 |
|
|
|
MATTS News
Here you’ll find a selection of our current news and activities.
MATTS welcomes a number of visiting Senior Teachers and special guests throughout the year as well as hosting a range of events. If you are interested in attending any of these, please contact the Head of Training for further details:
info@alextechteaching.org.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEW! Two MATTS teachers move to Edinburgh.
Ruth Currell and Julia Roberts recently moved to Edinburgh. Ruth works in the busy Leith (Ocean Terminal) area, and Julia is in Colinton.
|
|
|
Anne Battye spent two enjoyable days working with MATTS students and teachers 29 and 30 November 2011. Anne trained with the Barlows - Marjory and Wilfred - and worked along side them for many years. She taught the Technique at RADA and is well-known for her masterclasses that encourage a search for a deeper understanding of the Alexander essentials: inhibition, direction and 'staying in the back'. Anne gave the Annual F M Alexander Memorial Lecture in 2008. This was a personal memoir of her work with the Technique and the founding of STAT in 1958. She was guest speaker at the American Society's conference in San Francisco (2009).
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Gloria Pullan made her annual visit to MATTS this October. Gloria works with riders from her home in Hertfordshire. She says that working on the saddle is also invaluable for other, non-riding pupils. Singers, in particular, appreciate the freedom they experience in their legs and lower back. Gloria has developed saddle work, begun by Walter Carrington, to a fine art: a valuable addition to the teacher's repertoire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gloria is pictured (left) working with Julia Roberts (MATTS-trained teacher, recently moved to Edinburgh) and Jenny, a first-year student. Also pictured (above) is Gloria working with RNCM guitarist Mattia Corda.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recent Visiting Teachers to MATTS
MATTS trainees and teachers, and students at the Royal Northern College of Music enjoyed a two-day visit from Alex Farkas (18th - 19th May), American AT teacher and musician. His teaching emphasised the importance of stopping and quietening (not over-preparing or trying too hard) in performance, and "staying back in one's back". Simple (but not easy) advice and very effective! Students' commented, "Amazing", "Fantastic" as they experienced greater ease of movement and a more resonant sound. (Sorry, forgot to take photos.)
Kathleen Ballard spent three days with MATTS students and teachers (24th - 26th May) on her welcome annual visit to Manchester. Kathleen shared her ideas about directing attention and energy to improve our 'connection', co-ordination and performance. A pair of spiral-patterned socks came in useful to demonstrate that effective lengthening and widening and 'giving directions' (to ourselves and pupils) requires our thinking three-dimensionally.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MATTS visit to Elisabeth Walker
A small group of MATTS students and teachers made a return visit to Elisabeth Walker at her home in Oxford on 7th April. We had a splendid morning of work and discussion. Elisabeth was as welcoming and enthusiastic about the work as ever.
She told us how much she had enjoyed the Oscar-winning film, The King’s Speech, saying that she had known six of the characters personally from her work as a radiographer. She thought it most unlikely that Lionel Logue (the speech therapist of the film) had ever met Alexander, even though their careers seemed to have so much in common and they had both been working in London through the 1930s. Non-the-less, it was fun speculating what might have been. Elisabeth is planning to be at the Congress in Lugano this summer. Thank you for a super day.
|
|
|
|
|
A Tribute to Patrick Macdonald - Giora Pinkas’ visit to MATTS - Wednesday 30th March 2011
|
|
On 30th March, MATTS had an enjoyable visit from American teacher, Giora Pinkas. Giora qualified with Patrick Macdonald in 1967 and, in 1974, he co-founded (with Frank Ottiwell) in San Francisco the first 3-year, teacher training course in the United States. He is founder/director of The Alexander Educational Center in Berkeley, California. This visit to MATTS was part of a tribute to Macdonald (b.1910) who died 20 years ago this year. Giora shared reminiscences of his training with Macdonald, and briefly showed us film (not previously seen) of his training during the ‘60’s. It was a very full day for Giora. First, he led the morning class with more than twenty students, teachers and friends attending. It was considered a great success by all. Everyone appreciated Giora’s teaching demonstrations delivered with great sensitivity, openness and good humour. In the afternoon, Giora gave private lessons and then he presented a short masterclass for students at the Royal Northern College of Music before returning to London. Teachers can meet Giora at this year’s International Congress in Lugano, Switzerland but we hope it won’t be too long before he makes a return visit to Manchester.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruth Currell and Kim Cant are MATTS' latest graduates. They both finished their courses on 9th December 2010 and are looking forward to building up a teaching practice.
Ruth (not wishing to embarrass her) is our youngest graduate and, at 22, must be one of the youngest teachers to qualify from any school. She will be working in central and south Manchester. Kim, a keen golfer, lives near Warrington.
Some twenty-five current and past students, teachers, friends and family attended a celebration lunch - combined with marking the Festive Season - at Christie's Bistro in the grand setting of Manchester's Victorian University. Good luck to Ruth and Kim in their new teaching careers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
