Jeff Beal uses the piano to combat multiple sclerosis

Composer Jeff Beal has today released his latest album The New York Études with Platoon. The album, comprised of works written when Beal moved to New York in 2021, reflects the role that playing the piano has played in combatting the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

One of the most common causes of disability in younger adults, MS can affect the brain and spinal cord causing problems with vision, balance and mobility. The condition could have meant the end of Beal’s successful career as a composer for film and stage but, following his diagnosis in 2007, doctors advised Beal to spend as much time as possible at the piano, and the practice has been effective in supporting the composer’s motor skills and cognitive function and combating symptoms of MS.

Talking about his diagnosis Beal said: ‘The practice of making music is of utmost importance in my daily life. When I received my diagnosis, I researched ways that I might strengthen my brain.  Learning about music’s impact on neuroplasticity, or the rewiring of the brain around areas of damage, gave me the impetus I needed to spend more time at the piano. These compositions are an organic result of this. An added benefit I discovered while composing and practicing the Études was the sense of calm and focus I experienced. I’ve become keenly aware of the importance of wellness rituals for all of us that promote good mental, spiritual, and physical health.’

The majority of Beal’s MS lesions were located on the corpus callosum – an area of the brain which is often hyper-developed in musicians. The area connects the right and left hemisphere and piano playing helps strengthen this connection and Beal’s daily practice has become essential for sustaining brain health and cognitive function.