Mastering octaves through tensegrity: The whole-body approach
Born in Montreal in 1955 Alan Fraser studied piano but also delved into composition, cello, classical singing and had several stints as a pop musician. Alan’s main pianistic influence was the pioneering research of Phil Cohen who studied alongside Ronald Turini, Andre Laplante and Janina Fialkowska with Yvonne Hubert, who had been Cortot‘s assistant in Paris. Alan spent several years with Cohen after an apprenticeship with two former Cohen students, Alan Belkin and Lauretta Milkman.
Understanding the tensegrity structure of the human body, demonstrated using a pelvis model, can improve piano technique by cultivating intentional growth movements in the hand that ripple through the entire body, enhancing performance quality and resolving physical limitations
Play octaves effectively by integrating proper shoulder movement, torso engagement, and metacarpal joint positioning to create a synchronized, tension-free technique
Alan demonstrates proper hand positioning and finger movements on piano keys, emphasizing the importance of sliding fingers
Alan guides a student through improvements in playing technique, focusing on shoulder engagement, proper hand positioning, and lifting the second knuckle to create more fluid, resonant sounds during performance
Particularly when navigating complex passages involving the thumb and fifth finger
How to properly extend the second finger while playing piano, incorporating supination movements, shoulder relaxation, and body positioning to achieve Chopin's snake-like hand technique
