Application of the Alexander technique in music practice, teaching and performance

Course Information
TitleΕφαρμογές της τεχνικής Alexander στην μουσική εκτέλεση, διδασκαλία και ερμηνεία / Application of the Alexander technique in music practice, teaching and performance
CodeΕΘ2012
FacultyFine Arts
SchoolMusic Studies
Cycle / Level1st / Undergraduate
Teaching PeriodWinter
CoordinatorNikolaos Zafranas
CommonNo
StatusActive
Course ID600018026

Programme of Study: PPS Tmīmatos Mousikṓn Spoudṓn (2017-sīmera)

Registered students: 18
OrientationAttendance TypeSemesterYearECTS
Musicology / Music EducationElective Courses744
Music CompositionElective Courses744

Class Information
Academic Year2019 – 2020
Class PeriodWinter
Instructors from Other Categories
Weekly Hours3
Class ID
600145123
Course Type 2016-2020
  • Scientific Area
  • Skills Development
Course Type 2011-2015
Knowledge Deepening / Consolidation
Mode of Delivery
  • Face to face
Digital Course Content
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
  • Greek (Instruction, Examination)
  • English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
Theoretical and practical / experiential training in the fundamental principles of Alexander Technique and their application in the study, teaching and interpretation of music. The aim of the course is to enhance the performance of the musician in his complex qualities as a student / researcher of musical works, teacher / pedagogue and performer. Improving student performance is achieved by increasing observability, widening the perceptual field, and exposure to new methods of assessing personal and team performance. The reinforcing application of Alexander Technique is primarily experiential and complementary to a literature review and preparation for examination and evaluation of the theoretical bases at the end of the semester.
General Competences
  • Apply knowledge in practice
  • Adapt to new situations
  • Make decisions
  • Work autonomously
  • Work in teams
  • Demonstrate social, professional and ethical commitment and sensitivity to gender issues
  • Be critical and self-critical
  • Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
This course aims at the acquainting and the experiencing of freedom in movement and, consequently, in musical action through the perspective of Alexander Technique. The particular approach to movement and expression introduced by Frederick Matthias Alexander about a century ago, through a complete pedagogical system, has brought about significant changes in how to deal with and teach the movement of musicians. Based on the naturalness of human motion, Alexander Technique as an educational tool aims to simplify and liberate movement, expand the perceptual field, and activate the neuromuscular coordination of virtuosity required in musical study, teaching and interpretation. The primary teaching objectives are (a) the awareness of the power of habit; (b) the awareness of the head-spine neuromuscular organization of movement; (c) the study of the Inhibition according to the Alexander Technique; (d) the study of the relationship of sensing, feeling and movement; and (e) the cultivation of attention and perception . Music-pedagogical issues that are affected, analyzed and studied are the vocal and instrumental technique, study methods, stage anxiety, freedom of movement and the transmission of knowledge with oral suggestion and / or kinetic suggestion.
Keywords
Alexander Technique, music education
Educational Material Types
  • Notes
  • Slide presentations
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
  • Use of ICT in Course Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Description
Presentations of audiovisual material in lectures, electronic communication with the students.
Course Organization
ActivitiesWorkloadECTSIndividualTeamworkErasmus
Lectures391.3
Reading Assigment421.4
Individual and Group experiential lessons391.3
Total1204
Student Assessment
Description
Physical presence, participation (discussion and participation during the course), completion of diaries / questionnaires, written examinations.
Student Assessment methods
  • Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Summative)
  • Written Assignment (Summative)
  • Oral Exams (Formative, Summative)
  • Report (Summative)
  • Physical Presence (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Additional bibliography for study
Alcantara, P. de (2000) Technique Alexander pour les musiciens. aleXitère. (Collection Médecine des Arts). Alexander, F.M. (1997 [1932]) The Use of the Self. New York: IRDEAT. Kleinman, J. & Buckoke, P. (2013) The Alexander Technique for Musicians. London: Bloomsbury.
Last Update
11-07-2019