Violinist Hilary Hahn Withdraws from Concerts Due to Pinched Nerve
Last weekend violinist Hilary Hahn took to Instagram to let everyone know that she would be extending her absence from the concert stage through September 8 in order to heal from a double pinched nerve. She had already canceled her July performances for the same reason.
Violinist Hilary Hahn, from her Instagram page.
As a result, she will miss her planned tour of Europe with the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, a solo recital in Xi’an, and season-opening dates with the Shanghai Symphony.
"As you may already know," she said in a video statement, "I am suffering from a double pinched nerve and have been focused on a safe and sustainable path to recovery with my medical team. Unfortunately, that means no violin for the rest of the summer!"
While injury is not uncommon among violinists and musicians, it is often swept under the rug. People continue to play while injured in order to keep their gigs going, often worsening their physical problems.
Perhaps for these reasons, Hilary's candid and public disclosure generated an outpouring of support. Tens of thousands of people from around the world hit that little heart button on Instagram and nearly one thousand left comments applauding her commitment to healing: "Wishing you well. You are doing the right thing! Please rest and heal. Thank you for normalizing the time it takes to heal."
Many also shared their own journeys with injury: surgeries, nerve problems, etc.
"I really appreciate all of your comments, your supportive messages," Hilary said. "It's been heartening to see how many people have empathy for this sort of a thing, and I'm also sorry to see how many people have gone through it themselves.
We would also like to applaud Hilary's courage and wish her a smooth and thorough recovery. We look forward to hearing from her again, when she is ready!
You might also like:
- Hilary Hahn Is Awarded the 2024 Avery Fisher Prize
- Interview with Hilary Hahn: 100 Years of the Ysaÿe Sonatas
- Hilary Hahn Appointed Visiting Violin Professor at London's Royal Academy of Music
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Replies
It's sad to hear this! She'll miss playing, but of course it's the best thing in the circumstances. So many of us have been there, myself included, but when we treat injuries properly they do recover. Looking forward to hearing in the fall, that Hilary is fully recovered.
With a pinched nerve injury the recovery time would depend on whether the fibres are physically damaged to the point they cannot recover and need to regrow (at a rate of about 1mm per day) or just sufficient to cause a temporary conduction block (neurapraxia). Even the latter is likely to take several months if the damage is in the neck as is commonly the case (also in my case). I hope Hilary's pinch is more distally located, at the wrist or the elbow.
But what Hilary seems to be suffering from is most likely carpal tunnel double crush syndrome which entails impaired conduction in the median nerve at the wrist and where the nerve roots exit the neck.
I wish her a speedy recovery.
Just curious - did she mention where her nerve injury is?
Tchaikovsky said it best:
"Music is not illusion, but rather revelation. Its triumphant power is that it reveals to us beauties we find nowhere else, and that the apprehension of them is not transitory, but a perpetual reconcilement of life."
Hillary Hahn is an artist who has fulfilled this vision, and may she recover and return to continue to resume her artistic mission to all of us.
I trust that she is receiving the very best medical treatment and that, in time, she will fully recover. Could the use of a shoulder rest have contributed to her condition?
The shoulder rest is primarily an ergonomic device made to fill any vertical space between the back of the violin and the shoulder. In other words, its entire purpose is one of comfort and support. Why should such a device be to blame for injuries like this? Surely, Ms. Hahn would know if her shoulder rest were incompatible with her body. It's not as if she's a young student still growing accustomed to the sensation of holding a violin.
Just because some people learned/play without a shoulder rest doesn't mean all others who use one are in the wrong, and vice versa.
I wish Ms. Hahn all the best with her recovery and career ahead!
Hello Gabriel. I'm not blaming the shoulder rest. I'm only questioning if it could be the root cause of the problem. After all, Ms. Hahn did not specify where her pinched nerve is located. The shoulder rest is a relatively new construct in the long history of violin playing. Learning to play the violin without a shoulder rest is quite liberating, which can lead to less tension and more flexibility in holding and playing the violin. I'm grateful to the late, great Aaron Rosand who generously took time to show me how to play without a shoulder rest over 30 years ago. But I'm not dogmatic about this and will never denigrate anyone's choice. The violin is essentially an uncomfortable instrument and everyone must come up with their own solution that works solely for them.
