"How" you are doing...

Greetings,

Check out this great article by Frank M. Sheldon, former Director of The Virginia School for Alexander Technique and Co-Founder of the summer Sweet Briar, Virginia residential course in the Alexander Technique.

This article is a wonderful reminder that awareness in practice helps us "get out of our own way" when performing. How we work on music is truly the most important route to success. "Cramming" for your lesson is the worst possible scenario for progress!

My technique is based on inhibition, the inhibition of undesirable, unwanted responses to stimuli, and hence it is primarily a technique for the development of the control of human reaction.--F. Matthias Alexander

Alexander Technique for Musicians: Working to a Principle by Pedro de Alcantara

More information about the Alexander Technique

Practice wisely and with awareness.
Catherine

"...speed is one of those things you have to give up ...before it comes flying to you through the back window."--W.A. Mathieu

"....You cannot achieve speed by speedy practice. The only way to get fast is to be deep, wide awake, and slow. When you habitually zip through your music, your ears are crystallizing in sloppiness." ....Pray for the patience of a stonecutter. ....Pray to understand that speed is one of those things you have to give up - like love - before it comes flying to you through the back window."

--'The Listening Book' by W.A. Mathieu, p. 101.


Greetings,

I say it again and again to students (and keep reminding myself!), slow practice builds excellent technique. My personal rule: "ten times slow for every time up to speed." Awareness, of self and every musical detail, is the quickest path to virtuosity.

Best,
Catherine