Alexander Technique
For Musicians / Performers
"No pain, no gain"
is a mantra that athletes learn from an early age. The same is true for many musicians and, by extension, the performing arts as well. Sore shoulders, stiff necks, aching backs and sore wrists have long been accepted as the price to be paid for reaching the top of the profession. It's important to note that in addition to musculoskeletal disorders, there are many other psycho-physical and stress-related conditions affecting musicians.
Highly trained athletes
Musicians' training requirements are similar to those of Olympic athletes. They may not need to train for the same muscular strength and endurance as athletes. However, the very long hours and repetitive nature of the movements they make with their instrument can be very demanding on the musculoskeletal system.
Talent versus skill
It is a common belief that talent is the difference between the average person and the star performer at whatever task they do. But from what I have observed of the so-called talented, I would suggest that the talented are those who do only what is needed at the time it needs to be done. This shows itself in a very obvious way on the physical level. For some it is intuitive. For the average person, it is precisely this kind of insight that they have to acquire before they can build up a good and fruitful relationship with their instrument.
Posture versus movement
The human body is a machine for movement, not a machine for posture. It is our perception of our human posture that causes most of the stiffness and tension in our lives. The key thing we need is good postural tone, which allows us to move and function with ease and energy. Most of us take movement for granted until an injury occurs or a special task is required, such as playing an instrument. Perhaps it is at these moments that people become more aware of what they are doing.
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Prevention
No one would argue with the fact that, in many areas of life, it is better to take a preventative approach than a curative one. This is certainly true in the field of education. Students are guided and trained for a fulfilling and rewarding future.
Conservatories, colleges of music and the management of orchestras therefore need to take early action to promote health and prevent Playing-related Pain (PR Pain) and other Playing-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMDs). These activities can prepare musicians for the professional demands they will face. They can protect them from further injury and improve their performance.
As well as specific attention to instrumental technique and the cultivation of artistic expression for emerging performers, it is important to pay attention to the overall coordination of the musician. How we play is also relevant to what we play, if at the very least we are aiming for a style of playing that is free from undue tension and free in its expression.
Alexander Technique
In the 125 years that the Alexander Technique (AT) has been around, it has become known and celebrated in all kinds of performance environments. This is partly due to the fact that F.M. Alexander himself made his living as an actor and performer. These artists are first and foremost musicians, dancers, actors and singers, but also sportsmen and women and, in a broader sense, the general public.
AT is, in a sense, a built-in brake on the ever-increasing drive for quick results or success that is at the root of all learning. But we all know that the consequences of success are many, both good and bad, and it is precisely the simple question of how we do things that gives room for reflection and the chance to respond in a more structured and intellectual way to how we function.
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Simply put: STOP - THINK - ACT.
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AT training may have more in common with the concept of neuroplasticity than with any other form of physical therapy. AT also differs from other methods that attempt to influence both structure and function of the body (such as gymnastics, yoga, Pilates or Feldenkrais) in that it does not require a practice regime separate from the daily life of the musician or artist. AT teaches and encourages us to achieve greater awareness in activity. Or, in the words of the American philosopher J. Dewey, "thinking in activity"
