Thesis (MMus (Music))--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to explore parallels between ‘The New Approach to violin playing’, which was developed by the Hungarian violinist Kató Havas, and the Alexander Technique, a method known for promoting kinaesthetic awareness and mind-body coordination. The specific objectives of the study are to identify the parallels between the two methods, and to obtain a deeper understanding of the New Approach, by using the Alexander Technique as a construct through which to examine the method. The study aims to illuminate some of the reasons for the reported efficacy of the New Approach, and to point the way towards achieving unity of mind and body in an expressive violin technique. Although the Alexander Technique is widely used and applied by musicians in order to improve their performance, problems are sometimes encountered in applying the Technique to the finer aspects of instrumental technique. A method of violin tuition that incorporates principles and procedures similar to those found in the Alexander Technique could bridge this gap and prove to be a very powerful tool in coordinating mind and movement in violin playing. It is the purpose of this study to show that ‘The New Approach to violin playing’ is such a method, and as such deserves to be more widely known. The research was conducted within a qualitative paradigm, using a multimethodological approach. An extensive comparative literature study of the two methods was combined with practical experience gained through regular Alexander lessons, and participation in New Approach lessons with Kató Havas and her personal representative, Gloria Bakhshayesh. The New Approach, like the Alexander Technique, is essentially a search for awareness, especially in the relationship between the player and the instrument. The particular value of the New Approach lies in the fact that Havas combines her expert knowledge of violin technique with an intuitive understanding of the conditions necessary for the optimal psychophysical functioning of the violinist. Through organising these principles into a systematised method, Havas makes the acquisition of an expressive technique more accessible to all. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om ooreenkomste te ondersoek tussen ‘The New Approach to violin playing’ van die Hongaarse violiste, Kató Havas, en die Alexander-tegniek, ’n metode bekend daarvoor om kinestetiese bewustheid en geestelik-liggaamlike koordinasie te verhoog. Die spesifieke doel van die studie is om ooreenkomste tussen bogenoemde werkwyses te identifiseer, en om ’n beter begrip van die ‘New Approach’ te vekry, deur die Alexander-tegniek as ’n raamwerk te gebruik waardeur die metode bestudeer word. Die studie poog om sekere motiverings vir die effektiwiteit van die ‘New Approach’ uit te lig, en om die weg te wys na die verwesenliking van geestelik-fisieke eenheid in ’n ekspressiewe viooltegniek. Alhoewel die Alexander-tegniek dikwels deur uitvoerende musici gebruik word om hul spelvermoë te verbeter, word probleme soms ondervind in die toepassing van die tegniek op die fyner aspekte van instrumentale spel. ’n Metode van vioolonderrig wat beginsels en prosesse soortgelyk aan díé van die Alexander-tegniek insluit, sou hierdie probleem kon oorkom en as kragtige middel kon dien vir die koördinasie van denke en ligaamlike beweging in vioolspel. Hierdie studie poog om te illustreer dat die ‘New Approach’ hierdie kwaliteite het, en as sulks meer blootstelling aan vioolonderwysers verdien. In hierdie ondersoek is gebruik gemaak van ’n multi-metodologiese benadering binne ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsparadigma. ’n Vergelykende literatuurstudie van die Alexander-tegniek en ‘The New Approach to violin playing’ is gekombineer met praktiese ervaring wat vekry is deur middel van gereelde Alexander lesse, asook deelname aan ‘New Approach’ lesse met Kató Havas en haar persoonlike verteenwoordiger, Gloria Bakhshayesh. Die ‘New Approach’ – net soos die Alexander-tegniek – is in wese ’n soeke na bewustheid, veral in die interaksie tussen die violis en die instrument. Die besondere waarde van die ‘New Approach’ is dat Havas haar gesaghebbende kennis van viooltegniek gekombineer het met ’n intuïtiewe begrip vir die optimale psigofisiese funksionering van die violis. Deur hierdie beginsels in ’n sistematiese metode te orden, skep Havas die moontlikheid om ’n ekspressiewe viooltegniek aan almal beskikbaar te stel.

Abstract: To the history of development of violin pedagogy, the 20th century is a golden age. With the succession and development by various great educators and virtuosos, and through the matured influence by the whole educational realm and environment, many different points of view, theoretic pedagogical systems and pedagogical schools began to appear. Both ¡§Talent Education¡¨ proposed by Shinichi Suzuki(1898-1998) and the pedagogy of ¡§Mental¡VPhysical Theory¡¨ mentioned by Kato Havas(1920- ) belong to one of the main violin pedagogical schools developed in recent years. Today in the field of violin teaching, although various schools have their own space for development, there are many different background factors among them. For example, Suzuki¡¦s pedagogy was influenced by the Eastern and Western cultures, whereas Havas¡¦ pedagogy completely inherited the Western teaching ideas; the vocabulary concept in the linguistics system was employed by Suzuki¡¦s pedagogy as its foundation, whereas Havas¡¦ pedagogy absorbed the theories of psychology as the basis of its pedagogical studies; Suzuki¡¦s pedagogy emphasized teaching materials, environment and the external, reasonable and appropriate succession of experience, whereas Havas¡¦ pedagogy emphasizes the search for the nature of playing action and the coordinating development of physical and mental. Since these cultural and educational backgrounds are different, the teaching principles of these two pedagogies are very different. In view of this, this research paper is divided into seven chapters for detailed studies and analyses, and comparisons are made between the philosophical foundations, teaching ideas, teaching strategies and means of these two pedagogies in order to present the characteristics of these two pedagogies developed under different background factors, and also show the similarities and dissimilarities between them. After detailed comparisons and analyses, we can understand that these two pedagogies are very much different in various aspects. Suzuki¡¦s pedagogy emphasizes the learning development of children. From many places of teaching it appears to have been influenced by the traditional German school. But Havas¡¦ pedagogy focuses on the realm of playing action. Hitherto the ¡§Mental-Physical Theory¡¨ mentioned by her is still a very new pedagogy. From the analytical description of these comparisons, we can understand that although there is a certain extent of difference between them, they perhaps can adopt some parts of the other pedagogy, and supplement the insufficiency of each other so as to achieve better teaching qualities.