The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart - Hardcover

Madeline Bruser

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0517708221 ISBN 13: 9780517708224

Publisher: Harmony, 1997

Synopsis

This landmark book enlightens amateur and professional musicians about a way of practicing that transforms a sometimes frustrating, monotonous, and overly strenuous labor into an exhilarating and rewarding experience. Acclaimed pianist and teacher Madeline Bruser combines physiological and meditative principles to help musicians release physical and mental tension and unleash their innate musical talent. She offers practical techniques for cultivating free and natural movement, a keen enjoyment of sounds and sensations, a clear and relaxed mind, and an open heart and she explains how to

Prepare the body and mind to practice with ease
Understand the effect of posture on flexibility and expressiveness
Make efficient use of the hands and arms
Employ listening techniques to improve coordination
Increase the range of color and dynamics by using less effort
Cultivate rhythmic vitality
Perform with confidence, warmth, and freedom

Photographs show essential points of posture and movement for a variety of instruments.
From the Trade Paperback edition.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

This wise and timely book enlightens amateur and professional musicians about a way of practicing that transforms a sometimes frustrating, monotonous, and overly strenuous labor into an exhilarating and rewarding experience. For a great many musicians, poor practice habits destroy the joy of making music and cause tension, strain, and disabling injuries. Acclaimed pianist and teacher Madeline Bruser offers practical techniques for cultivating free and natural movement, a keen enjoyment of sounds and sensations, a clear and relaxed mind, and an open heart. Conveying deep personal understanding of the musician's working life, The Art of Practicing deals with common problems that arise, including impatience, distraction, anger, and stage fright, as well as posture, phrasing, motivation, memory, and other issues that every musician must address to develop his or her skill to its highest level.

About the Author:

Madeline Bruser lectures widely on the Art of Practicing and teaches privately in New York City.
From the Trade Paperback edition.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harmony
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0517708221
• ISBN 13: 9780517708224
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 271