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The ASO Newsletter - 22nd Edition

How can the Alexander Technique serve as a framework for learning to play a musical instrument? How do violinists use their bodies when they play, and can patterns of misuse be measured? In what ways can Alexander Technique teachers support musicians in their quest to be expressive?

In this 22nd edition of the ASO newsletter, we release a fascinating conversation that lies at the intersection between science, music, and the Alexander Technique. Gabriella Minnes Brandes leads a discussion that explores the questions above and many more through a process of personal reflection, technical insight, and rigorous research with three professional musicians: Alison Loram, Joan Blackman, and Domagoj Ivanovic.

All four presenters bring extensive experience in investigating the connections between the Alexander Technique and making music, and the discussion centers around Alison Loram’s research with violinists titled ‘Proactive Selective Inhibition Targeted at the Neck Muscles: This Proximal Constraint Facilitates Learning and Regulates Global Control’.

Throughout this open conversation, Alison speaks about the publications’ background, methodology, results, and how she shares this knowledge across Alexander-based, musical, and scientific communities. The four presenters further delve into a wide range of topics in the pursuit of a better understanding of the specific challenges and benefits of learning the violin with the Alexander Technique across pedagogical, institutional, psychological, physical, and cultural aspects.

Join us and leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below.

Part I: An introduction to the presenters and Alison’s research related to the Alexander Technique.

In the first video, each presenter gives a brief introduction and Alison provides some background on her research related to the Alexander Technique.

Part II: Reflections on initial stages of learning and playing the violin with the Alexander Technique

In the second video above, the conversation shares moments of frustration and discovery. It brings up challenges in integrating AT into learning to play a musical instrument and the frustration that can come with an increased awareness of patterns of misuse and the initial lack of ability to find an alternative when playing; particularly within a culture of end-gaining that is so deeply rooted in learning to play a musical instrument.

Part III: Delving further into the process of learning and playing the violin with the Alexander Technique

In the third video above, the presenters delve further into the process of learning to observe oneself and others, building awareness of what one is doing, and learning to change and to let go of unnecessary tension. They speak about chronic pain and the process of getting back to the violin in new ways physically, cognitively, and emotionally.

Part IV: Can patterns of misuse in violin players be measured?

How do violinists use their bodies when they play and what other factors may influence their use? Are there shared patterns of movement for those who play the violin? In part IV above, Alison speaks briefly of the methodology used in the study and begins to explain how her research helps to uncover and expose patterns of misuse of violinists through measurements that include such factors as body positioning and muscle tension. Findings demonstrated that all participants had patterns of misuse to varying degrees, and these could be measured.

Part V: On study specifics, consciousness in activity, stress, and use in musical expression.

In part 5 above, Alison provides more specifics on the research activities, intervention through verbal cues, and avoidance of jargon in the research process. A deeper exploration then ensues around interactions between AT and playing expressively that touches on questions such as: What happens to musicians when they play a piece that they love? How can a musician express their deepest and richest story through their instrument without technical, contextual, or physical barriers? What are the connections and challenges between playing consciously and playing expressively and how do those change over time?

Part VI: Finale

In part 6 above, the conversation concludes with an exploration into the ‘ends and means’ of creating art, and how the Alexander Technique can support artistic expression and learning throughout life. Questions touched upon include: What is art really about? How do we manage stress when we are young and when we are older, and how does this impact how we move or play? What do we do after we identify our habits and are able to choose to inhibit them? With AT, musicians learn to identify and register when they pull and tighten, let go of excessive tension, and change how they approach daily activities and the violin throughout their life. In performance, the musician is called upon to be “in the music”, conscious and alert, and able to bring into the present moment all the preparatory work to communicate a story and emotion through sound such that physical, cognitive and emotional aspects come together.

References

• Find Alison et al’s paper in the ASO Alexander Technique research list here.

• To download and read a free, open access copy of the research paper discussed please click here.

• Explaining The Alexander Technique to Clinicians and Scientists - presentation download here.

