"I cannot thank Ms. Cheroff enough for the sensitive and professional way that she helped me to truly save my career, and I am thrilled to be living, working and playing pain and medication-free."
Stephanie L., organist/pianist, NY
"You have changed my life in understanding how my hands and fingers work. I thought I could never be fixed."
Carmela C., Pianist, NYC
"I was experiencing stiffness and fatigue in my hands, wrists and arms....Ms. Cheroff showed me now to support my fingers and to lift them in a unified way with the other fingers and the rotation of the forearms. Miraculously, in that short time period, these difficulties abated. I began to feel ease and coordination in my playing."
Matt E. pianist, Northampton, MA
“Alison demonstrated a sharp eye for spotting even small departures from coordinate movement. She helped considerably in that brief period. She had excellent suggestions on a Haydn Sonata which eventually sparkled with her input.”
Harvey B., Medical Director, Jefferson University Hospital, PA
"After a twenty-year hiatus from playing the piano, I started to play again recently...With Alison's encouragement, I secured an audition for the Off-Broadway show, TWO PIANOS, FOUR HANDS. As part of my audition, I was required to play Bach's Prelude in D Minor. Alison's work with me on this piece was invaluable. A month later, I was cast in the New York production, and this past summer...at Toronto's legendary Royal Alexandra Theatre...and in January, I will originate my same role in the US National tour. As you can clearly see, my time spent with Alison has not only improved my piano skills, but has jump-started my career, as well as my own sense of self-esteem."
R. B., NYC
"In one lesson with Ms. Cheroff I experienced immediate relief from the pains in my hands, neck and back: since then I have been playing without pain."
Jennifer S., pianist, Medford, OR
"I am 17 years old...I had been having lots of pain in my hands, especially my wrists. With Ms. Cheroff, I have been taught how to move my fingers, hand and arms in a completely different way. All the pain is gone. Now I love playing more than ever."
Molly B., piano student NYC
"I can literally say that during my first session I rediscovered how it was to be pain-free at the piano."
Donna W., piano teacher, Ashland, OR
"...my hands quickly became too painful to play for more than 30-40 minutes, particularly my right wrist, which required icing, compression and rest in order to allow me to continue the following day. The situation was compounded by the keyboarding at the computer...Alison identified the problems immediately.
"Over the months, we have been working together, using the Taubman method...I can now play (and type) for extended periods, without discomfort and with markedly increasing facility at the piano. Moreover, her sense of the piano as an instrument, her understanding of music and the unique richness of each of the composers that I am studying--Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Haydn--have been a pleasure and have afforded me crucial insights for interpretation. In a sense she has saved my musical life."
James L. , pianist and journalist, NYC
"Suffering with tendonitis in my right hand, I was grateful to have a private lesson with Ms. Cheroff. I was not disappointed. At the piano, she pointed out a real drop and twist in my right hand and wrist. By practicing motion as outlined by Ms. Cheroff at the piano, and by following her suggestions for the computer keyboard, I have made significant progress. I only suffer pain and weakness if I stray."
Nancy H., pianist, Ashland, OR
Surgery Prevention Testimonial
"I am writing in order to give my strongest recommendation for Alison Cheroff and her abilities in working with occupational injuries and rehabilitation. I began experiencing severe pain in my left wrist. I am employed as an organist/pianist. My orthopedist sent me for a series of tests, including electric shock tests. The diagnosis from these tests was carpal tunnel syndrome in my left wrist, with tissue damage to my sensory nerves. My orthopedist then sent me to a hand surgeon, who recommended immediate surgery on my wrist, to open up the flow of nerves. He could not, however, guarantee that there would be absolutely no ill effect from the surgery, including my ability to play the piano.
"I continued playing (while wearing a wrist brace full-time and taking prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, which never eased the pain) all winter. Through a mutual friend, I was put in touch with Alison Cheroff, but I was quite skeptical about her ability to help me.
"At my first meeting with Ms. Cheroff, she watched me play the piano, and made several adjustments to my posture, arm position, forearm rotation, and muscle use. She addressed the over-involvement of my shoulders and upper arms. We worked on the rotations of the forearms. We also corrected my low wrists and problems with twisting.
"When our first hour of working together came to an end, I was amazed to realize that I was feeling less pain that I had been in months. Within weeks, all of the pain had subsided. If a task I was undertaking caused me pain through my own forgetfulness of how to do it 'correctly,' I was able to apply the principles that she taught me, and instantly correct myself. I cannot thank Ms. Cheroff enough for the sensitive and professional way that she helped me to truly save my career, and I am thrilled to be living, working and playing pain and medication-free."
