Forward and Up: An Exploration of Implementations of the Alexander Technique in Post-Secondary Music Institutions
Abstract
Music performance is a psychophysical affair. Like athletes, musicians need to be physically, mentally, and emotionally fit in order to meet the demands and challenges of training and performing. For over half a century, post-secondary music institutions have been utilizing the Alexander Technique to address young musicians’ psychophysical coordination and playing-related challenges. This unique mind-body method teaches individuals how to move efficiently and carry out activities with freedom and ease by recognizing and changing counterproductive habits. It has noted beneficial effects on posture and coordination, pain relief, and stress management, and its relevance to music performance studies is endorsed by prominent musical artists such as Yehudi Menuhin and Sir Colin Davis and supported by the results of many studies. Despite this, how this unique method has been applied and practiced in the tertiary setting is rarely shared and discussed. The purpose of this study is to explore, describe, and compare how the Technique is implemented and instructed in selected successful post-secondary music institutions, including Curtis Institute of Music and the Royal College of Music, and to document how it impacts the development of their students. Framed as a multiple-case study, this inquiry recruited one Alexander instructor from each of the selected institutions. The data were collected and analyzed from course syllabi, course evaluations/program feedback, and instructor interviews. The findings demonstrate a variety of teaching settings and strategies, highlighting the strengths and challenges of each approach, and providing an informative reference for creating a new or improving an existing Alexander program for post-secondary musicians.