Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors
This article explores the effectiveness of Alexander Technique in reducing tension in piano playing. Much of the literature regarding the Alexander Technique tends to be guide books for various uses targeting actors, musicians, sportsmen and so forth. There are also a growing number of alternative m...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2015
|
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/1/47839.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848850919577354240 |
|---|---|
| author | Loo, Fung Ying Evens, Gabriel Isaac Hashim, Mohd Nasir Loo, Fung Chiat |
| author_facet | Loo, Fung Ying Evens, Gabriel Isaac Hashim, Mohd Nasir Loo, Fung Chiat |
| author_sort | Loo, Fung Ying |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This article explores the effectiveness of Alexander Technique in reducing tension in piano playing. Much of the literature regarding the Alexander Technique tends to be guide books for various uses targeting actors, musicians, sportsmen and so forth. There are also a growing number of alternative medical research studies that examine the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique in reducing disability in Parkinson disease, improving postural equilibrium, and relieving back pain. However in the area of music performance, little empirical research has been carried out. In this study, fifteen undergraduate piano majors from a local university in Malaysia were recruited as research subjects. Four major principles of the Alexander Technique were employed in this test. Observation was carried out and a report of tension in certain body parts was recorded. The subjects went through fourteen week of lessons taught by an Alexander Technique instructor, and a survey was carried out. The results indicate a positive outcome that Alexander Technique may help pianists to reduce tension. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T10:13:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-47839 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T10:13:56Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-478392016-07-13T03:53:08Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/ Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors Loo, Fung Ying Evens, Gabriel Isaac Hashim, Mohd Nasir Loo, Fung Chiat This article explores the effectiveness of Alexander Technique in reducing tension in piano playing. Much of the literature regarding the Alexander Technique tends to be guide books for various uses targeting actors, musicians, sportsmen and so forth. There are also a growing number of alternative medical research studies that examine the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique in reducing disability in Parkinson disease, improving postural equilibrium, and relieving back pain. However in the area of music performance, little empirical research has been carried out. In this study, fifteen undergraduate piano majors from a local university in Malaysia were recruited as research subjects. Four major principles of the Alexander Technique were employed in this test. Observation was carried out and a report of tension in certain body parts was recorded. The subjects went through fourteen week of lessons taught by an Alexander Technique instructor, and a survey was carried out. The results indicate a positive outcome that Alexander Technique may help pianists to reduce tension. Elsevier 2015 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/1/47839.pdf Loo, Fung Ying and Evens, Gabriel Isaac and Hashim, Mohd Nasir and Loo, Fung Chiat (2015) Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174. pp. 2413-2417. ISSN 1877-0428 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815009623 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.910 |
| spellingShingle | Loo, Fung Ying Evens, Gabriel Isaac Hashim, Mohd Nasir Loo, Fung Chiat Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| title | Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| title_full | Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| title_fullStr | Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| title_short | Tension release in piano playing: teaching Alexander Technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| title_sort | tension release in piano playing: teaching alexander technique to undergraduate piano majors |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/47839/1/47839.pdf |