WELCOME

Do you or any of your students…

–Have a hard time relaxing?

–Play with minor annoyances or discomfort (also known as precursors to pain and injury)?

–Have intense butterflies in your stomach before or during performing?  Or do your hands shake uncontrollably?  How about racing thoughts during a performance?

Do you wish you could flip a switch and resolve all of these issues and get back to enjoying playing and performing?

You’ve come to the right place.

What is the secret to resolving these issues?  Tuning into the wealth of information our body is giving us in the present moment.

I began piano lessons at the age of 6 and studied all the way into college.  I took a break and then my childhood love of horses came back into my life, and I began riding lessons.  My fear of falling off was nearly debilitating.  Determined to find a way to overcome my fear and learn how to fall safely, I was introduced to the martial art of aikido.

Little did I know that not only would aikido teach me how to fall off a horse safely (and how to stay on), but it would profoundly affect how I played the piano.

I started experimenting with applying the principles of aikido to piano. To my surprise, I found a new level of security and enjoyment when I played the piano that I didn’t even know existed, and I already loved the piano.  Aikido introduced me to the wealth of information my body was already giving me at every moment of every day.

Today, my passion is opening the door to the benefits of body awareness for teachers and students, so you too can experience the thrill of playing and performing. My current top five moments performing (and even practicing) came after I became more aware of my body through my aikido training.

I remember hearing once that Rubinstein felt so energized after giving a performance, that he felt like he could do it again, and he was in his eighties.

I want that exhilaration. I want my students to experience it as well. Feeling great, no pain, nor injury and stunningly beautiful tone. What an amazing experience. Who wouldn’t want to play a musical instrument?

Body awareness is such a huge topic, and I am still learning more as I teach and practice and perform myself. I hope the ideas here will propel you forward in your own discovery of refining your craft as a musician and teacher. You only have something wonderful to gain, and something wonderful to share with your students.

Welcome to the journey.

Mary Walby