The
Anatomy Coloring Book
Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson, HarperCollins, 1993. Recommended by Amy Likar.
This is a wonderful book to use in your teaching studio. Assign pages to students or to yourself to color each week.
Particularly useful in mapping the skeletal system and the breathing mechanism.
Atlas
of Human Anatomy Frank
H. Netter, M.D. Ciba, 1989. Recommended by Barbara
Conable, who thinks it's the anatomy book for the studio,
especially for singing teachers. The images are vibrant
and compelling.
Bones:
The Unity of Form and Function
R. McNeill Alexander, Ph.D., D.Sc., Department of Pure and
Applied Biology at the University of Leeds, England. Macmillan,
1994. From the Forward by Mark Norell, "...basic engineering
principles (force, stress, strain and tension), their mechanical
solutions (hinges, joints, arches and trusses) and the characteristics
of materials (hardness, flexibility, and the combinational
qualities of composites and laminates) are just as relevant
to the body of an organism as to the design of a racing
sailboat. The correspondence is so great that one could
easily imagine that the principles of structural architecture
were discovered by careful observation of organisms by ancient
engineers." Recommended by Barbara
Conable for Mapping the structure, function, and size
of your own bones. And it's beautiful.
The
Human Vocal Tract: Anatomy, Function, Development, and Evolution (out of print but can be purchased used)
Edmund S. Crelin, Ph.D., D.Sc., Vantage Press. 1987. Terrific,
well-illustrated book by a professor of Anatomy at Yale,
famous for his pioneering work in the anatomy of infants.
Recommended by Barbara Conable,
who says, "Best book I know for Mapping the tongue and the
pharynx."
Back
Trouble: A New Approach to Prevention and Recovery Back Trouble: A New Approach to Prevention and Recovery
benefits readers with or without back pain. Author Deborah
Caplan was a physical therapist and Alexander teacher. Utilizing
many photographs and anatomical line drawings, Caplan clearly
explains how to use the entire spine and back in the healthiest
way. The book provides many simple exercises (how to release
muscles and apply F.M. Alexander's concepts of good use)
as well as healing exercises for the back. A companion video
is available under the title: The
Alexander Technique: Solutions for Back Trouble.
Recommended by MaryJean Allen.
Body
Learning
In Body Learning (first published in 1981), Michael Gelb
introduces F. M. Alexander's life and journey, which lead
him to his Technique for "regaining our natural poise."
Each of Alexander's principles or "operational ideas"
are introduced followed by discussions on how we learn best
and how we may apply the Technique to modern life and activities.
Excellent and appropriate photos spice up the engaging text.
This book is a popular resource for beginners or those simply
looking to refresh their inquiry into restoring their natural
functioning. Recommended by David Nesmith.
Lessons
from the Art of Juggling: How to Achieve Your Full Potential
in Business, Learning, and Life
Crown
Trade Paperbacks, New York. 1994. Gelb and Buzan (discoverer
of Mind Mapping) put their heads together in this excellent
book for performers of all types. Using juggling as an actual
activity and a metaphor for life and business we learn to
allow ourselves to "fail" so our mind/body can
really learn. "Dropping the balls" on purpose
gives us the opportunity to become less reactive (stop trying
too hard) and more responsive in productive ways. Once again
the Alexander Technique is introduced as a practical method
for achieving our full potential with appropriate effort
and poise. Recommended by David Nesmith.
The Musician's Soul
To be honest, I thought I could predict the contents of
this book. I thought I knew what it would say. Was I ever
wrong!! Much of it surprised me, especially the part that
analyzes and reveals the remedy for musicians' envy, most
poignantly what Jordon calls "envy of the perfect sound,"
in which Jordon draws on the pioneering scholarship of Rene
Girard. A growing number of musicians are setting about
to change musical culture with regard to competitiveness,
contempt, back-stabbing, judgment, rumor, and despair. This
book should serve as their manual. Recommended by Barbara
Conable.
The
Musician's Spirit: Connecting to Others Through Story
This book is in its own way as astonishing as The Musician's
Soul
and as revolutionary. I started reading it one night in
the early evening
and finished without interruption at 5am. I will read it
many times
before I fully understand it, not because it is difficult
to read, but
because it will take time to assimilate its meaning, especially
since much of
the meaning is carried in its design, accomplished by GIA's
brilliant
Yolanda Duran. What's it about? Just what the subtitle says,
connecting to
others through story. I see what Jordon is advocating in
this book as
remedy for the destruction caused by musicians' envy as
described and analyzed
in The Musician's Soul. It goes further, though. It could
create a
community of musicians in which music is allowed to work
its full magic on the
human spirit. I'm pleased to say that the volume also contains
my poem New
City on page 50. Recommended by Barbara
Conable.
The
Power of Mindful Learning
Dr. Langer takes her previously presented research in Mindfulness
and applies it directly to learning. She explores seven myths,
or mindsets, which have debilitating effects on the learning
process. To counter the mindlessness of mindsets, she presents
three characteristics of mindfulness: continuous creation,
openness to new information and awareness of more than one
perspective. Her examples of mindful learning can be directly
applied to both practicing and performing. Reviewed by Jeanne
H. Weisman.
Present
Yourself!
As a professional musician I'm always looking for ways to
optimize my ability to perform up to my potential on stage
in front of an audience. In Present Yourself! Gelb applies
the Alexander Technique to presentation skills. The focus
of the book is actually on public speaking, but the basic
principles are applicable to any kind of performance. With
simple and practical suggestions we are shown how to create
and execute memorable "performances" with poise.
Gelb introduces Mind Mapping, a non-linear, whole brain
approach to brainstorming and organizing ideas. Anyone interested
in communicating effectively with greater ease should check
out this excellent book. Recommended by David
Nesmith.
Therapeutic
Exercises using the Swiss Ball Caroline
Corning Creager, P.T. Distributed by OPTP, P.O. Box 47009,
Minneapolis, MN 55447. Recommended by Barbara
Conable. The Swiss balls are great for freeing oneself
and for working on breathing. This book shows they can also
help with strengthening. A good way to work on strength
and freedom at the same time.
The
Thinking Body: A Study of the Balancing Forces of Dynamic
Man
This book was written decades ago and was the premier pioneering
work in somatics, in my opinion, but it remains current,
it is so fresh and engaging. Its contents are immediately
relevant to the pursuit of an accurate and adequate body
map. Highly recommended for Andover Educator trainees. Recommended
by Barbara Conable.
Somatics:
Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility,
and Health
Succinct and easy-to-read, Thomas Hanna's Somatics convincingly argues for taking conscious control of how we use our physical selves. Hanna examines traditional views of aging, habit, and the mind-body connection by telling intrigueing stories of his successful work with clients using somatic re-education. As he states "everything we experience in our lives is a bodily experience," and, with this in mind, the book concludes with several valuable somatic exercises. Inspired by the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, this book is a great way to begin the path towards total body awareness. Recommended by Stephen Caplan.
