Symposium "String Playing in Balance" in June

The symposium “String Playing in Balance” on June 9th, 2013 at Oundle School, Peterborough, England, will present the findings of a 3-year educational pilot of the ergonomics of violin playing. Crissman Taylor, Alexander teacher at Utrecht Conservatoire, has been working with her Violinist in Balance team of experts to customize chin rests and shoulder rests of teachers and students. Collaboration with the Oundle team of Alexander and upper string teachers, under the leadership of Angus Gibbon, Head of Strings, includes creating equipment criteria for healthy violin playing, and developing an interdisciplinary educational approach to enhance the Alexander Technique  and upper strings lessons at Oundle School. At the symposium, Peter Buckoke, Professor of Alexander Technique and double bass player in the Royal College, will demonstrate his work with cellists and bass players, and Sue Holladay will present her new book about children called “Playing with Posture.”

The Symposium is open to all interested parties including String Teachers and Alexander Technique teachers. ESTA members are particularly welcome.
Time 10.00am- 5.00pm  A light lunch will be provided
Cost £60 per delegate
For further information and to book a place please contact:
Angus Gibbon Head of Strings, Oundle School, The Music School, Gascoigne Building Oundle PE8 4AL, England, GB

Email apg@oundleschool.org.uk       Telephone +44 (0)1832-277132

Masters of invention: Casals and Menuhin and the Alexander Technique

Artist in Balance was involved in a spring project for strings at the Utrecht Conservatory in March 2012.

There are some master musicians whose discoveries about playing are so revolutionary that they are often still misunderstood. Their ideas and procedures were ahead of their time, and can now be better understood through advancements in science.

This was a chance for the conservatory musicians to understand and apply some of the greatest discoveries about string playing made by two master teachers of the 20th century, Pablo Casals and Yehudi Menuhin. The principles they each discovered are useful for all string players. 

Utrecht Conservatory violin teacher Lis Perry, a student of Menuhin, cello teacher Ran Varon and violin teacher Joyce Tan were joined by cellist Vivien Mackie, who studied with Pablo Casals, for a week of private lessons, master classes, workshops. The Alexander teachers of the Utrecht Alexander Technique Institute for Musicians gave private lessons, and a yoga instructor, former viola teacher Prunella Pacey, gave the students  first hand experience of the role of yoga in the work of Menuhin.

Guest master teacher Vivien Mackie
Vivien Mackie is the author of the book "Just Play Naturally," an account of Vivien Mackie's cello studies for three years with Pablo Casals and the parallels she discovered afterwards with the Alexander Technique, in which she later trained. One of Casals' edicts, 'do only what is necessary,' points at once to a parallel with Alexander's teaching.

Vivien Mackie is also a renowned Alexander teacher.By guiding the student with her hands while they play she can allow the student to experience the physicality of Casal’s teaching first hand, and not just through words alone. 

Expanding the work for children

Pilot Study at Oundle School, England

Violinist in Balance is working at the Oundle School in Petersborough, England to develop equipment and curriculum for young violinists and violists. Together with our team of chin rest and shoulder rest experts, and Oundle's excellent violin/viola teachers and Alexander Technique teachers, we are:

• building a curriculum for teaching staff and children
• developing new equipment for teachers and students
• setting criteria and fitting procedures for yearly equipment checks as children grow

Results of this two year project will be presented at an MMA symposium at the Royal College of Music in 2013, date to be announced. (Music Masters and Mistresses Association of Great Britain)  Or just check our site under the Oundle section for the latest news.