Best Kept Fitness Secrets of Miami's Musicians: Mind over Movement

Alexander Technique fosters efficient movement

Third of a three-part series, Best-Kept Fitness Secrets of Miami's Musicians

By Karen O'Hara, university communications and marketing

Graduate student Nathan Groot takes his seat in front of a music stand in a Hiestand Hall studio. He lifts his viola to his shoulder as his five classmates and music professor Harvey Thurmer look on.

But Nathan isn’t here to serenade his audience. In this class, “Introduction to the Alexander Technique,” music and theatre majors build awareness of their conscious and unconscious movements—anything from crouching on the scene shop floor while painting backdrops to achieving the most comfortable posture for playing a string instrument during an orchestra concert.

The Alexander Technique takes its name from Shakespearean orator Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955). Alexander discovered that with conscious effort and attention, he could correct problems with his posture, breathing, and speech to improve the resonance of his voice. As it is practiced today, the Alexander Technique can benefit not only musicians, but anyone who wants to move more deliberately and naturally.

Embracing the Alexander Technique sometimes means letting go of old habits, even if they worked in the past—a daunting proposition for students at the collegiate level. But Thurmer and his students have learned to value process over results.

As students carefully practice muscle movements, they receive positive feedback from each other and from their instructor.

“Connect what you know about the body and what is most efficient to accomplish a task,” Thurmer urges. “Notice your choices and ways of thinking...use your mechanical advantage.”

And if a concept needs further illustration, they need look no further than “Howie”, an anatomical skeleton model that stands at the ready.

This semester’s course marks the first time Thurmer is “flying solo” as the instructor; the groundwork was laid by his mentor and the course’s designer, Professor Julia Guichard (Theatre), over the past several years. Their experiences led them to co-author a chapter in the book Galvanizing Performance: The Alexander Technique as a Catalyst for Excellence, edited by Cathy Madden and Kathleen Juhl.

Alexander Technique in Action

What sorts of physical tasks are covered in a typical Alexander Technique class? Check out this two-minute video for an overview.

Video Transcription

Read parts one and two of the series:

Best Kept Fitness Secrets of Miami's Musicians: Music in Motion

Best Kept Fitness Secrets of Miami's Musicians: Sunrise Salutations for Singers