Holistic Day for Pianists

Holistic Day for Pianists is an exciting all-day event for amateur pianists, music students, piano teachers and young musicians from the age of 13.  The day will take place at Schott Music in London on Sunday 16th July from 10am – 5pm, and will be hosted by Russian-born pianist, teacher, composer and yoga expert (and founder of Piano-Yoga®), Genia Chudinovich (GéNIA) and myself.

I met GéNIA in 2012, and we immediately recognised our shared beliefs; helping piano students to realise their true potential by offering holistic technical and musical guidance, and thereby encouraging a different approach to piano playing. Subsequent workshops and projects have followed, and we are now really looking forward to presenting this holistic piano day which will explore several important elements; incorporating the physical flexibility and relaxation techniques employed in Piano-Yoga® with the mental mindfulness required in memorisation and sight-reading.

Schedule

9:30 Registration

10:00 – 11:30 Piano-Yoga® for Pianists

In this workshop GéNIA will demonstrate and invite participants to try out exercises which will help to improve concentration, stress management, aid back release and generally support your piano practice. No previous experience of yoga is necessary. To benefit fully from the exercises, you will be invited to take your shoes off, but it is not compulsory.

11:30 – 11:45 Coffee Break

11:45 – 13:15 Sight-reading workshop with Melanie Spanswick

Sight-Reading is vital for pianists of all ages and abilities. Once reading skills have been developed, pianists are able to play many styles with ease, enabling them to learn repertoire much more swiftly. Several different approaches and methods will be surveyed in this workshop with a list of ‘top tips’ to take away and practice at home. Everyone at the workshop will have the opportunity to put the theory into practice at the piano.

13:15 – 14:15 Lunch Break

14:15 – 15:30 Memorisation Class with Melanie Spanswick

Memorisation builds and instigates sensory and aural skills. The positive facets of memorisation will be considered alongside a brief history. Using various pieces and examples, we will work around the piano (for those keen to try the methods), learning small passages and assimilating them immediately, via various techniques, demonstrating the ease with which this facility can be grasped.

15:30 – 15:45 Tea Break

15:45 – 17:00 Piano-Yoga® Exercises from Transform Your Hands’ book with GéNIA and closing ‘Piano-Yoga®’ session.

In this workshop GéNIA will demonstrate the piano exercises which were described by Pianist Magazine as a ‘Fascinating issue!” and enabled her to stretch her hand span and remarkably increase the strength of her fingers. Based on a 10 week course, GéNIA will take participants through the various stages of the book and share the main principles of the method. At the end of the session she will demonstrate exercises that will be helpful to do after your daily piano practice.

17:00 Book Signing

For those who would like to purchase our books (GéNIA’s and my own) there will be an opportunity to obtain a personal signed copy. This will be the first chance to buy both Book 1 & 2 of my new series, Play it again: PIANO.

Booking

Tickets are £65 and will include tea, coffee and soft drinks. Discounted tickets for EPTA music students & young people 13 – 18) are £55. Early bird tickets are also available at £55, to be booked by 7 June 2017.

The registration is via http://ift.tt/2ofrnYb or via phone +44 (0) 20 7226 9829. For any enquiries please email info@piano-yoga.com.

We look forward to meeting you!

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from Melanie Spanswick http://ift.tt/2pRPqkA