REPEAT!!! HELLO ALEX SALDARRIAGA AND TO GABRIEL LEU, WHOM I DO NOT KNOW! {#9}
AS FROM ~ ELISABETH MATESKY, "APOSTLE" OF JASCHA HEIFETZ & NATHAN MILSTEIN ~
DEAR ALEX, IT IS NOT THE SHOULDER PAD BUT RATHER THE LENGTH OR HEIGHT AND PLACEMENT OF SAID SHOULDER PAD. KNOWING BOTH MY GOAT VIOLIN MENTOR'S AND MOST WELL, NEITHER HAD A LONG NECK. MS HAHN DOES, AND RELATIVELY SPEAKING YET THIS IN AND OF ITSELF, COULD CONTRIBUTE MIGHTILY TO A PINCHED NERVE AND IN THE UPPER BODY ~ IT MAY BE A LONGER PROCESS THAN HILARY HAHN WISHES TO
THINK ABOUT, BUT BODY REST; HOT BATHS; GENTLE THERAPY AND NOT SUDDEN OR "PAIN MEANS GAIN" APPROACHES BUT THE SIMPLE OLD FASHIONED THERAPIES OF A GRANDMOTHER WHO MIGHT HAVE USED ANY OF THE ABOVE TO EASE THE FULL AREA OF PAIN SURGING THROUGH CAUSING TRULY SHOCKING PAIN. KNOWING A BIT OF THIS LEARNED FROM LATE DR. ALICE BRANDFONBRENNER, FOUNDRESS OF THE NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PROGRAMME OF MUSICIAN INJURY YET PRIOR TO INJURING ONESELF DUE TO TOO MUCH PRACTISE & WITHOUT ANY BREAK, OR LITTLE IF ANY PRACTISE PLUNGING BACK IN AND RE-INJURING SAME AREA BUT A SECOND TIME MUCH MORE SEVERELY IF ONLY DR. "B" WAS STILL HERE; SHE COULD RIGHT AWAY DIAGNOSE A ROOT PROBLEM AND QUELL MANY THEORIES WELL MEANT ON HERE ... KNOWING MUCH ABOUT THE UPPER BODY AND ABOUT THE ENTIRE ONGOING OF CENTURIES SUBJECT RE 'TO USE' OR 'NOT USE' A SHOULDER PAD??
ACTUALLY & TYPING IN BOLD PRINT DUE MY COMPUTER NOW GOING NUTS, I DO KNOW THAT ONE ONLY USES A SHOULDER PAD WHEN AND IF THE NECK IS TOO LONG OR THERE IS MUCH DIFFICULTY HOLDING THE INSTRUMENT BETWEEN THE LEFT SHOULDER AND LOWER CHIN ON THE CHIN REST WHICH CAN BE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW OR JUST NOT WITH RIGHT PHYSICAL BODY PROPORTIONS NEEDED TO COMFORTABLY HOLD UP THE
VIOLIN OR SLIGHTLY AND ONLY SLIGHTLY PUSH IT IN BETWEEN LEFT SHOULDER AND LOWER CHIN MADE AVAILABLE BY THE CHIN REST ON THE LEFT SIDE AND TO BE MOST SMART TO NOT ENRAGE THE FACIAL MUSCLES IN HOLDING WITH AND TO BE
CANDID, NOT HOLD THE INSTRUMENT WITH ANYTHING. THIS IS FOLLY BY NOW AND TESTIFY MR. HEIFETZ WAS PHYSICALLY BUILT WITH A TINY SHORT NECK AND EASY FOR THE VIOLIN TO SLIP IN BETWEEN THE LOWER CHIN AND JH LEFT SHOULDER,
BEING GIFTED W/JUST RIGHT BODY PROPORTIONS TO HOLD & NOT INCUR ANY DISTRESS IN THE AREA WHICH WOULD SET OFF A PAINFUL HIGH NECK NERVE ATTACK.
