[TPIN] Alexander Technqiue

[matthewstock]

There's little I can add to Stan's outstanding summary beyond a hearty
second.  Last summer I was able to spend a week in Chicago working with John
Henes, a trumpeter and certified Alexander Teacher.  Since then I've been
driving to Dallas about once a month for a lesson.  It has done a lot to
free up my playing, both physically and musically.  Earlier this week I
conducted a little experiment using an old incentive spirometer I had lying
around.  Standing carelessly I could move about 3.75 liters of air.  Keeping
my body in good alingment I could max out the spirometer at 5.0 liters.

If you don't have the opportunity to study directly with a teacher, I'd
recommend looking at Michael Gelb's book "Body Learning" or Barbara
Conable's "What Every Musician Should Know About Their Body."  Or, try the
balanced resting state exercise on your own for a few days.   A descriptions
is at http://www.imogenragone.com/self.html .  After a few days play a few
easy things as soon as you rise.  I think you'll be pleased with the
results.

As Stan said, this is an ongoing process, but one well worth the effort.

Best wishes,
Matt


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stan Modjesky" <modjesky at verizon.net>
To: <dennyschreffler at email.com>
Cc: <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2008 3:53 PM
Subject: [TPIN] Alexander Technqiue


I had some Alexander lessons a few years ago, and I think they've
helped--when I remember to apply the principles.

The teacher in our area conducts two or three introductory group sessions,
around six people at a time. During these classes, you get the opportunity
to see the technique in action on others beside yourself. The main principle
behind the AT is keeping the spine relaxed and uncompressed. Teachers put
you through different tasks such as sitting down and getting up from a
chair, walking, walking up and down stairs before working on individual
problems. For example, you learn that it's easier to get up from a seated
position or climb stairs if you think of letting your head carry your body
upward, rather than lifting yourself using your legs. Subtly, your body
makes the right adjustment to accomplish this, such as having your feet
neither too far forward or tucked back too far under you when sitting.

When the teacher works with an individual, she will observe the motion, then
use her hand(s) to indicate a spot where a change is needed. It's not a
question of moving you into position, or anything close to massage. I
watched the teacher put her hand on a fellow student's shoulder and say, "If
you could just give me a little more relaxtion here." The student relaxed
the shoulder and the rest of us saw her appear to grow an inch or two taller
as her spine uncompressed itself.

The teacher I study with uses full sized human skeleton model to demonstrate
where the various joints of the body are located. You discover that your
general impression of the location of your hip joints, your diaphragm and
other parts is not altogether accurate. Watching the skeleton being moved is
great aid to understanding your own anatomy. As an example, teacher might
demonstrate the rotation of the forearm. The two main bones are the ulna
(the larger bone that lies in line with the little finger) and the radius (a
shorter bone that lies roughly in line with the thumb). You will see that as
the forearm rotates, these bones actually cross each other. The ulna is the
pivot of the rotational movement, and the radius is the bone that moves. So
if you are rotating your hand from a "shaking hands" position to one of
having your palm downwards, the freest movement is to rotate around the
little finger. Only the forearm moves. If you keep the thumb fixed in
position and rotate the hand outwards, the movement requires you to move
your upper arm and shoulder joints. This particular movement has some
importance to us as trumpeters; how we pick up the horn and transport it to
our face.

After a couple of group sessions, you'll usually have a one-on-one with the
AT teacher. Part of this session will include "table work," where you are
lying--prone, prostrate and on your side--on a massage table while moving
various body parts.

The practice of the AT is an ongoing process of thinking through how your
body works and developing new habits to use the muscles and skeleton in the
way that makes each motion easiest. "Getting out of your own way," is one
way this is expressed.

I have not been able to afford follow-up lessons, but if I had, we would
have worked on picking up and setting down the horn, and the actual motions
involved in playing. Just finished reading "Song and Wind," and noted that
Arnold Jacobs incorporated the AT in his teaching.

The major benefit I gained from my few lessons was developing the habit of
standing in a balanced, relaxed position without locking the knees. I saw
immediate benefits in both my trumpet playing and target shooting with a
pistol. (Which happens to be good cross-training.)

Stan Modjesky
Baltimore
http://music.pegnstan.com
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