A chamber coach, an accompanist, a private lessons teacher, and an accomplished pianist, University of New Hampshire senior Valerie Peters’ achievements just begin there.
“She is a wonderful human being,” said her piano teacher, UNH Professor Arlene Kies.
Peters, who is pursuing her Bachelors Degree in Music Education, is already considered to be a very accomplished pianist by her peers as well as her teachers.
Not only has she done all of this and more, but she’s done it with only seven fingers and no one would ever know.
“She played so well the first time I heard her that I had no idea,” said Kies, speaking of the first time they met. Kies visited Peters’ high school, Pinkerton Academy, when Peters was a junior. Kies conducted a master class, or a group lesson, and heard Peters play for the first time.
“I was really worried all she’d see me as was someone with seven fingers,” said Peters. But that was not the case. Kies asked Peters to play a certain line for her than tried it as well, also only using seven of her fingers. “No one had ever done that for me before,” said Peters.
Peters said she was touched deeply by Kies empathy and from that meeting onward was set on coming to UNH for music. “I knew I wanted to study with Arlene,” said Peters.
Peters, who was born with an atypical cleft hand, only has her thumb and pinky finger on her right hand. The condition, which is not genetic, occurs during days twelve to sixteen of pregnancy, according to Peters.
“She’s had a hard time believing me, but we’re all missing something,” said Kies. “No person has every single thing.”
Playing piano with only seven fingers is no easy accomplishment. Peters has had to invent new techniques in order to learn music, such as crossing hands and playing two notes with her right thumb. “It’s forced me to be creative,” said Peters.
Kies says when Peters first began studying with her she would try to give her fingerings, but Peters has flourished quickly and now is normally able to discover finger patterns on her own.
Being creative hasn’t always been easy, however. “I’ve always felt I’ve needed to do everything better than everyone else,” said Peters, “I needed to make it so obvious that my hand didn’t matter.”
Peters practices piano around three hours a day every day. During her sophomore year she says she used to practice six hours a day, sometimes putting off sleep in order to squeeze extra practicing hours in.
Peters also gets frustrated on occasion because she feels that she cannot do justice to the music. “I’ve always been hard on myself,” said Peters, “it’s just that good enough is such a relative term.”
Most of her audience, however, can’t notice anything different at all. Instead, they are simply awed by her playing.
“Val’s senior recital was one of the best, if not the best, that I have been to at UNH,” said fellow musician, and long-time friend Luke Miller. “The recital hall was packed for the performance,” said Miller. Miller, also a graduate of the music program at UNH, has known Peters for over ten years.
Peters recently played her senior recital in the Bratton room of the PCAC. She performed for a crowded room of friends and family who became teary-eyed as she gave thanks following the recital.
“She plays with intense emotion and pulls the audience right into the music with her through her precise attention to detail,” said Miller, “[She is] well liked by all of her peers and teachers too.”
Her piano teacher agrees as well. Kies said that many students lack developed musicality, or tone or a certain technique. Not Peters. “She doesn’t lack anything else [when she plays]. Everything else is there,” said Kies.
And Peters accomplishments don’t stop there. Peters is also very involved in a support group for children with upper limb differences called the Helping Hands Foundation.
Helping Hands meets semiannually for a weekend of fun and support. The past few years Peters has organized chamber ensembles for some of the children who also play instruments. “It’s an adorable disaster,” said Peters, “but the parents love it.”
Peters says that every years she gets calls from parents asking if their children will be alright, and what they will and won’t be able to do.
“It means a lot to me,” said Peters, “to be able to tell parents that their kid is going to be able to tie their shoes.”
Peters has put so much into Helping Hands that she has become the youngest person ever to join the board of directors for the New Hampshire division of the foundation.
“I didn’t want the name seven-fingered pianist,” said Peters, “but if I can use it to be a role model I will.”
Peters is not only a role model for children with hand disabilities, but to her fellow classmates as well. Kies said at times she has to struggle to not become frustrated with her other students who do not work as hard as Peters.
“She works very hard,” said Peters, “I think she’ll have a career in music. I have no worries for her.”
Peters hopes to continue teaching piano privately when she graduates from college. First, however, she wants to take a year off from school to live in Germany and teach English to German students.
“She’s excellent at German,” said classmate Nicole Labbe, a junior.
Despite her other talents, Peters’ true love lies in music. She hopes to attend graduate school in conducting upon her return to the United States.
“I tell my students to do something besides piano [for graduate school],” said Kies. “She’d be an ace piano teacher because she has good social and communication skills and is so empathetic.”
Kies has also suggested that Peters pursue a career in vocal coaching. Since Peters is accomplished in German as well as English, learning the signing language of IPA (a system for being able to pronounce German, French and Italian,) should come easily to her.
As a vocal coach, Peters would be able to accompany singers on piano while helping them with their phrasing and pronunciation. “Beginning singers all the way to professional singers on the road use vocal coaches,” said Kies.
Although Peters is not sure exactly what she wants to do besides continuing teaching piano privately, she knows she wants to continue in music. Currently, she teaches piano to a boy who also has a hand difference.
“Half the time I think ‘Why does this poor kid want to play piano?’” said Peters. But then she looks at herself. “I don’t know if I’ll ever just perform [for a living], but I do want to keep practicing.”