I KNOW OF AN OLD FASHIONED REMEDY DUE MY OWN AWFUL EXPERIENCE & WILL MENTION IT HERE. AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT WITH A NASTY WHIPLASH, I WENT TO SEE DR. KREIGER WHO PUT ME ON A HYDROCOLATOR, THE NAME OF WHICH UNTIL THE TIME, I HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED HAVING TO BE SHOWN HOW TO USE THIS RATHER STRANGE COLLAR YET TONGING IT IN BOILING HOT WATER AMD WRAPPING THIS DEVICE IN A NEAR TO CANVAS WRAP TOWEL TAKING LOTS OF BOILING STEAM FAR DOWN TO A TOLERABLE HEAT WHICH WENT RIGHT INTO THE
MUSCLES AND IN TO NERVE VIBRATING WITH PAIN, SOOTHING IT AND AFTER ABOUT 15-25 MINUTES REMOVING IT CAREFULLY AND KEEPING MY BODY WARM AFTER PARTING WITH THE ONCE LESS HOT DEVICE YET TOWELED ON MY NECK AFTERWARD.
THIS RATHER OLD FASHIONED DEVICE WORKED MIRACLES FOR MY PAINS IN THE ENTIRE CERVICAL AREA AND AFTER LAYING OFF THE HOURS PRACTISE EVERY DAY USING HYDROCOLATOR 3 TIMES A DAY YET WELL SPACED, IT BEGAN TO GENUINELY HEAL ALL PAIN ATTACKS AND THE PHYSCOLOGICAL *IN MIND TRAUMA WHICH WENT WITH THE PAIN. IT REQUIRED DEFINITE PATIENCE AND DETERMINATION TO GET WELL AND BACK TO THE VIOLIN YET SLOWLY AND EASILY WITH SMART HOME MADE EXERCISE/S WITH OTHER BODY PARTS TRIED TO DEFER ONE'S MIND OFF OF THE ROOT PROBLEM. PART OF PHYSICAL HEALING IS MIND OVER MATTER YET WITH THE EXPERT MEDICAL ADVICE/ RX OF AN EXPERIENCED EXPERT IN ALL OF THIS WHO HADN'T EVER PLAYED THE VIOLIN OR STRING COUSIN INSTRUMENT! IT
DOES MAKE AN IMMENSE DIFFERENCE SO I WOULD RX HILARY HAHN TO TRUST HER OWN INSTINCTS RE HER OWN AND ONLY KNOWN TO HER BODY TO START A THERAPY PROGRAMME BUT AGAIN, NOT THE OLD "PAIN EQUALS GAIN" IDEA' & WHICH WAS PROMINENT IN EARLIER CENTURIES YET MAY HAVE WROUGHT MORE HARM THAN GOOD. 'ONE CANNOT TEACH THAT WHICH ONE CANNOT DO!' AN OLD MANTRA OF MY LATE FATHER, NYC RALPH, A BRILLIANT TEACHER AND WITH SPORTS MENTALITY APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ... I THINK MS HAHN'S BY NOW EXTENSIVE CONCERT GIVING EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST AND ONLY TEACHER FOR HERSELF, AND ALL THIS PASSEE YOGA ETC., IS FOLLY FOR A TRULY GREAT VIOLINIST KNOWING HER OWN BODY MOST WELL. I DO WISH TO OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT WHICH IS CAPTURED IN HOLY SCRIPTURE:
"AND THIS TOO, SHALL PASS ..." BUT PASS ONLY IF PATIENT & SMART IN A PROGRAMME OF HEALING YET NOT TOO MUCH TOO SOON, EVEN IF IT MEANS LAYING OFF FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT LITTLE TIME COMPARED TO ENORMOUS WONDERFUL RESULTS DUE GREAT PATIENCE WITH WARM BATHS; WARM DRY SAUNA EVERY NIGHT OR MID DAY PLUS ONCE MORE WHICH LOOSENS ALL BODY PARTS NOT MENTIONING THE MIND/BRAIN WHICH CONTROLS OUR THOUGHTS WHEN BOTH PRACTISING AND/OR PERFORMING WITH MINUTE DETAILS NEVER LEFT UNTENDED BY MASTER COMPUTER, THE BRAIN AND THOUGHTS JUST PRIOR TO A TOUGH PASSAGE=SIBELIUS "ALLEGRO MA NON TANTO" THIRD MOVEMENT WITH 'THE PASSAGE" SO WELL KNOWN AND FOREVER OBSESSIVELY PRACTISED TO TRY COMING EVEN NEAR HEIFETZ'S MT. EVEREST CONQUEST OF THE SIBELIUS VIOLIN CONCERTO!!! ACCEPTING THE NERVE AND ITS CRYING OUT OF: "LEAVE ME ALONE RIGHT NOW" MESSAGE IS SMART HEALING
VS HASTY EXAGGERATED "I'LL GET THIS FIXED IN 3 WEEKS" HOPED FOR ATTITUDE! I WOULD SAY FROM MUCH EXPERIENCE: ATTITUDE AND WITH POSITIVE CLEAR IDEA'S OF "I REALLY DO NEED A BREAK" WILL PRODUCE RESULTS FASTER THAN ONE
TRYING TO SPEED UP THE BODY AND WHICH RADIATES PAIN FROM THE NERVE WHICH ONLY FEELS A STRAIN AND CANNOT TOLERATE TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW!!
