Somatics Through Suzuki

Abstract

The body is a musician’s vehicle for sound, emotion, and technique, and therefore the premise of this thesis is that violin players must have an experiential knowledge of their own bodies. Among musicians, however, knowledge of one’s body, even of one’s own anatomy, isn’t the norm. As studies show, pain and injury are common for musicians. This thesis contends that misperceptions and a lack of understanding of how the body works contribute to the high injury rates in musicians. It also contends that pain-free, graceful, and expressive performance requires teachers and players to develop a deep knowledge of how the body works, as well as a detailed sensory experience of their whole body and being. This thesis builds on the initiative of others who are working to incorporate the body into pedagogy and personal practice. It differs from others’ work in that it specifically focuses on Somatic methods, defined as practices devoted to not only understanding the physical body but also the bodymind connection. This thesis presents an overview of four Somatic methods – The Alexander Technique©, Functional Anatomy, The Feldenkrais Method®, and Body-Mind Centering® – and applies these methods to the instruction of violin. It concludes by developing a first iteration of a new somatic approach designed to help Suzuki Violin Teachers incorporate body-mind awareness into their teaching. This approach, titled Somatics Through Suzuki Approach®, includes guiding principles of this new body-mind centered approach, as well as a first iteration of somatic exercises/explorations to accompany Suzuki Book 1 instruction.