Alistair Warwick: playing and singing

The Inner Game of Music

Synopsis

The battle that many musicians, of whatever level, have to face is an inner one - against nervousness, self-doubt and fear of failure.

In this highly successful book, first published by Pan in 1987, musician Barry Green explains the basic principles of 'natural learning' that make up the Inner Game methodology, and shows how to apply them to reach a new level in the learning and performing of music.

With special features on ensemble playing, improvisation and listening skills, and with exercises that help intonation, artistic phrasing and technique, "The Inner Game of Music" is invaluable to performers, students, teachers and anyone with an interest in music.

Alistair's opinion

"Brilliant!"

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The Musicians' Body: A Maintenance Manual for Peak Performance

Wanting to improve your own playing?
Do you tire easily?
Do you feel that you're not very good?
Do you panic?

This book is highly recommended.

• read part of the opening chapter.

Contents

A foreword, preface ("being well, playing better") and "safety instructions" are followed by the following chapters:

1. Basic functions
2. Situations that place the musician at risk
3. Posture. Your body in harmony with your instrument
4. Musicians, instruments and the workplace: adjusting the task to suit your body
5. The musician's body explained
6. Mind and music: further psychological aspects
7. Troubleshooting for musicians: Basic body maintenance and solving problems

The book concludes with sources of further information, recommended bibliography and an index.

Published by Ashgate: 1st edition (2007)
£14.99

Review

'Musicians put enormous strain on various parts of their bodies and this book will help you be alert to things which may go wrong and to how to put them right. Musicians and music students of all ages will find in this book a mine of information about how to get in shape and stay in shape'.

Barry Ife, Principal, Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Synopsis

Musicians suffer greatly from industry-related injury and illness, and many of these problems are established during student days or even before. This affects all forms of music-making from classical through jazz and rock to traditional folk. Hearing damage is of serious concern in most forms of music-making, but the most stressful situations and the most physical damage is recorded in the practice of classical music. The long hours of practice at the beginning of a musician's career are the main source of problems that sometimes only reveal themselves in later life.

This book is aimed equally at student musicians, practising musicians, and instrumental and vocal teachers, and it aims to help them to begin to understand how and why their bodies function as they do when they perform and also how they may avoid professionally related illness or injury and achieve the highest standards of performance.

The principal author, Dr Jaume Rosset i Llobet, is a medical expert and an internationally acclaimed researcher on the subject. He is the Director of a Centre for the Physiology of The Arts in Terrassa, Catalonia, one of the few clinics in the world to which musicians, dancers and performing artists can go for assessment and treatment.

The book provides examples and references to the health of musicians covering a wide range of musical genres based on current research, practice and treatment. As well as physiological exposition, copiously illustrated with medical and humorous diagrams, the book covers ergonomics, risk factors, posture, breathing, matters of diet and accommodation of professional needs in daily life.

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One of the RSCM’s three core educational programmes, Voice for Life exists to support and promote singing in churches, schools and other communities.

Voice for Life provides a range of training materials, repertoire, courses and training choirs that will enable you to encourage and develop a singing culture in your community; whether a church, school or in the wider community.

A Choir Trainer's Book is available, together with four Singer's Workbooks at four levels:

1. light blue
2. dark blue
3. red
4. yellow

• go to RSCM website