Houten

October 28-30: Houten Cultuurhuis Schoneveld

This year's Netherlands Piano Somatics Institute will be held at the Cultuurhuis Schonveld in Houten, a suburb of Utrecht about 40 minutes south of Amsterdam.

Visit the Cultuurhuis Schoneveld Facebook page to get more of a feel for the place. Attending this institute, it's easy to combine piano studies with a vacation in one of Europe's most vibrant cities. Alan teaches in English or French, and Dutch translation is available.

Open to All Interested Pianists

Many relatively inexperienced pianists hesitate to attend an institute, feeling they are not good enough or not well-enough prepared. However, Alan Fraser insists that we are all here to learn and this approach can help all of us, no matter what our ability or state of our program. Thus the Institute really is open to all interested pianists:

• professionals who wish to hone their skills to the highest possible level.
• teachers who want new ways of teaching technique to their students
• students who wish to improve their sound and agility
• amateurs who wish to feel more in command of the instrument

There is no limit to improvement!

Instrumentalists & Vocalists Also Welcome

Alan's Feldenkrais-informed approach to performance also helps instrumentalists and vocalists, transforming their sound by making minute postural adjustments that release hidden physical blocks. If you have a friend or colleague with a specific performing issue, why not invite them to come along.

Schedule

The schedule may be modified according to the makeup and needs of the group.

Participants will be invited to select from this list of lecture topics for the daily seminar:

Travel

Getting There

Click here for travelling directions to
Cultuurhuis Schonveld
Zonnehout 36
3991 MX Houten
Netherlands

Accommodation

Lodging

Rene and Christianne have very kindly offered to host up to two pianists/instrumentalists/singers travelling to Houten from a distance, at €35 per night including breakfast. To connect with Rene to discuss this option, please send him an email.

Otherwise, there are several accommodation options in the Utrecht area.

• To book a hotel we recommend Booking.com.
• www.airbnb.com also offers several listings. Book early to get the best choice and the best price.

MEALS

We will eat out at one of the local restaurants, to be decided by democratic vote!

Register

Fees & Registration

• Active participants have a daily individual lesson, daily group ATM and ATPM lessons, daily seminar lectures, and observe all other lessons.
• Passive participants take part fully in all activities but receive no individual lesson.

COMBINE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE DAYS

• If you want to take full advantage of Alan's presence in Leusden, book two active days.
• If two lessons over two days is too intense for you, book only one active day, and attend the other day as an auditor. To combine active and passive registrations, hit the back button on your browser to add another purchase item to the same payment procedure. For instance, if you want to attend both days but only have one individual lesson, purchase one Active Participant day and one Passive Participant day for a total of two.

At completion of your registration, please return here to fill out the PARTICIPANT QUESTIONNAIRE, indicating which institute you will be attending (Berlin), and what days.

Click on your preferred option below to pay by credit card at our retail partner, Stripe.com.

Contact us for other registration options

If you have a particular registration request, for instance a partial scholarship, please contact Sophia Cholich. They will answer all your questions and do their best to meet your specific needs.

Before & After the Institute

Information Sheet & Followup Questionnaire

We'd like to get to know you better. After registration, please come back to fill out this PARTICIPANT INFORMATION FORM.

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.

Contact

About Us - Contact

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 books:

• The Craft of Piano Playing (also in DVD),
• Honing the Pianistic Self-Image
• All Thumbs: Well-Coordinated Piano Technique
• Pianimals: 28 Feldenkrais Lessons for the Beginning Pianist's Hand
• Skeletal Wisdom: Mind & Body Reunited in the Feldenkrais Method
• Play the Piano with Your Whole Self

He is at work on several new volumes. Visit here for more on Alan Fraser. If you have questions about your participation in the institute and would like to address them directly to Alan Fraser, please feel free to send him an email.

RENE MAURER

Pianist and pedagogue Rene Maurer has performed internationally for several decades, both as a soloist and chamber musician. He is professor of piano at the Houten Music School, teaches at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Zwolle, leads a Young Talent Class in Arnhem, and runs a thriving private practice at his studio in Nieuwegein, where his entire class has been trained in part through extensive use of the Pianimals Method.

Rene's contact information: Email Rene

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.