• A further overview of the research study discussed can be found at our friends’ site alexanderscience.com

Presenter Biographies

Alison Loram trained as a professional violinist at the Royal College Music in London. Drawn to the Alexander Technique by a persistent playing-related shoulder problem, she became a qualified teaching member of the Professional Association of Alexander Teachers in 1992 and has taught the Technique at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire since 1993.  After gaining a BSc & PhD from the University of Birmingham, Alison developed a career as an independent research scientist working at the University of Sheffield.  She became a registered British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) practitioner in 2008 and gained an MSc in Performing Arts Medicine from University College London in 2013.  Through her Alexander training and teaching, and personal experience of playing the violin, Alison has developed specialisms in improving musicians’ set-up in playing/singing, and their approaches to performing/practise.  Since the start of the Covid lockdown, Alison has been working online with violinists referred to her by a BAPAM hand surgeon.  Alison returned to playing the violin in 2011 and performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and freelance orchestral player in the UK. 

Joan Blackman, violin: Formerly the Associate Concertmaster of the Vancouver Symphony and now Artistic Director of Vancouver’s Vetta Chamber Music Society, Ms. Blackman is passionate about finding the creative spark and inspiring students, musicians, and audiences through music performance. Besides performing on, envisioning, and curating the Vetta Chamber Music series, Joan is an active member of the BC musical community working with UBC, VSO, the Vancouver Opera among others as a soloist musician, and teacher/coach. She has performed as soloist with the Vancouver Symphony, Victoria Symphony, in Banff, the CBC Radio Orchestra, and next year with the Vancouver Island Symphony. She has appeared on numerous series including Music in the Morning, Music Fest Vancouver, the Jeffrey Concerts in London, Ont., and the American String Project which brings together concertmasters from throughout North America. Joan is also a member of the ensemble “Sea and Sky” which has performed throughout BC and released several CDs. “Your heart would need to be made of stone not to have loved Joan Blackman’s splendid solo“. Zach Carstensen of Seattle’s Gathering Note “Shapelier phrases and sweeter tone would be hard to imagine”, “a ravishing tone” - Lloyd Dykk. Learn more: https://vettamusic.com

Domagoj Ivanovic moved to Canada in 2007, after graduating with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance at the University of Miami, where he held the post of  a Teaching Assistant, as well as served as an Assistant Concertmaster for the Miami Symphony Orchestra. Since then, he has quickly established himself as a violinist and an educator in the greater Vancouver area. Currently he is the Co-Head of Violin Department at the Vancouver Academy of Music and Director of Comox Youth Music Centre’s (CYMC) Classical program. As a performer he has shared the stage with some of the top ensembles in Vancouver, such as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and Turning Point Ensemble. He also adjudicated a number of festivals and competitions, such as the North Shore Music Festival, Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, Surrey Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, and University of British Columbia Concerto Competition, to name a few. Originally from Zagreb, Croatia, he began studying violin at the age of seven. During his studies he was the recipient of numerous prizes and awards in violin competitions at the national and international level, the most important being First Prize in the National Violin competition and First Prize in the National Chamber Music competition. As a soloist he appeared with several orchestras, most notably with the Zagreb Philharmonic orchestra, and the Miami Symphony orchestra. Described as a player with “clear technique and great sensitivity” he has performed all over Europe and North America, as well as China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Gabriella Minnes Brandes, Ph.D., has been teaching the Alexander Technique for over 30 years. She has maintained an active practice at the Alexander Technique Centre in Vancouver. For over a decade she taught the Alexander Technique in the Theatre department at Capilano University. She was the founder and co-director of the Vancouver School of the Alexander Technique, a three-year CANSTAT recognized school that ran for close to twenty years. Her research interests focus on connections between creativity, music making, performance and the application of concepts of the Alexander Technique. She is currently collaborating with Alexander teachers from the US, UK and the Netherlands to study the Alexander Technique and Mindfulness-Based Approaches in Stress Management. Informed by her Ph.D. in education. Gaby is also interested in articulating how current theories of learning relate to concepts of Alexander Technique.  Gaby works extensively in collaboration with musicians, voice, movement and acting instructors.  She is continuing to hone her skills as a teacher and communicator.   She is an active member of the Canadian Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique and served on the Board of Directors, also a member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (UK), the American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, and Alexander Technique International, where she currently serves as a Board Director. For more information click here.

Thank You

Thank you for being here and supporting research on the Alexander Technique and its teaching. Special thanks to Alison Loram, Joan Blackman, Domagoj Ivanovic and Gabriella Minnes Brandes for their generous contributions to this post. To all community members who have contributed so far, your work is appreciated and making a difference!

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