What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body
Training Attention; Training Senses; Training Movement
What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body is a curriculum that develops the whole musician by systematically training attention, senses and movement. Our quality of attention (one of inclusiveness) and being awake to all of our senses (including our kinaesthetic sense!) helps to integrate our musical intention with the appropriate quality of movement.
The curriculum explores how anatomical structure influences movement while making music to help musicians move more freely and naturally. Musicians learn how the body is really constructed using a correct medical understanding of anatomical structures and vocabulary to precisely talk about the body and movement. These concepts are applied to performance and teaching by using techniques and exercises to heighten kinaesthetic sensory awareness.
What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body was developed by Barbara Conable that grew from the concept of Body Mapping as a basis for changing and organizing movement.
What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body is applicable to all musicians—from singers to string players, pianists to percussionists, and provides valuable tools for both performance and pedagogy. Musicians learn practical techniques to enhance performance practices and help prevent playing-related pain and injury.
Licensed Body Mapping Educators are trained to teach What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body and Body Mapping.
Topics include:
- Exploring the connection between movement and the communication of structure and emotion in music
- Training our attention for a quality of inclusive awareness
- Body Mapping as a basis for changing and organizing movement
- Cultivating sensory awareness with an emphasis on our kinesthetic sense
- Standing and sitting in balance from a biomechanical perspective
- Organizing sequential and rotational movements of the whole arm— from the shoulder blade through to the elbow, wrist, hand, and fingers
- Freeing up a natural breath for singing and playing any instrument by exploring the structures and movement of breathing
- Using the movement at hip, knee, ankle joints for a holistic awareness of the support and movement of the whole body when making music
- Applying Body Mapping concepts in a masterclass setting
This curriculum can be adapted for specific groups, ensembles and time available. Workshop formats range from one hour to multiple days.
To book a place in upcoming workshops or inquire about lessons email Michèle
