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  • Pauline

    Member
    November 20, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    Hi Noa

    Many thanks for your helpful reply. Although my teacher notices my tension at times, sadly, she is not forthcoming in knowing how to help me. I don’t mean to sound critical of her; but she focuses more on the musical side rather than technique in piano as she doesn’t attach much importance to it up to the intermediate stage. I disagree with this view and I hardly get any technical exercises from her, so I do my own from the workbooks that I have accumulated. I get tight in my shoulders at times, but it is mostly in my wrists and my head! Although I practice wrist rotation exercises separately, I need to find a way of lessening the tension in my head so that I don’t lose focus and/or go blank.

    Sorry, I didn’t understand the first two lines of your 3rd paragraph: “Although the more we converse…….attention in the first place”. Can you please explain this. In the meantime, I will go through the Focus module again. What you say about having a clearer mental target to hang on to when I get nervous makes a lot of sense and may lessen my tension. I will work on this and some of the other modules using your helpful advice until I feel able to relax sufficiently and focus without sabotaging myself.

    I have signed up for Rob Knopper’s mini course and I am now waiting for the 2nd video which sounds more practical preparation than explanation.

    Thanks and I will let you know how I get on.

    Pauline

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There's an LIVE component too! (for educators)

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Starting Thursday, February 3rd, we’ll meet via Zoom once a week, and go through selected strategies related to effective practice, managing nerves, and achieving flow states under pressure. We’ll do some in-class playing experiments (don’t worry – you’ll be muted!), short weekly homework assignments, and small-group breakout sessions to help you integrate these new skills into your teaching.

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