This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Performing Musicians and Exercise, is published on this website in a PDF format. It shows the performing musician how to exercise without causing wear and tear to the body or compromise the quality of their performing technique.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A.
Recently I heard two young children play classical instruments, a piano and a violin. They were clearly prodigies. They played very difficult pieces very very well. But there was a problem.
I wasn’t blinded by their talent. What I saw was great talent playing very difficult pieces with INADEQUATE technique. What do I mean?
Both of the performers struggled through their performances, but on the surface, to the watchers and listeners in the audience, the listeners felt they were watching/hearing greatness. They were! But, both performers in a few years were probably going to develop pains and strains and possibly injuries.
This isn’t unique to musicians. Great natural athletes also create physical wear and tear and injuries with inadequate technique.
WHAT IS INADEQUATE TECHNIQUE?
IT IS THE INABILITY FOR THE PERFORMING MUSICIAN OR THE GREAT ATHLETE TO DO WHAT THEY DO WITHOUT WEAR AND TEAR AND STRAIN TO MAKE IT THROUGH A PERFORMANCE OR ATHLETIC EVENT.
What is inadequate technique?
INADEQUATE TECHNIQUE IS USING THE BODY IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS SO MECHANICALLY DISADVANTAGEOUS, THAT THE PERFORMER OR THE ATHLETE IS USING INCREDIBLY INEFFICIENT TECHNIQUE TO GET THE JOB DONE. Why is this so common?
We live in a word that admires the enormously talented musician and athlete who seem to play well or do a sport well. Most people who listen to the musician perform or watch the athlete win have little awareness of the physical price that is being paid.
If there is any awareness of the wear and tear to the musician’s body or the athlete’s body at all, that’s the way it has to be.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WANT TO BE GREAT AT SOMETHING PHYSICAL, WEAR AND TEAR AND INJURIES ARE THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY TO BE THE BEST AND TO BE ADMIRED.
Are injuries a given for the great performer and athlete? If you look at the number of injured performing musicians and athletes, injury looks inevitable. Is it?
What if most performing musicians and most competing athletes get injured, NOT because that is the price you have to pay for playing the most difficult musical literature or for competing to win.
WHAT IF MOST PERFORMERS AND ATHLETES GET INJURED BECAUSE THEY AREN’T TAUGHT HOW TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT OR RUN WITHOUT EXCESS STRAIN AND WASTED EXAGGERATED MOVEMENTS AND POOR POSTURE.
If you accept what I’ve just written, then the way to performing and athletic injury free freedom is to work with an Alexander Technique teacher. With a CERTIFIED Alexander Technique teacher you will learn what truly physically works, what doesn’t work, and how to teach yourself (troubleshoot) a technique that works.
What the Alexander Technique teacher does for his or her students so incredibly well is teach the student how do less and less work to create a technique that never stops improving.
This means that the performing musician or competing athlete learns how to perform with extraordinary accuracy, or compete by using a technique and movements that DON’T COMPROMISE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE BODY AND DON’T WEAR THE BODY OUT.
