‘Take refuge in your back’… Don Burton

 

As musicians, the body is the first instrument when we play. Working with the principles of the Alexander Technique we can develop more awareness and a more embodied presence in our playing. Our own back can act as a resonating sound board and our bones are able to conduct sound. If our structure is encouraged to balance the symbiosis of tension and release, we can find freedom and resonance in our sound, which will carry further without effort. 

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When we use our muscles with a lot of exertion, they can hold unhelpful tension and consequently be less nuanced to expression. We can influence the freedom of our muscles from within by putting our attention on our breath. Take time to notice the freedom of movement created in the rib cage as you breathe, even while just sitting at the cello without playing. Put your attention on your shoulder blades. They are wonderful mobile structures which can help connect our shoulder muscles into the back. Notice how the breath can respond to the release of muscular tension around the shoulders.

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As cellists, the wonderful outcome of exploring the potential of freedom in this structure is the sensation of our bow riding the breath as we play. Ideally this becomes something that is not controlled, but is a result of a natural release of tension. 

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Surround Space 

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This is a concept I use all the time in my teaching. In order to find more presence when we play, it is important to feel grounded and to develop an awareness of the space we are in, as well as a sense of participation with the space beyond the room or hall we might be in at any moment. We can widen our experience of space through our peripheral awareness, both visually and aurally. We can listen widely and allow our eyes to soften, relax and take in a wider visual perspective. ‘Fixing’ our eyes can cause tension, which in turn can diminish the quality of our listening. Using our playful thought processes can help to explore this: imagine our ears larger than they are, or imagine our eyes looking through the back of our head (we too easily lose contact with the space behind us as we give attention to the music - and audience - in front of us.) Be playful and experimental in scales and warm-ups with these ideas, and before long you will find they become part of a process when performing. 

 

Bow meditations

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"If I let the bow ever so softly fall, the magic lies under my hand" - Katherine Mansfield 

 

 I love slow bows near the bridge, as a process for experiencing the release of arm weight and putting attention on the source of freedom for the arm in the back. Take time to scan the whole body, from the sitting bones and up through the whole spine, to the point where the head balances on the neck. Notice your breath and how it can fill your ribcage and bring movement into the spine. A crucial place to consider here is the roof of the mouth, almost as a continuation of the spine. Think of a wide, secret smile that tones the facial muscles, generated by the dome of the soft palate. This can affect the quality of our listening which in turn is influenced by our balance. The sitting bones can be like feet on the chair, our legs can relax, and we can widen our feet at the floor. All this body scanning is a continual process of awareness while drawing long slow bows. Keep returning to the breath and allow it to flow through the whole body. As with meditation, this process is quality time to connect more deeply with ourselves while playing long notes - be it open strings or slow scales. It is an active and mindful process which is restorative and restful.