NASA Biennial Conference 

April 1, 2023
11:00-11:30am

Optimizing The Balance Between Techniques and Body-Mindfulness

Mission 

  • Start postural guidance at early stage (ie. pianist, violinist, percussionist)

  • Open the platform for people to share your experience or teaching/overcoming difficulties

Background

  • Focal Dystonia “Focal dystonia is a neurological disorder. It causes involuntary muscle movements or contractions in one part of your body. You may have focal dystonia in your neck, eyes, jaw or vocal cords. Focal dystonia can also affect your wrists, hands or fingers.”

  • Cause by: 

    • Unnatural position with repeated motions

    • After certain repetition of unnatural movements, the body also feels unnatural to move the normal way. 

  • Under pressure

  • Misconception

    • It’s neurological disorder, not physical

  • Deep tissue massage helps, but might not cure.

  • Professional musicians, dancers, athletes, writers get it too.

Students Cases

  • Common among upper undergrad/early grad students

  • Struggle with saxophone only, but not on piano or clarinet.

  • Return to old habits after just 20-30 min of playing.

Example 1: Stephen Page

Example 2: Nicholas Prost

Methodology

  • Don’t repeat mistakes; repeat awesomeness

  • Individualized your fingers

  • Bruce Lee Analogy

Interaction

  • Play with subdivision of alternation between “play-relax-play-relax.”
    Download PDF

  • Individualized fingers.

  • Paul JeanJean - Vade-Mecum du clarinettiste
    Download PDF

Q&A