Stephanie L., organist/pianist, NY
Stephanie L., organist/pianist, NY
"You have changed my life in understanding how my hands and fingers work. I thought I could never be fixed."
Carmela C., Pianist, NYC
"I was experiencing stiffness and fatigue in my hands, wrists and arms....Ms. Cheroff showed me now to support my fingers and to lift them in a unified way with the other fingers and the rotation of the forearms. Miraculously, in that short time period, these difficulties abated. I began to feel ease and coordination in my playing."
Matt E. pianist, Northampton, MA
“Alison demonstrated a sharp eye for spotting even small departures from coordinate movement. She helped considerably in that brief period. She had excellent suggestions on a Haydn Sonata which eventually sparkled with her input.”
Harvey B., Medical Director, Jefferson University Hospital, PA
"After a twenty-year hiatus from playing the piano, I started to play again recently...With Alison's encouragement, I secured an audition for the Off-Broadway show, TWO PIANOS, FOUR HANDS. As part of my audition, I was required to play Bach's Prelude in D Minor. Alison's work with me on this piece was invaluable. A month later, I was cast in the New York production, and this past summer...at Toronto's legendary Royal Alexandra Theatre...and in January, I will originate my same role in the US National tour. As you can clearly see, my time spent with Alison has not only improved my piano skills, but has jump-started my career, as well as my own sense of self-esteem."
R. B., NYC
"In one lesson with Ms. Cheroff I experienced immediate relief from the pains in my hands, neck and back: since then I have been playing without pain."
Jennifer S., pianist, Medford, OR
"I am 17 years old...I had been having lots of pain in my hands, especially my wrists. With Ms. Cheroff, I have been taught how to move my fingers, hand and arms in a completely different way. All the pain is gone. Now I love playing more than ever."
Molly B., piano student NYC
"I can literally say that during my first session I rediscovered how it was to be pain-free at the piano."
Donna W., piano teacher, Ashland, OR
"...my hands quickly became too painful to play for more than 30-40 minutes, particularly my right wrist, which required icing, compression and rest in order to allow me to continue the following day. The situation was compounded by the keyboarding at the computer...Alison identified the problems immediately.
"Over the months, we have been working together, using the Taubman method...I can now play (and type) for extended periods, without discomfort and with markedly increasing facility at the piano. Moreover, her sense of the piano as an instrument, her understanding of music and the unique richness of each of the composers that I am studying--Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Haydn--have been a pleasure and have afforded me crucial insights for interpretation. In a sense she has saved my musical life."
James L. , pianist and journalist, NYC
"Suffering with tendonitis in my right hand, I was grateful to have a private lesson with Ms. Cheroff. I was not disappointed. At the piano, she pointed out a real drop and twist in my right hand and wrist. By practicing motion as outlined by Ms. Cheroff at the piano, and by following her suggestions for the computer keyboard, I have made significant progress. I only suffer pain and weakness if I stray."
Nancy H., pianist, Ashland, OR
Surgery Prevention Testimonial
"I am writing in order to give my strongest recommendation for Alison Cheroff and her abilities in working with occupational injuries and rehabilitation. I began experiencing severe pain in my left wrist. I am employed as an organist/pianist. My orthopedist sent me for a series of tests, including electric shock tests. The diagnosis from these tests was carpal tunnel syndrome in my left wrist, with tissue damage to my sensory nerves. My orthopedist then sent me to a hand surgeon, who recommended immediate surgery on my wrist, to open up the flow of nerves. He could not, however, guarantee that there would be absolutely no ill effect from the surgery, including my ability to play the piano.
"I continued playing (while wearing a wrist brace full-time and taking prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, which never eased the pain) all winter. Through a mutual friend, I was put in touch with Alison Cheroff, but I was quite skeptical about her ability to help me.
"At my first meeting with Ms. Cheroff, she watched me play the piano, and made several adjustments to my posture, arm position, forearm rotation, and muscle use. She addressed the over-involvement of my shoulders and upper arms. We worked on the rotations of the forearms. We also corrected my low wrists and problems with twisting.
"When our first hour of working together came to an end, I was amazed to realize that I was feeling less pain that I had been in months. Within weeks, all of the pain had subsided. If a task I was undertaking caused me pain through my own forgetfulness of how to do it 'correctly,' I was able to apply the principles that she taught me, and instantly correct myself. I cannot thank Ms. Cheroff enough for the sensitive and professional way that she helped me to truly save my career, and I am thrilled to be living, working and playing pain and medication-free."
Stephanie L., organist/pianist, NY