The Alexander Piano Method is essentially the Alexander Technique as it applies to teaching and playing the piano. The Alexander Technique is used by many performing arts professionals and people who engage in repetitive acts such as playing keyboards and certain sports. Piano teachers find the Alexander Technique is best taught to be a preventative and educational tool for students. Primarily, the Alexander Technique remains a supplement to a regular piano-learning method.
History
F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) invented the Alexander Technique during the late 1800s. He was an orator and actor who experienced vocal problems. Traditional care did not give him a long-term solution, so he set out to find one himself. He noticed how he tensed up during his performances and taught himself to stop interfering with his body's natural rhythms and posture.
He invented the theory of Primary Control, which concentrates on the relationship of the neck and head with respect to the rest of the body. He stressed being conscious of the patterns that the body does automatically and learning to change them if they are detrimental.
This technique is quite popular with performers and teachers alike and is used at famous schools such as the Julliard School of Performing Arts in New York and the New England Conservatory of Music and many others. Over the past century, the Alexander Technique has gained in popularity throughout the whole world.
Improved Piano Techniques
Learning the Alexander Technique does more than overcome bad piano habits in playing. A piano teacher who uses the Alexander Technique guides the student in a hands-on awareness of his body and habits that affect his playing. An example of areas of playing that are improved by learning the Alexander Technique are pedaling and tone. Problems with rhythms and note accuracy can be examined at the root to determine ways to avoid making the same mistakes over and over.
Injury Rehabilitation
Many performers turn to the Alexander Technique after a performance-based injury has already occurred. Carpel tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, backaches, and many other injuries result from being unaware of bad habits. Followers of the Alexander Technique focus on relearning how their body best performs and reacts to stress. Often, students feel a sense of confidence by learning the Alexander Technique.
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