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Akiko Trush: From Dissociation to Mastery: An Approach to Musician's Focal Dystonia - September 17, 2026: 8:00 – 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

Akiko Trush: From Dissociation to Mastery: An Approach to Musician’s Focal Dystonia – September 17, 2026: 8:00 – 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

September 17, 2026: 8:00 – 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

From Dissociation to Mastery: An Approach to Musician’s Focal Dystonia (Class length 2 hrs.)

Join this masterclass with Akiko Trush, a recovered pianist who now works with musicians navigating Musician’s Focal Dystonia (MFD) — from young students to career performers, professors, and lifelong amateurs, some of whom have lived with symptoms for decades. While Akiko’s specific expertise lies in working with mostly pianists, this class is open to all instrumentalists and anyone curious about MFD, as many of the underlying principles of retraining apply across instruments.

Drawing on firsthand recovery and years of retraining musicians at every stage of the process, this session introduces a distinctive approach to MFD grounded in a simple but powerful idea: dystonia is not just a symptom to suppress, but a disconnection between what the body is actually doing and what the affected musician perceives it to be doing. Through video feedback, symmetrical playing, and targeted techniques like task reassignment and sensory reconstruction, participants will learn how this method helps rebuild the missing physical, sensory, and cognitive information that natural movement depends on — closing the gap between distorted sensation and observable reality.

The masterclass will include live demonstrations (primarily piano-based) followed by individual Q&A slots, where attendees — pianists and non-pianists alike — can bring their own specific symptoms and playing challenges for personalized insight into how this retraining framework might apply to their own recovery.

 

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Biography

Akiko Trush is an award-winning pianist, educator, and collaborative artist based in Tokyo. She has performed internationally as both soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Mexico, and Japan, and maintains an active career as a collaborative pianist.

Trush’s academy in Tokyo is dedicated to artistic excellence, respect for composers and pedagogical traditions, and fostering authentic human creativity and connection through music. Her technical philosophy emphasizes mindful awareness of both the inner and outer environment, integrating the biological, neurological, and expressive processes involved in piano performance into a holistic artistic practice.

Alongside her educational work, Akiko has conducted extensive study into the relationship between physical movement, neurology, psychology, and musical performance, drawing from both pedagogical research and personal experience. Through lectures, educational programs, and individualized retraining work, she specializes in supporting musicians affected by focal dystonia. Her highly individualized approach examines the specific neurological, physical, sensory, and psychological disruptions underlying each performer’s experience. By carefully addressing these interconnected processes, she guides musicians toward a deeper understanding of physical coordination and artistic function, allowing them to regain confidence, expressive freedom, and a more complete realization of their performance potential.

Born in Tokyo, Akiko Trush began studying piano at the age of five in Los Angeles. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and received her Master of Music degree from Tulane University, where she later served on the faculty teaching piano performance and music theory. Her principal teachers include Akiko Hasunuma, Monique Duphi, and Faina Lushtak, among others.

Trush currently serves as a founding member of the Musician Dystonia Coach Alliance for Rehabilitation and Education, is Vice Representative of the American College of Musicians Japan Chapter, and is founder and director of the Matsubara Chamber Music Festival.

SPECIALITIES:

Focal dystonia (hand)

LANGUAGES:

English, Japanese

 

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