How to Avoid Violin Injury: Tips for Posture, Breath, and Technique

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@fiddlestix3025 2 ай бұрын

Thanks to both of you for an excellent teaching video. The combined wealth of two great violinists ✨✨ As a violinist/violist, having trained in Alexander Technique for years (my god, it was a steep learning curve!! 🥵) I so agree and appreciate all you’re both saying here. Some gems my teacher, a Russian concert violinist, told me back then: For posture: -Imagine myself to be a tree, with the root system expanding deep down and outwards under the floor. The trunk and branches are then allowed and able to move with complete freedom and ease :) -to watch, if I could, First Nations People from all over the world, and how they hold themselves and move, to appreciate the freedom of their movements. His opinion was that we here in the Western World have un-learned a healthy way of posture and moving, partially through sitting too much, and that we all have to re-learn a good posture and ease of movement again -to watch young children, toddlers, even babies when they can sit up, to see and learn from them on how to move and hold yourself -not to sit on a chair if it can be helped -never to lean against a chair’s backrest, if it can be helped ;) if done prolonged, this though can lead to tiring out some of your back muscles, and so has to be done with caution - for that relaxed sound on my violin, especially when playing long notes, he told me to imagine that my left fingers were flat pancakes, nice and oily. Also my feet were called upon frequently to become ‘flat pancakes’! 🤣 He also made each and every one of his students read ‘Zen and the Art of Archery’. What this instilled in me, was how important the ‘letting go’ is, in all aspects of playing (see Shem’s term of ‘allowing’ things). Combined with intense focus and practise of strength and speed where it is needed, this can make for a lethal combination (see also Kerson Leong’s videos on KZbin.) Thanking you both again, there’s so much food for thought in here 🙏🙏

@ChristianHowesViolin 2 ай бұрын

Thank you so Much!

@melodyide2858 2 ай бұрын

This is excellent! Thank you so much for all the nuggets of VERY helpful ideas. I’m an older beginner at 63, but I’m passionate about it, and I teach dance and have done Pilates for over 20 years. Everything you said resonates with me and I believe my journey ahead will be even more joyous because I took the time to watch this video from beginning to end. 🎻

@ChristianHowesViolin 2 ай бұрын

I'm happy you enjoyed it! thanks! I welcome you to join my practice and coaching community for our regular classes here: christianhowes.com/csa/