Physical Therapy at SIMA

An exceptional offer for students and faculty members.

This summer marked the 13th time I had the privilege of participating as a physical therapist at the Swiss International Music Academy (SIMA) on the “Music Island” of Rheinau: Music physical therapy at a master class is still considered a unique offering. Once the program is announced and gets underway, with around 100 students and 20 instructors and accompanists, there’s always plenty of counseling and treatment to provide. The participants gratefully take advantage of this opportunity, coming to me with their questions and concerns about healthy practice, posture, warm-ups, workouts, and much more. I contribute by using various treatment methods to relieve tension in overworked muscles, alleviate pain, correct poor posture, and share knowledge of biomechanics. It’s gratifying for me when my physical therapy assessment of students’ symptoms aligns with their instructors’ evaluations. If not, an interesting professional discussion ensues from which both sides can learn.

I’ve noticed that the physical complaints of young string players often increase in proportion to the amount they practice and decrease in inverse proportion to the amount of physical exercise they do. To me, this means that anyone who practices a lot should engage in a corresponding amount of physical activity to provide their body with the necessary variety of movement. Perceived as a time constraint, this often prevents musicians from engaging in active workouts. If we can help young people become aware of the physical aspects of their stage presence—and if they realize that our entire body, right down to our toes, communicates in ways that can either enhance or detract from a performance—then their interest in physical training often grows as a result.

The ideal scenario is to show young musicians how they can use their bodies while practicing and performing in a way that not only keeps them free of discomfort but also helps them develop a stronger stage presence—and, moreover, makes them feel as though their instrument has a richer, fuller sound.

Reminder: Symposium on November 7 in Biel: «All About the Hand.» For information and registration: www.swissmedmusica.ch

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