Unlocking Natural Piano Technique
Get the insights and guidance you need
to move out of frustration and into freedom
A Flextime Course for Performers and Educators
with Madeline Bruser
Author of The Art of Practicing
Live Sessions on Zoom on Tuesdays, October 3 to 31, 2023
12:30 to 3:00 PM Eastern
and
Recordings Available for All Sessions.
Flexible scheduling to combine live participation with recordings*
Special bonus session for General Participants
on Thursday, November 2
Is This Your Story?
• You’ve worked hard to perfect your technique, but you’re not consistently getting the results you want.
• You’ve felt confused hearing about different approaches to technique, and you want to gain a deeper understanding of how your body works best at the piano.
• You wonder why certain pianists look so relaxed yet play with such expressive power, and if that might be possible for you.
• Working with technique is so frustrating that you sometimes think, “Maybe I just don’t have what it takes.”
Imagine If You Could:
- Release tension in each part of your hands, arms, and whole body so that you feel free when you’re practicing and can trust your body to let go when you perform
- Discover how to maximize power, fluidity, and sensitivity in whatever piece you’re playing
- Enjoy feeling curious instead of discouraged as you explore technical challenges each day
- Feel confident and excited thinking on your feet as you help your students solve technical problems
- Become more relaxed and energized about your life as a performer and teacher
“After studying piano at two conservatories and searching for decades to find the most efficient way to express myself at the piano, I attended Madeline Bruser’s master class series. In just 10 minutes of working with her, I had a huge breakthrough in my piano technique that allowed me to make the music I had longed to make all my life. She is a true master.”
– Jeremy Wilkinson, England
Alum of Guildhall School of Music and Drama
“After only three lessons with Madeline, my technique feels amazingly natural and effortless. Instead of struggling for power and sounding harsh, I can now make a beautiful, big, round sound easily, just by making simple changes in how I use my body.”
– Laura Amoriello, Chair, Committee for Pianists’ Wellness, National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy
“I came to Madeline to fix bad habits and improve my technique, but I almost feel like those were fixed incidentally, and that I learned much more important things along the way. She taught me how to really connect with, listen to, and trust myself — both my body and my heart. I regained the confidence I had lost and learned how to create space for myself to grow, as a pianist and person.”
– Amy Lam, California, Alum of Columbia University
Join us for this intensive dive into the unique approach to piano technique that has helped countless pianists break free from tension, injuries, self-doubt, performance anxiety, and blocks to their natural expressive energies.
The Unlocking Natural Piano Technique series is based on my decades of research and experience in teaching hundreds of pianists to perform with ease, and helping dozens more recover from playing-related injuries. The sessions will integrate rich information from professionals in the fields of performing arts medicine and bodywork with material I have presented at the Performing Arts Medicine Association, the MedArt World Congress on Arts and Medicine, and Beth Israel Hospital, and in advising Mount Sinai Hospital on injury preventive piano technique.
I’m excited to help YOU fulfill your potential and find the confidence you dream of, both onstage and in your teaching studio.
In this dynamic five-week intensive you will …
- Discover how to play with more emotional intensity, yet less physical tension
- Learn how simple but powerful repositioning of your body can release tension and open up your innate musicality
- Receive informative handouts on 10 specific arm movements that you can refer to every day in your practicing and teaching, to help you experience physical ease
- Learn a short mental exercise to give you the awareness and focus you need for working with technical details
- Get to the root of many technical problems so that you can finally clear up confusion and enjoy playing more
- Receive real answers to your questions, along with step-by-step guidance in recognizing and releasing tension in your body
- Review each week’s recording so you can hone in on technical details at your own pace during practicing
- Have the opportunity to ask questions and share your experiences in a private Facebook group with other participants.
Unlike any other program on piano technique, this series will provide you with the essential aid of mindfulness techniques and with Q&A sessions in a supportive group of like-minded pianists, along with intensive work at the instrument.
The series is designed to help you trust your body and mind in practice and performance and to open up your natural ease and musicality.
* Flexible Scheduling
To fit this program into your busy schedule, you are welcome to combine live participation with watching the recordings, or just watch the recordings. If you would like to work with me in one or more of the live sessions, please let me know which Tuesdays and what times will work for you between 12:30 and 3:00 PM Eastern.
Program Structure
Up to five Performing Participants will be selected through application and audition to work with me in the live sessions. In addition, 15 General Participants will be accepted to observe the work, to actively learn the essential mindset exercises, to receive the handouts on technique information, to practice each week’s material through reviewing the recordings, and to participate in all of the Q&A sessions.
These General Participants will also be invited to an additional problem-solving session, in which each pianist may bring in a specific musical passage and receive 10 minutes of “laser” coaching to help them play it more easily.
Let’s unlock your real playing possibilities NOW!
TUITION:
Due to generous scholarships from the Art of Practicing Institute, tuition for Performing Participants is only $290 for the series. Tuition for General Participants is $75 for the series.
Recordings will be available for all sessions.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
The application deadline is September 26.
Fill out one of these quick forms so we can consider you for a scholarship.
