Study Group
Study Group Online Recordings
CATALOGUE OF STUDY GROUP LESSONS AND LECTURES FOR PURCHASE
After the first Pianimals Online Institute in winter 2021, participants wanted to continue studying these materials, so we created a bi-weekly study group. Each two weeks, a participant prepares a piece from the repertoire to be studied. We tend to look at easier pieces, ones that we often give our pupils, because the goal is to ascertain which of the 28 Pianimals exercises could prove most useful in preparing the composition in question.
After discussion of possible approaches to the piece, the participant performs it. A further discussion follows - a sort of mini-roundtable lesson. Then Alan creates an Awareness Through Piano Movement (ATPM) lesson on the spot that relates to the issues raised in the study of the composition.
If you wish to purchase recordings of past sessions, please indicate which of the five iterations of the Study Group you would like to buy. If you would like to join the Study Group, you are welcome! Please send us an email indicating when you would like to join.Purchase the STUDY GROUP I SESSIONS
STUDY GROUP I: MAY 1 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 - Sessions 1-8
The first Pianimals Online Study Group had a fairly large group of participants :
| SESSION | COMPOSITION | ATPM |
|---|---|---|
| MAY 1 | Mozart: D minor Fantasy | The Cardinal Directions of the Hand |
| MAY 15 | Chopin: Waltz in C# minor |
Sensitizing the "Hand Hip Joint" in Standing |
| MAY 29 | Bach: Little C Minor Prelude | Linking the Collarbone to Finger & Hand Action |
| JUNE 12 | Prokofiev Visions Fugitive #10 | Link Fingertip to Whole Body |
| JUNE 26 | Chopin Waltz in E minor | "The 4 Sitz Bones:" Link Fingertip to Piano Bench with Whole Body Movement |
| JULY 10 | Chopin: Nocturne in Eb Major Op. 9, #2 | Differentiating the Hands |
| JULY 24 | Mozart: Sonata K570, 1st mvt. | Differentiate Standing Thumb & Swiping Finger |
| SEPT 18 | Mendelssohn: Venetian Boat Song in F# minor | Stand on Thumb, Move Arm |
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PIANIMALS ONLINE STUDY GROUP I SESSIONS.
Let us know you are purchasing Study Group I by sending us an email.
Purchase the STUDY GROUP II SESSIONS
STUDY GROUP II: NOVEMBER 13, 2021 - MARCH 5, 2022 - Sessions 9-16
The second Pianimals Online Study Group had a fairly large group of participants :
| SESSION | COMPOSITION | ATPM |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 13 | Mussorgsky - The Tear | Side Bending and Arm Shift |
| Nov 27 | Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, 1st mvt | Amorphous Amoeba for Magical Moonlight Sound |
| Dec 11 | Bach: Ab+ Prelude and Fugue, WTC I | Connect Sitz Bones to Fingertips to Transform a Bach Theme |
| Jan 8 | Mendelssohn: Spring Song | Choreograph the Opening of Mendelssohn Spring Song |
| Jan 22 | Nyman: The Heart Asks Pleasure First | The 3 Cardinal Directions Linking Sitting & the Hand |
| Feb 5 | ||
| Feb 19 | Bach: D+ Prelude & Fugue, WTC I | Teetering Toucan for the Bach Prelude in D major |
| March 5 | Brahms: Ballade, Op. 10, No. 1, "Edward" | Amorphous Amoeba in Brahms |
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PIANIMALS ONLINE STUDY GROUP II SESSIONS.
Let us know you are purchasing Study Group II by sending us an email.
Purchase the STUDY GROUP III SESSIONS
STUDY GROUP III: MARCH 19- JUNE 25, 2022 - Sessions 17-24
The third Pianimals Online Study Group had a slightly smaller group of participants :
| SESSION | COMPOSITION | ATPM |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 19 | Burgmüller Studies, Op. 100, #2, #15, #12 | Link the Thumb to the Whole Arm to the Body |
| April 2 | Kabalevsky Children's Pieces, Op. 27, #3, #12, #20 | Another Lesson on That Old Thumb |
| April 16 | Debussy: Arabesque, Golliwog's Cakewalk | Lie on Thumb to Improve Arm |
| April 30 | Czerny: Etudes, Op. 139, #75-6 | The Thumb & Rotation in Scales |
| May 14 | Clementi: Sonatina, Op. 36, #1 | "Teetering" in Clementi... The Thumb... Arpeggios |
| May 28 | Grieg: Gade, Op. 57, #2 | Opening the Hand |
| June 11 | Schumann, Op. 68: Mignon, Merry May | Floating the Hand or Rooting the Finger |
| June 25 | Brahms: Ballade, Op. 10, No. 1 "Edward" | Amorphous Amoeba in Brahms |
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PIANIMALS ONLINE STUDY GROUP III SESSIONS.
Let us know you are purchasing Study Group III by sending us an email.
Purchase the STUDY GROUP IV SESSIONS
STUDY GROUP IV: OCTOBER 8, 2022 - JANUARY 28, 2023 - Sessions 25-32
The fourth Pianimals Online Study Group had a stalwart core of faithful participants :
| SESSION | COMPOSITION | ATPM |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 8 | Mozart: A major Sonata, K331, 1st mvt | The First Theme of Mozart's K331 |
| Oct 22 | Mozart: A major Sonata, K331, 1st mvt | Amorphous Amoeba in K331 1st mvt, Var 3 |
| Nov 5 | Burgmuller: The Pearl (Big Chords) | Big Chords Without Banging: Functionality |
| Nov 19 | Heller: Avalanche. Kabalevsky: A minor Etude | Lay Down the Thumb, Differentiate |
| Dec 3 | Schumann: Traumerei | Floating the Opening of Traumerei |
| Dec 17 | Chopin: Db major Prelude | The Whole Self in Massive Chords |
| Jan 7 | Debussy: Golliwog's Cakewalk; Little Shepherd | Oblique Whole Arm: A New Musical Dialect |
| Jan 28 | Kabalevsky: Morning Exercises, Op. 3/86, #2 and
Drummer, Op. 14, #1 |
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PIANIMALS ONLINE STUDY GROUP IV SESSIONS.
Let us know you are purchasing Study Group IV by sending us an email.
Purchase the STUDY GROUP V SESSIONS - Sessions 33-40
STUDY GROUP V: YET TO BE SCHEDULED
The fifth Pianimals Online Institute will run from February through April, 2023.
| SESSION | COMPOSITION | ATPM |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 18 | ||
| Mar 4 | ||
| Mar 18 | ||
| April 1 | ||
| April 15 | ||
| April 29 | ||
| May 13 | ||
| May 27 |
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PIANIMALS ONLINE STUDY GROUP V SESSIONS.
Let us know you are purchasing Study Group V by sending us an email.
If you would like to know more about this cutting edge piano method that brings the transformational influence of the Feldenkrais Method to a developing piano technique, visit our page on
Pianimals: 28 Feldenkrais Lessons for the Young Pianist's Hand.