Arts > Music

‘Of testing times and hoped-for miracles’ by Robert Schubert; on using the Technique to change performance anxiety (especially exams), focusing on the use of the self instead of being attached to the outcome.[1]   References [1] ‘Of testing times and hoped-for miracles’ by Robert Schubert in Galvanizing Performance by Cathy Madden, Kathleen Juhl (Jessica Kingsley […]

Articles ‘Body Mapping for string players’ by John Crawford contains examples of body mapping for violin/viola players.[1]   ‘Looking at the double bass’ by Peter Buckoke; observations on playing the double bass, including bow grip, left arm, left hand fingers, bowing, playing near the bridge.[2]   ‘String playing and the Technique’ by Elisabeth Waterhouse; reminiscences […]

Articles ‘A pianist’s thoughts on the Alexander Technique’ by Nelly Ben-Or; on the importance of the Technique for piano playing, of first absorbing all the details of the music and learning to see it in relation to its constantly flowing placement on the keyboard.[1]   ‘The Alexander Technique in the preparation and performance of music’ […]

(The categories below are not exact as there frequently is an overlap between the teaching of children and teaching in music colleges.)   General ‘The space between the notes’ by Ron Colyer reflects on the role of the Alexander Technique in music conservatories.[1]   ‘The early days of Alexander Teaching in music’ by Elizabeth Langford […]

Books Indirect Procedures by Pedro de Alcantara.[1]   What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body – The Practical Application of Body Mapping and the Alexander Technique to Making Music by Barbara Conable.[2]   Mind, Muscle and Music by Elizabeth Langford.[3]   Integrated Practice by Pedro de Alcantara.[4]   The Alexander Technique for Musicians […]

‘Grabbing the bird by the tale’ by Alex Murray contains observations on many years of applying the Technique to flute playing.[1]   ‘Mi Soh Fa’ by Paul Chapman; on his experiences of learning the flute and teaching the flute at the Trinity College of Music.[2]   ‘Finding my true voice’ by Heather Strizalkowski; an autobiographical […]

Books Just Play Naturally by Vivien Mackie and Joe Armstrong. An account of studying with Pablo Casals in the 1950s and the similarity with the principles of the Alexander Technique.[1]   Cello, Bow and You by Evangeline Benedetti.[2]   Articles ‘Applying chairwork to cello playing’ by Eckhart Richter lists nine typical misuses among cellists and […]

‘Brass tax’ by Patrick Gundry-White; some observations on brass playing, including on the diaphragm, the ‘jazz pelvis’, on playing while sitting or standing.[1]   References [1] ‘Brass tax’ by Patrick Gundry-White in Papers from the 4th International Music Conference 2000 edited by Peter Buckoke (Peter Buckoke, 2000), pp. 41–49.