Teaching

LEssons

I started learning Tai Chi (or Tai Ji, Taiji, T’ai Chi) because I was looking for a low impact exercise form that would involve the entire body but not stress the joints. What I found was a complete system of movement that merges the mind with the body and offers the framework in which  I could learn to move without physical or mental discontinuities . This exploration led to the development of a teaching and playing approach that integrates Tai Chi principles into piano playing through increased coordination, continuity of movement and calmness of mind.

How do I teach?

I teach by observation.

Since nothing can be observed without awareness, I teach my students how to be aware of what is going on while they play. In a world that is increasingly more and more focus on the mind, I make it a first priority to teach my students to become aware of their body. We work on physical coordination, on determining how it feels in the body, and how to recognize states of tension and relaxation. Most of the time we start with small parts and expand to the whole body but that is not always the case.

My second priority is to teach my students to be aware of their mind, by which I mean the totality of thoughts and emotions that radically impact how they express and perceive their own music making. I teach them how to be aware of the tightness of the mind; of discontinuities of thought or emotion; self regulation; and how to link their minds with their bodies so that the entire person participates in the act of music making. Once they acquire a big enough vocabulary of experiences, we move on to refinements and feedback.

I teach by using imagery combined with physical direction. To know how one wants a piece to sound is critical to artistry, but to know HOW one gets to that sound is always a matter of physical motion. As one of my teachers, Burton Hatheway, puts it, ‘Sound is Motion; Motion is Sound,’ the two aspects are inextricably linked and have to be considered as a unit. I teach towards this unity.

Principles are very important to me and my teaching. If one understands the principles governing the body, the mind, the architecture of a piece, and the act of presenting something in the context of live performance, the applications, with their endless variety will be a joy to explore and ensure longevity in the arts. So, I make up exercises that illustrate a principle which we then apply to music. 

I teach all kinds of repertoire as well as music reading, theory, and history.

Ana

Workshops and Lectures

In general, contemporary Western music education is very effective at conveying an impressive quantity of information and in training future musicians in all theoretical, historical and applicative aspects of music making. However, since Western music is the artistic offspring of Western thought, it inherits both its qualities and shortcomings. Among the latter, none is more damaging than the belief in the mind-body duality and the hierarchical order of this dichotomy which sets the mind in a superior, preferential spot that leaves the body generally unexplored. Due to this inherited point of view, Western piano pedagogy is built around and emphasizes exercises that involve the hands and arms but leave the rest of the body alone, assuming that what needs to happen will happen.

Below are short descriptions of lectures and workshops I have developed which attempt to redress the gaps left by traditional Western music training. Each contains both theoretical and practical exercises that illustrate the main points of building an understanding of how the body works in the context of music making as well as how one can focus the mind in order to gain better results from practicing.

Workshops based on Tai Chi Principles

  • Elements of Biomechanics

    Finding and keeping good body alignments that promote the efficient use of all body parts.

  • What Is Tension?

    Understanding physical, mental, and emotional tension and relaxation through direct experience. Identify the same states while playing.

  • Breathing

    Understand the connection between breath and physical, mental, and emotional responses; ways to relax by using the breath.

  • What Do I Feel?

    Increasing awareness of body, mind, and emotions; learning how to deal with stress in the context of music making.

  • Strategies for teachers

    Physical adjustments to avoid body pain or emotional irritation when teaching.

  • Anatomy of Pain

    Understanding how an injury happens. Ways to release and reintegrate body parts after injury. Strategies for returning to music-making after injury.

  • Breath, Circularity, and the Performing Musician

    Explore the advantages of circular motion in music making. Learn this principle through breathwork and how to apply it to the instrument.

  • relaxing the eyes

    Learn simple eye relaxation exercises that help prevent fatigue and brain fog when practicing or teaching for prolonged periods. Release the tension in the eyes to refresh concentration and diminish reading mistakes.

FAQs

  • NO. The material in these workshops is based on principles and techniques drawn from Tai Chi and Qigong but you do not have to have previous knowledge of these disciplines to take these workshops or benefit from their content.

  • It depends on the organizer. The material can be condensed into an hour in which case it will be closer to a lecture or explored deeply in the span of 3 to 4 hours, in which case it will be a true workshop. Anything in between is possible.

    The more time available, the more time there is for participants to understand these principles, gain more experience with their application, and get feedback from me.

  • Happily! Please get in contact with me and we can discuss your needs.

  • I can try but my responsibility is to take care of the entire group. As such, my ability to concentrate on your need is limited. If you find the material in the workshop helpful and you want to continue exploring it, the best way is to set up a lesson with me.

  • Yes, if asked. I hold 6 certifications in various qigong sets and Tai Chi. Please see this profile.

    https://www.energyarts.com/instructors/united-states/massachusetts-1/dorchester-1/ana-sorina-popa/#post_content

    For descriptions of these practices please see energyarts.com.

    I can do classes, workshops, or private lessons, depending on your interest.