Tuning the Human Instrument

  

 

"The Alexander Technique can be sustaining; it is something that if learned well, can be carried along with you for the rest of your life. It gives you confidence to be who you are when you are up in front of an audience."  

Patrick Maddams, Managing Director, Royal Academy of Music

 

"About Alexander Technique for Singers: Here at Loyola Marymount where I teach voice, my colleagues from both the Theater and Music Departments observe that their students who have studied Alexander Technique achieve greater poise and ease on stage, greater responsiveness and flexibility while taking direction, improved vocal quality, and a multitude of other benefits. The President of the College included a session on the Alexander Technique in his yearly seminar on Spirituality and the Arts. …"

 

"About Babette: Babette Markus was one of the primary instructors in my teacher training at the Alexander Institute of Los Angeles. The substance of her teaching has become the foundation of my work at Loyola Marymount University. Her manner of communication and creation of an extraordinary learning environment have become a model for my endeavors at changing my classroom and rehearsal style. Her influence and skill at consensus and conflict resolution have had a deep impact in all areas of my life.  Any performing arts environment would benefit from the intensity, honesty, compassion, and excellent work of Babette Markus.”

Dr. Karl Snider, DMA, Instructor of Voice at Loyola Marymount University

AmSat Certified Instructor of the Alexander Technique

 

“Alexander students rid themselves of bad postural habits and are helped to reach, with their bodies and minds, an enviable degree of freedom of expression."

Michael Langham, Director, Juilliard School, New York

“I had serious kaiphosis as a child, for which I wore a back brace.  I also took Alexander technique lessons with Babette.  These lessons helped me focus on maintaining a healthy, focused posture and applying it to almost all aspects of my life. 

At the Juilliard School in New York, I continued to take Alexander Technique lessons with a teacher there.  Babette and my Juilliard teacher both spent a large portion of my lessons with me actually playing my instrument (the double bass).  Before I began lessons, I would often create unnecessary tension in my jaw and shoulders.  From years of Alexander practice, I feel like I play my instrument in a relaxed way and have prevented potential injury that might have occurred had Alexander Technique not aided me to correct some bad habits. 

Alexander Technique has been a tremendous help for me not only physically, but artistically as well.  Because it enhanced my consciousness about where my weight is distributed throughout my instrument, it has helped me produce a fuller, more fluid tone.  I use Alexander Technique in daily practice routines on the bass, and feel that my experience with this method has been invaluable to my development as a musician.”
Andrew Roitstein, MA in Music, The Juilliard School