Piano Somatics
Online Intensive

About This Institute

Video Archive
Share

Online

PIANO SOMATICS INTENSIVE

Announcing a new online course designs to maximize the students' acquisition of the essential Piano Somatics skill set. Designed for both professionals and amateurs, the course consists of 12 lessons given bi-weekly over 6 months. Guaranteed to transform one's technique and to resolve persistent problems that have plagued generations of conservatory pianists, the course is taught by Alan Fraser, creator of Piano Somatics and one of the world's preeminent piano teachers. Recordings of all lessons will be made available to the participant for private review.

Participants are not required to complete the entire course. If you would like an online lesson on any of these specific topics, feel free to register for that one alone.

A Lesson

CURRICULUM




COURSE OUTLINE

The curriculum covers the essential elements of Piano Somatics, from a detailed analysis of hand structure and function, to the role of the arm and the body in whole-self piano playing.

Part I: Gathering the Constituent Parts
LESSON ONE
Grow the Hand Arch		 The hand arch is the pianist's fundamental power-imparting structure. It must be potent: neither stiff, nor phlegmatic and unwieldy. Several key strategies designed to give the arch both structural power and full functionality will be the focus of this first seminal lesson.
LESSON TWO
Soften the Hand Arch without undermining it; align the wrist 		This lesson helps the hand arch attain the state of unstable equilibrium - fully functional: not at all rigid but structurally still potent. It also helps the wrist, when it feels this power emanating from the hand, find its place behind it, neither above nor below.
LESSON THREE
Explore the Thumb's Special Nature: empower it by individuating it 		This session focuses on the action of the whole thumb. When the thumb metacarpal bone becomes fully involved in its movement, the power of the entire piano playing mechanism expands exponentially. This happens when thumb opposition is brought into play, counteracting the negative effects of treating the thumb as just another finger.
LESSON FOUR
It's an "Arm-Thumb" 		This second session on rhe thumb empowers the hand by exploring its bipartite nature. When the thumb is aligned with the arm and the hand with the fingers, they fold in on each other - dramatically increasing overall agility and flexibility.
LESSON FIVE
Link the Arm's Lateral Movements to the fingers' and thumb's standing and walking movements 		This session cures the arm of vertical pumping movements to bring the arm into its true role: shapimg phrases with gliding lateral movements. The arm sculpting the phrase is one of the most important pianistic skills, to be examined and developed in great detail in this session.
LESSON SIX
Rotate the Forearm along its axis to facilitate finger agility 		Forearm rotation is virtually always present in piano playing. When it is underdone the hand seizes up, but when it is overdone, the hand becomes unwieldy. This session examines how to find that happy medium where just enough rotation is available to make movements fluid and effective.
LESSON SEVEN
Play from the Sitz Bones: Involve the whole body in the potent movements on the fingers, hands, and arms. 		Many pianists stabilize the body to support the precise work of the fingers, but this can lead to arm stiffness and even injury. Only a supple, well coordinated involvement of the whole body allows the pianist to reach their maximum potential. This session explores torso movements along the three cardinal directions in sitting and how they apply to the movements of the hand on key.
LESSON EIGHT
Acquiring the Complete Skill Set: A general review of the essential principles of Piano Somatics 		This final session of part I reviews all the topics covered in the first seven sessions, ensuring that the acquisition of this skill set has been global, thorough, and complete. We generally reserve the differentiation of a flat finger versus a curved or curled finger for this last session, so that the mainly flat fingered approach of earlier sessions, which builds up the power of the MCP joint, the hands hip joint, canal effectively be differentiated into the curving and curling finger movements which are needed for most of the piano repertoire.

The Hallmark of the Piano Somatics approach is the organic link between physical gesture and musical inflection. Everything you do, sounds. We strongly encourage participants to complete the second part of this course, where the application of the Piano Somatics practices to repertoire situations brings these practices to their full fruition. It is here, when you hear the sound change, when the music transforms and its expressive power increases many times over, that you realize what incredible value lies in acquiring the Piano Somatics skill set.


