After playing chamber music and solo piano concerts professionally for several years, I was asked to play two important concerts with a well-known musician. I felt that it was a wonderful opportunity, and I accepted it.
The concerts required me to learn a great deal of music in a very short time. Although I was used to learning quickly, these particular pieces were more technically difficult, more demanding, than anything I'd ever played before. I began to practice intensively for long periods of time in order to learn the music. During this time of preparation, I began to feel pain in my arms, which made it difficult for me to play freely. However, I continued to prepare diligently and the concerts went well. I was even invited to play with this musician again.
Once the concerts were over, I began to feel a lot of pain in my arms whenever I tried to practice. This prevented me from playing the challenging pieces I had been playing, or from practicing for any length of time. It seemed as if I had injured myself from overwork. I sought help from several doctors, and although they tried to help me, nothing brought relief.
