Voice training has been influenced by separatist attitudes which have allowed for classes which train the body to be separate from those which train the voice. This study acknowledges that to train an actor in separate compartments and then expect the completeness of human expression in performance, is to train under false pretences. There is a need to address the imbalance of separatism and this is examined within the context of voice training. An holistic approach to voice training forms the basis of the argument, which focuses on the need to re-educate the notion of physicality in voice training. Chapter one proposes an understanding of the notion of physicality by drawing on the attitudes of selected theatre practitioners towards the physical nature of the theatre encounter. The expressive energies of the actor's body are responsible for the physicalisation of a play; for this reason the movement of voice and speech is not only examined as source movement, but also as the movement of an actor's response and communication. Chapter two examines some practices which led to attitudes of separatism in voice training, and introduces prevalent practices which are attempting to involve the energy of the physical experience. Chapter three proposes that the Alexander technique be used as the foundation for an awareness of individual physicality. Where chapter one examines the theory of this notion, chapter three proposes an experiential understanding of the same. The Alexander technique is a training in effective body use and it's principles are fundamental to an awareness of body use and functioning. It is argued that these principles should underlie a re-education of physicality. The final chapter of the thesis argues for physicality in South African voice training programmes which would complement the physicality of contemporary theatre forms. It is hoped that this study will provide further incentive for the continued review and adjustment of drama training in South Africa.

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.

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Musicians can develop and suffer from playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) with pianists being a group of instrumentalists that experience a higher occurrence of PRMDs in comparison with other musicians. One cause of PRMDs is posture. The Alexander Technique (AT) is a popular somatic method among musicians that purports to alter its students’ postural and movement behaviour. Such changes may be beneficial in improving music performance. However, there is a lack of quantitative research to offer support for the effectiveness of the AT in altering posture in musicians, especially in pianists. To address this issue, four studies were conducted. The first study addressed the AT alone to determine what postural changes could be expected following lessons in the AT. Findings of this study showed that changes include a larger craniovertebral angle, head tilt, and head-neck-trunk angle as well as smaller trunk, thoracic, and thoracolumbar angles. The second study addressed variability in individual pianists’ postures and its implications for intervention studies. The results of this study demonstrated that within-person variability is present in posture between performances but does not vary widely enough to exhibit inconsistent posture across measurements. The third study examined the effects of 10 AT lessons on pianists’ postures. Findings showed that, in comparison with their pre-lesson measurements, pianists demonstrate a postural pattern of larger craniovertebral and head-neck-trunk angles as well as smaller trunk, thoracic, and thoracolumbar angles in both the post-test and follow-up tests. The fourth study explored the relationship between pianists’ perceptions of their posture and their application of the AT with quantitatively measured changes in their posture. The results of this study showed that participant perception and reported application of the AT does not necessarily always reflect the postural changes that have occurred.

Denna uppsats syftar till att utveckla en förståelse för hur stråkinstrumentundervisning kan bedrivas då syftet är att lära ut en ergonomisk riktig spelteknik som förebygger hälsoproblem. Fokus i studien har varit på nybörjarundervisning samt HUR elever spelar. Studien har genomförts med hjälp av kvalitativ metod. Sex ergonomiskt kunniga och intresserade musiker och pedagoger har intervjuats. Deras specialområden är musikerergonom, sjukgymnast, kontrabasist, forskare, alexandertekniklärare och cellopedagog. Den kunskapsöversikt som presenteras i uppsatsen handlar om förhindrande av musikrelaterade hälsoproblem, utveckling av en fri spelteknik samt några pedagogiska konsekvenser utifrån fallstudier som gjorts på barn. Alexanderteknik, som bland annat handlar om effektiv muskelanvändning och ändring av felaktiga vanor, utgör den teoretiska utgångspunkten för studien. Resultatet visar bland annat att stråkinstrumentundervisning på ergonomisk grund ska utgå från läraren och dennes interaktion med eleven och kräver att läraren har kunskap och medvetenhet om ämnet ergonomi. Vidare visar resultatet på betydelsen av att i undervisningen prioritera kvalitet framför kvantitet, att anpassa undervisningen efter elevens olika muskulära och psykiska förutsättningar och att se eleven i ett helhetsperspektiv. Exempel på viktiga moment i tillvägagångssätt för stråkundervisning på ergonomisk grund handlar om att bevaka elevens lust och ha en sund balans i progressionen. / The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding in how teaching strings can emphasize an ergonomic way of playing, thus preventing health problems. Focus has been how to teach beginners as well as HOW to play. The study has been carried out with a qualitative method. Six musicians and teachers with ergonomics as a special field have been interviewed. They are a physiotherapist, a double bassist, a researcher, a teacher in Alexander Technique and a teacher in cello. The findings of the study deal with the prevention of musician-related injuries, developing a free playing technique, and educational consequences from a few case studies of children. The Alexander Technique, which among other aspects, deals with the effective use of muscles and changing wrong habits, is the theoretical starting point of the study. The result indicates, among other things, evidence that teaching strings in an ergonomic perspective should start with the teacher and his/her interaction with the pupil, and requires that the teacher possesses a knowledge and awareness of ergonomics. Furthermore, the result gives evidence of the importance in giving priority to quality instead of quantity, adjusting the teaching to the pupil’s different physical and psychical conditions and also viewing the pupil in a comprehensive perspective. Checking the pupil’s mindset and having a good balance of the progression, are examples of important elements in teaching strings.

