The Pianimals study group is for those who are not as lazy as Sleepy Bear (pictured above). If you have completed the first Pianimals Online Institute and want to continue honing this approach, this group is for you. Don't rest on your laurels but sign up for the Pianimals Online Study Group, a bi-weekly meeting with Alan Fraser where a mini Awareness Through Piano Movement (ATPM) lesson is followed by one or more individual lessons.
In the new format, one participant brings a study piece and Alan offers suggestions on how to apply the Pianimals approach to the particular musical issues of that composition. All participants may learn the piece in advance as well, so they are familar with the issues and can practice the solutions in real time, microphones muted. As time allows, others may also receive mini-lessons showing how different players might need different Pianimals-style interventions in the same piece. Learn how best to help your pupils progress by delving into the nuts & bolts of the Pianimals language.
90-minute format: A half hour ATPM is followed by a research seminar on that week's study piece. The "guinea pig" participant plays the piece receiving "bullet-style" tips on how to improve the performance by applying the Pianimals ideas. Fraser will not shoot down the participant's performance but build it up with quick, precise applications of "the hand as a mini-body" strategies. The same with the mini-lessons that follow if time allows. The proceedings are always open to discussion; it's a round table atmosphere.
The sessions are bi-weekly, but if time does not allow for a full discussion of that week's study piece, a make-up session could be held the following Saturday, same time, at the discretion of the group. We cannot go much overtime because the new iteration of the Pianimals Online Institute is meeting immediately following this session.
Are you hesitant to attend? Feel you are not advanced enough? Not well-enough prepared? Don't worry; Alan welcomes all, no matter what your ability, no matter what the state of your program. The Institute really is open to all interested pianists:
There is no limit to improvement!
United Kingdom: one hour earlier. Brazil, Argentina: three hours earlier. N. America East Coast: six hours earlier (Atlantic Canada five). N. America Central: seven hours earlier. N. America Mountain: eight hours earlier. N. America Pacific: nine hours earlier. Lessons will be recorded so that participants from Australasia may watch without burning the midnight oil.
Each session covers the physical action and musical implications of the Pianimals ideas applied to a piece from the repertoire:
The sessions are bi-weekly, but if time does not allow for a full discussion of that week's study piece, a make-up session could be held the following Saturday, same time, at the discretion of the group.
To join the study group, pay in advance for as many weeks as you want. We will register you and mark you paid in full up to the number of sessions purchased. Later, if you need to skip a session unexpectedly, don't worry, you will receive the recording anyway. Session recordings are sent to all participants at no extra cost: only purchase them if you know in advance you will not be able to attend.
Click the appropriate option in the table below to make a secure credit card payment at our retail partner, Stripe.com. To add recordings to your purchase, from the shopping cart hit the back button twice to go all the way back to this page, select recordings; add them to your cart. To add books to your order hit the back button once, then go to the main store menu.
Those of you who qualify for a discount should contact Sophia Cholich to enquire about these discounted registration fees. Generally discounts apply to
We'd like to get to know you better. After registration, please come back to fill out this PARTICIPANT INFORMATION FORM. Remember to note in the comments section which weeks you will be attending.
After you've completed your institute, we'd like to keep in touch. Please return here to fill out the INSTITUTE FOLLOWUP QUESTIONNAIRE. This helps you and us to evaluate your experience, plan your ongoing regime for further pianistic advances, and fine-tune the institute structure to better meet your needs.
ALAN FRASER
Canadian pianist Alan Fraser gives master classes and recitals worldwide and conducts ongoing research and refinement on the ideas put forth in his three books, The Craft of Piano Playing (also in DVD), Honing the Pianistic Self-Image, and All Thumbs: Well-Coordinated Piano Technique. He is at work on several new volumes. Visit here for more on Alan Fraser. If you have concerns or questions about your participation in the institute and would like to address them directly to Alan Fraser, send him an email.
Cancellation Policy
If you must cancel your registration, reimbursement will be as follows: Cancellations more than two months before Institute opening date: 100% reimbursement. Cancellations more than one month before Institute opening date: 75% reimbursement. Cancellations more than two weeks before Institute opening date: 50% reimbursement. Cancellations more than one week before Institute opening date: 25% reimbursement. Cancellations less than one week before Institute opening date: no reimbursement except in cases of doctor-certified illness or acts of God. We reserve the right to cancel the institute due to insufficient enrolment; in this event, all registration fees are fully refundable.