APOLOGIES TO LAURIE NILES FOR MY COMPUTER STUCK ON LARGE TYPE FOR IT SEEMED WHEN MY MIND WAS AWAKE AND WORKING, TO PUT DOWN THE 'HAVE BEEN THERE DONE THAT' KNOWLEDGE OR SOME HEALTHY IDEAS IF AND WHEN MS HAHN HAPPENS TO COME HERE AND READ THIS!!! OUR BODIES TELL
US EVERYTHING & WE MUST LISTEN/FEEL AND FOLLOW THEM TO NOT INFLICT FURTHER HARM, AKA, PAIN, & NOT SELF ALONE PRESCRIBE PILLS WHICH MAY NOT HELP YET ASK, PLEASE ASK, ABOUT OBTAINING A HYDROCOLATOR WHICH IS A RARE GIFT OF MEDICAL RESEARCH BY DR. MITCH KREIGER, WHO SAVED MY INJURIES FROM A BAD WHIPLASH AND WITH TIME, TO A MUCH HEALTHIER NEW ME ON VIOLIN!!!
SENDING WARM WISHES TO ALL HERE AND TO HILARY HAHN, WHOM I'VE YET TO MEET IN PERSON, BUT OFFER ALL ABOVE FOR SINCERE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION!!
~ YOURS MUSICALLY FROM CHICAGO SATURDAY 8.3.2024 ~
........................... ELISABETH MATESKY ...........................
FWD ~ DMG
Alex,
Please forgive me for assuming you were anti-shoulder-rest. But as strong as my aversion is toward that mentality, I do hold great respect for people who can play without one. Perhaps less players would find themselves injured if they all took the time to study both with and without a shoulder rest? Most of us learn one way from the very beginning, never exploring whether the other way might be healthier.
Elizabeth, apology accepted, but you have to do something about the capital letters, it is the equivalent of screaming on the Internet!
QUOTE: Sander Marcus - August 1, 2024 at 01:47 PM
Tchaikovsky said it best:
"Music is not illusion, but rather revelation. Its triumphant power is that it reveals to us beauties we find nowhere else, and that the apprehension of them is not transitory, but a perpetual reconcilement of life."
Hillary Hahn is an artist who has fulfilled this vision, and may she recover and return to continue to resume her artistic mission to all of us.
--------------
Beautifully stated.
Shoulder rest? Did someone say SHOULDER REST??? Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch and I…
Uh-oh…deja vu all over again!
Time to take my meds…
Gulps, swallows…ah, feeling better!
But seriously, as it happens, I also learned a simple technique for playing without a shoulder rest from the late, great Aaron Rosand which I have passed on to my many pupils. But the choice of chinrest is just as important.
But does anyone know exactly where she pinched her nerve? Neck? Hand?
Thank you, Elizabeth, but my neck is not long. However, my shoulders slope horribly, so I have to use a shoulder rest, and the Kreddle chinrest, which is doubtless brilliant for people with long necks, did absolutely nothing for me.
I appreciate your appeal to Holy Scripture - It is, indeed, the only totally reliable source of help. I think it is possible, however, to divorce the physical actions in some forms of yoga from the false religious/philosophical context in which they were introduced. The same, I think, applies to some acupuncture procedures, that have now a totally scientific explanation - but they have to be applied to the right contexts: As some missionaries pointed out, people were relying on "the needles" in situations where they were totally useless.
I, too, am concerned as to what and where our dear Hilary's injury is - Would it, perhaps, pay her to retrain on the cello? I'm sure she would make a great cellist.
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July 31, 2024 at 07:58 PM · Rest and physical therapy! I wish her the best. Playing the violin is hard mentally, hard physically, and it's hard on the body.