Session VI (January 16)
From Walking to Running on Key – From a Solid to a Moving Arch: Scales & Arpeggios, a Few Practicalities
The hand’s power is derived from its arch structures – but to play, these structures must be in constant movement. How to move from a static to a fluid state without losing structural integrity? It’s tricky, but the design of the hand facilitates just that.
This seminar first has you walking “stiff-legged” on key but soon snapping thumb to finger vigorously and lightly to instil a sense of moving agility with no loss of stability. It’s a tall order but when the structure and function of the entire hand structure is well-understood, it leads to greatly improved dexterity and expressivity in your playing.
Seminar Structure:
1) 75-minute ATPM lesson: Relating to the Keys: Manipulating Them, Sauntering on Them, Running Through Them, Stretching Over Them
2) Two 40-minute individual lessons on repertoire, applying the seminar themes in performance.
3) 25-minute discussion and close: question & answer round table
This concludes this first 6-month exploration of the hand as a mini-body, The Exhale’s first seminar on Embodied Piano Technique. By now you should have established a sense of “skeletal security” in your hand, an awareness of the extent to which the bones transmit kinetic energy so much more effectively than the muscles. Yes, the muscles play their part, but elegantly, in a choreographed way, free from stress and strain. Every truly efficient movement is perceived as effortless.
Monthly dates 2021
- June 20 (Free Introductory Session available to view HERE)
- July 18
- September 19
- October 17
- November 21
- December 19
- January 16
Please follow the link to view the entire six month course content.
Introduction to Piano Somatics A 6 month Study Group Lesson plan