NVMTA Lecture Series
March 22 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
NVMTA presents….
Alan Fraser, “How to bring the ideas of piano somatic to the young pianist”
Lecture Description
This lecture will show you how to transform piano technique from a tedious chore into a joyful exploration of the physical self at the piano. It follows the curriculum of Pianimals, where the hand is likened to a mini-body that can lie down, stand up, walk, and eventually leap and run on the keyboard. We’ll see how these skills can be acquired organically and sequentially, as the hand follows the same development patterns that a baby experiences from birth to its first steps and beyond.
We’ll also explore how each exercise along this journey, when applied to a simple musical composition as is done in Pianimals, helps the pupil immediately experience not only an enlightened sense of physical ability, but also of musicianship. Alan of course welcomes questions from the group, turning the lecture into something more of a round table than a simple one way communication.
Biography
Canadian concert pianist, pedagogue, author, and Feldenkrais practitioner Alan Fraser received his early training in Montreal, his most influential teacher being Phil Cohen (a student of Yvonne Hubert, who had been Alfred Cortot’s assistant in Paris). After studies with Cohen which laid the foundation for his eventual development of Piano Somatics, Fraser moved to Yugoslavia in 1990 to study with acclaimed virtuoso Kemal Gekic (now artist in residence at Florida International University). In addition to these two major influences, Fraser’s Feldenkrais training allowed him to develop an understanding of the mechanics of the human body that is transformational when applied to piano technique. He continued to teach piano at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia until his retirement in 2020. He has presented his approach, Piano Somatics, in several books, in many international conferences, and recently in a children’s method, Pianimals. Based in Belgrade, Serbia he still teaches worldwide and is at work on several new volumes on piano technique.