Resilience 2020: Marion Crombie

ESTA CPD course, June 10 - 12, 2020 Marion Crombie

 

I was not sure how it would feel spending three mornings in front of a screen, so it was helpful to start the day with a Feldenkrais session, for which one doesn’t have to

watch the screen but instead listen to the instructions. As an Alexander Technique teacher I’m always interested in other methods that invite awareness of how we move, and I find

Feldenkrais very helpful in this respect, and a technique that seems to lend itself well to online teaching.

 

The morning sessions with Simon Cartledge I found very helpful. I will certainly be using the “Royal Wave”, “patting the dog” and other movements relevant to finding the balance in both arms and the important freedom of the upper arm at the shoulder. The demonstrations and steps towards vibrato, playful wild bowing and wild shifts will also be useful in my teaching. For me, resonating with questions I have been asking myself about my own playing. I liked having the same tutor for 3 days in a row, feeling that it was more likely that the approach would sink in for me. I liked the emphasis on balanced movements inspired by the Rolland approach. I have always been interested in this approach but haven’t previously had direct experience of it. Apart from the movements, I will also incorporate the “circle of 5th’s scale” and the 2-octave modes practise into my teaching.

 

Online workshops are not the same as in-person ones; there are many things that we miss. Still I do think that this technology is enabling more opportunities, and more affordable opportunities for sharing teaching experience, which can only be good.

 

The sessions with Lucy Hare invited us to think about resilience in the face of the current situation. I realized that one of my weaknesses has been that I have little desire to explore some of the new technology that is available and that I dislike spending too much time in front of a screen. However, I came to realize that the technology offers a widened field of potential students and new ways of reaching out to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity of music tuition. During one of the breakout groups I learned from one of the other participants about the Northeast Fiddle School, which sounds like it is doing very well. I also heard about a website called Patreon, which I will look into.

 

The final evening, with Chris Haigh was a mixed experience for me. I really enjoy playing folk music from many traditions and was looking forward to it. Not being a quick learner by ear I found the most valuable experience for me was that uncomfortable reminder (that I believe all teachers need from time to time) of how unpleasant it is to feel pressured and completely out of one’s depth. Thank goodness for the mute button! No-one learns well in these conditions. The Bulgarian tune was more enjoyable, but even so I found that his tempi were fast or faster and again was left with an unsatisfactory feeling.

 

On balance I found the workshop to be both enjoyable and instructive and am very grateful for the financial assistance of the Nannie Jamieson Nutshell Fund bursary that allowed me to take part. I found it a very useful stimulus to my teaching and particularly valuable in these times that we are living in.

 

The tech support from Nicole was wonderful and I was impressed that there seemed to be so few glitches. Well done!