen Loken)

New Report Suggests Almost Two-Thirds of Musicians Suffer From Muscular Pain

A new study in the Irish Medical Journal reported high levels of playing-related muscular disorders in classical musicians. The study found a need for targeted interventions for many players.

What’s the buzz: This week, a new report came out in the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ). The report looked at playing-related muscular disorders (PRMDs) in both classical and traditional Irish musicians. 120 participants were surveyed, including a large number of string players and keyboard players.

Tell me what’s happening: 61% of the classical musicians surveyed by the Irish Medical Journal reported instances of pain and other chronic symptoms of PRMDs. 83% of the string musicians who were surveyed reported PRMDs, particularly in the upper back, lower back, and right hand or wrist. PRMDs were slightly less prevalent amongst non-classical musicians.

The IMJ’s report follows the Berlin Centre for Musicians’ Medicine’s 2023 report that outlined the many medical conditions to which violinists are at risk. Luckily, many researchers are currently looking at ways for string players to protect themselves, such as through mental audition and silent practicing strategies. A good reminder for all musicians to not only practice but to practice wisely. — SS

MAKING NEWS

Protests Continue at San Francisco Symphony Following Music Director’s Departure

On June 13th, members of the San Francisco Symphony protested in support of music director Esa-Pekka Salonen before their performance. Salonen announced his departure from their orchestra earlier this season.

Driving the news: Before Esa-Pekka Salonen’s final series of concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, members of the orchestra protested outside the hall. Handing out informative leaflets and stickers, they expressed their disappointment with the symphony’s board of directors. The fliers accused the orchestra’s administration of lacking artistic vision, and cries of dismay were also heard from the concert hall’s balcony before the performance began.

A refresher: Esa-Pekka Salonen, the SFS’s musical director since 2020, announced his departure from the organization earlier this year. Salonen cited discord with the orchestra’s board of directors, who had recently announced a series of budget cuts. The board’s efforts to cut costs had led to cancelled tours, cancelled commissions, and a reduced number of concerts.

Editorials in the San Francisco Standard have recently described the SFS as “setting itself on fire.” Others have succinctly put it that the SFS is currently suffering from problems in leadership, communications, values, and respect. Losing their brilliant and innovative musical director is just the final straw. — SS

GAMES

Nothing says Monday like a mini-crossword .

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Erik Satie dies, 1925.

🖼️ Game: Find the phrase that best describes the game’s image.

🎼 Interesting: This virtual jukebox contains 490k+ lost songs from myspace.

📚 Deep Dive: How Britain's libraries provide more than books.

🐶 Awww: Meet Booker, a rescue with his whole life ahead of him.

LAUGH OF THE WEEK

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Today's email was brought to you by Sara "Good Ergonomics" Schabas and Michael "Tiny Hands" Vincent.

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