What every pianist should know about the body

[transcendental]

Has anybody read this book by Thomas Mark? If so, did you find it useful? What are your thoughts on it? I'm trying to solve this problem of some pain I felt today and am thinking of reading this book.

[outin]

I have it and sometimes read it. I did not find it very useful for my specific issues but there's a lot of good general knowledge and insight so it's worth having.

[louispodesta]

Has anybody read this book by Thomas Mark? If so, did you find it useful? What are your thoughts on it? I'm trying to solve this problem of some pain I felt today and am thinking of reading this book.

My piano technique coach is Dr. Thomas Mark.  His book "What Every Pianist Needs To Know About the Body," is in the private library of every Keyboard Department Music Division Chair of any major University in the U.S.  For real!

Why?:  Because, as a former Dorothy Taubman practice coach, he has taken the kinesiology associated with the playing of this great instrument to the next level.  And, that is the epistemology associated with the Alexander Technique.

Dr. Mark's philosophy (three degrees in philosophy form Columbia University) of piano technique is a whole body effectuation of the Taubman/Golandsky school, with the very important proviso/exception that "one size does not fit all."

Further, the Taubman dictum of "rotate the forearm and the wrist will follow" is not sound science in terms of its kinesiology.  Dr. Mark illustrates in his "handbook," (as he describes it) where the proper point of articulation is.  And, it ain't the forearm!

I have actually pointed this out to a piano/violinist, who immediately commented that all of his pain went away.

Once again, for the record, I don't get paid anything for this.  As a matter of fact, Dr. Mark is currently not speaking to me because I am singing his praises.  Because, that is not his way of doing things.   He is a very humble true and gentle soul, who has taken piano technique pedagogy to its highest level.

Subjectively, please visit his website (www.pianomap.com), and if possible, then get yourself to "Portlandia" for the best piano coaching session of your life.  He is that good!

I personally spent ten hours by airplane to have two sessions with him.  Afterwards, he teaches by distance learning, online.

[keypeg]

I found it extremely useful for me.  But I will say that it is a book to "do" rather than read.  The author goes through every part of the body, and invites you to explore as you go along.  Without actually exploring sensations, movement, and whatever is contained it becomes a dry intellectual exercise.  If you are already extremely body aware, maybe it's not for you. But many of us may find ourselves lacking in that regard.

[louispodesta]

I found it extremely useful for me.  But I will say that it is a book to "do" rather than read.  The author goes through every part of the body, and invites you to explore as you go along.  Without actually exploring sensations, movement, and whatever is contained it becomes a dry intellectual exercise.  If you are already extremely body aware, maybe it's not for you. But many of us may find ourselves lacking in that regard.

My very recent response from my great technique coach (not his descriptive):

["HI Louis,

. . . .  My present theory of practicing is that it should be a matter of analyzing and figuring out what the movements are that will ultimately enable you to play the passage, and practicing those movements, slowly at first, if necessary. That way, you’re not teaching your hand something that it will eventually have to unlearn.

There is more about this in my latest book," Motion, Emotion, and Love: the Nature of Artistic Performance" (GIA publications), especially in the chapter on practicing."]

Okay, other than a private coaching session in Portlandia, this is the best you all are going to get for free.  As stated before, I don't get anything monetarily from this.  As a matter of fact, Thomas gets upset with me for posting this.

Once again, take the plane trip, BRING YOUR VIDEO CAMERA, and then correspond with this great pedagogue (when necessary) by the internet.  He, unlike other coaches does not teach dependency!

Like the true degreed philosopher he is, he teaches you how to teach yourself.  That is the true essence of the philosophy of pedagogy, in my opinion.