The areas of study in the Proof thesis contain research on the play, the playwright, and the acting style utilized in the performance and character analysis. The acting style in this process focuses on the actor’s creative work in preparation of portraying a female character. This character is a controlling woman that is unable to manipulate others. By using relaxation techniques involving the Alexander Technique, the actor was able to transition into the character with honest emotions and motives. Finding similarities to the character by using personal relationships gave the actor the ability to discover connections with the character in portrayal. These connections are used to motivate the actor’s process in creating an authentic character. The results are found through the actor’s reflections and performances. The findings show discipline and routine in the actor’s process to portray the character.

Title: A possibility of use of principles of Alexander Technique in Primary Schools and in Children and Youth Sport Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to introduce Alexander Technique and relate it to the school environment as an element of predominantly primary prevention. First we elucidate the theme of school environment in relation to student movement habits and health. Then we will suggest a possibility of an enrichment of school P.E. and health promotion of children with the help of the principles of Alexander Technique in games within school P.E. and explain their contribution to daily life. Methods: Analysis, argumentation, critic reasoning, creative thinking, qualitative observation Results: Application of Alexander Technique to the school environment. Designed children's motion games based on principles of Alexander Technique. Keywords: Alexander Technique, posture, prevention, Physical Education, sport

Many musicians are forced to scale down or even abandon their profession due to injuries caused by playing and practicing their instruments for long hours in unnatural body positions; also, the competition and the high standard expected of performers in the industry causes anxiety and tension in their lives. Increasingly, music schools, conservatories and colleges attempt to cater for these problems by including classes in the Alexander Technique. But young learners can also fall prey to these problems. Performance anxiety is potentially a threat to any musician’s career and can be experienced at all levels of expertise. In the light of this the following research question was tested: Is it possible to substantially reduce performance anxiety (stage fright) in instrumental playing by implementing Alexander Technique principles? The study included a group of twelve school-going children who had been identified as being prone to performance anxiety. They were divided into two groups of six each, one being the experimental group and the other the control group. The experimental group consisted of six flute students who were exposed to selected Alexander Technique principles in their lessons, while the control group consisted of six flute students that were taught by different teachers, who provided no exposure. Both groups were tested at the beginning of the research, before they played an examination, to ascertain the level of performance anxiety they experienced. Eighteen months later, after the experimental group had been exposed to Alexander principles, both groups played another examination and were then tested again to ascertain whether or not the experimental group’s levels of anxiety had been significantly reduced, compared to the control group. The control groups’ second testing was very similar to their first testing and performance anxiety was still a big drawback to their musical performance. Not only was performance anxiety markedly reduced in the experimental group, but their self-esteem and self-confidence were increased as well. As a result it was deduced that young learners can benefit tremendously from learning and applying Alexander Technique principles to the playing of a musical instrument. Copyright / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Music / unrestricted

The aim of my project was to find different ways to make playing easier and freer. What does it actually mean to let go and what could help to achieve more secure and relaxed feeling in your body when playing your instrument? I collected and experimented with exercises from a book The Inner Game of Music and Alexander Technique. I found out that knowing more precisely what to focus on and being more aware of the body can have a great effect. I discovered more gentle ways to teach myself and learned about the importance of how we are treating and using our bodies during practicing and in everyday situations. / <p>The sounding part consists of the following recording; Esa-Pekka Salonen: Pentatonic Étude.The recording has been archived. </p>

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