Part II: Integration
LESSON NINE
Applying the principles of Piano Somatics to specific repertoire challenges: Etudes 		Most études focus on a single technical challenge, and Piano Somatics offers a specific solution for every one of them. Some combination of the five basic Piano Somatics tenets of hand structure and function will be applied with great specificity to help you play at a level of virtuosity you could previously only dream of.
LESSON TEN
Applying the principles of Piano Somatics to specific repertoire challenges: the Baroque and Classical Repertoire 		Baroque and classical music offer a key medium in which to explore the principles of Piano Somatics. The demand for specific, varied articulations and precise, concise phrase shapes means that all the Piano Somatics skill sets need to be involved at their fullest.
LESSON ELEVEN
Applying the principles of Piano Somatics to specific repertoire challenges: the Romantic Repertoire 		The Romantic repertoire is where the use of the arm's lateral movements brings a singing phrase to its fullest and most natural operatic beauty. Of course, many other techniques need to be applied to make the rich variety of textures and orchestrations of the Romantic era sound of their best.
LESSON TWELVE
 Applying the principles of Piano Somatics to specific repertoire challenges: 20th Century Repertoire 		The 20th century broke the whole world of piano sonority wide open, with many new and unexpected compositional techniques developing. Piano Somatics offers a skill set fully equal to the task of bringing all the articulations of a Debussy, Varez or Boulez to an unmitigated sonic richness.

SCHEDULING




SCHEDULING

The curriculum of these 12 lessons will be adjusted to each participant's specific needs. Repertoire will be decided upon after discussion with the course instructor. Lessons scheduling will also take place by discussion.

If you have any questions about this course, please feel free to send us an email. You can also email Alan Fraser directly at Alan Fraser Email.

A Lesson

REGISTER




FEES & REGISTRATION

To register for the special Piano Somatics online intensive, reserve the number of lessons you will be taking in the first row below. For the special rate, click on the second or third row below.

Participants completing Part I in a timely fashion will be offered the special rate of €900. Participants who complete Parts I and II in a timely fashion will be offered the special rate of €1500.

number of lessons to pay 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Price $140 $280 $420 $560 $700 $840 $980 $1120 $1260 $1400 $1540 $1680
Part I (lessons 1-8)
Completed on time		 $900
Parts I & II (lessons 1-12)
Completed on time		 $1500

BEFORE, DURING & AFTER THE INSTITUTE




INFORMATION SHEET & FOLLOWUP QUESTIONNAIRE

After registering, please return here to fill out the PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION FORM, indicating which institute you will be attending, what days, and what type of accommodation.

After you have completed your institute, please come back to fill out this FOLLOWUP QUESTIONNAIRE. This helps us evaluate your experience, tailor your ongoing regime to facilitate further progress, and fine-tune the structure of future institutes to better meet participants' needs.

CONTACT




ABOUT US - CONTACT

ALAN FRASER

Canadian pianist Alan Fraser gives master classes and recitals worldwide and conducts ongoing research and refinement on the ideas put forth in his books:

He is at work on several new volumes. Visit here for more on Alan Fraser. If you have questions about your participation in the institute and would like to address them directly to Alan Fraser, please don't hesitate to send him an email.

a lecture
   
Alan lecturing, 2016

Cancellation Policy

If you must cancel your registration, reimbursement will be as follows:
Cancellations more than two months before the residency commencement date: 100% reimbursement.
Cancellations more than one month before the residency commencement opening date: 75% reimbursement.
Cancellations more than two weeks before the residency commencement opening date: 50% reimbursement.
Cancellations more than one week before the residency commencement opening date: 25% reimbursement.
Cancellations less than one week before the residency commencement opening date: no reimbursement except in cases of doctor-certified illness or acts of God.
We reserve the right to cancel the residency; in this event, all registration fees are fully refundable.