Pianimals

A developomental approach

Pianimals offers the beginning pianist's hand the same developmental experiences we all had in childhood when we first learned to stand, walk, run and jump. The Feldenkrais-style exercises empower the beginner's first steps at the piano, with illustrations that draw the child into a fantasy world where the hand really becomes a bear or a bird, and evocative compositions that develop the child's musicianship along with their fantasy.

For grownups too

These exercises are a great remedial experience for more advanced pianists as well. Never has Alan's Piano Somatics approach been spelled out so clearly, so simply... the compositions are fun to play for teacher and pupil alike, and sometimes challenging for both!

        A complete set of pedagogical materials including the...

• Pupils' Method Book: Volumes 1 & 2: Developmentally sequenced compositions that take the hand from lying down to standing (Volume 1) and from walking to running to leaping (Volume 2).

• Teachers' Manual: With exercises and instructions on their application in the pieces

• Pianimals Pointers: A slim companion volume with quick descriptions of the key exercises and lavish photo illustrations - a handy tool for the studio teacher.

• The Pianimals Playbook: A performance volume with all the compositions in primo/right-secondo/left format; thumbnail illustrations only.

Each piece has its own animal who plays the piano in its own unique way...

... and Lucky the Cat is always there keeping an eye on things...
Author Alan Fraser appears as Elegant Alionus!

Pianimals Tutorial Videos: Watch the tutorials for guidance in mastering the exercises.

• Pianimals Pointers Tutorials

• Teachers Manual Tutorials

• Pianimals Performances - each composition played in its entirety (in production)

• Teacher Training - in depth analysis of each exercise (in production)

Studio teachers react to Pianimals:

Refining a weighted touch

"Pianimals is both stimulating and challenging. I have learned to refine my habitual weighted touch (of which I had been unaware) to open the piano's sound. I feel more agile and what's even more important, I have found my musical voice. It all comes from standing the hand well on key... and now my pupils are doing the same."

Cristina Ferrari, studio teacher and Pianimals translator, Italy

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"I am having such fun using these pieces in my studio, and the kids just love turning their hand into animals like a hippo or an ape. The exercises are ingenious in their capacity to both empower and entertain the young pupil."

Christine Olson, studio teacher, Northampton, MA

Explanations that are simple & clear but not superficial

"I have studied Alan Fraser's method for many years and translated several of his longer books into French, but Pianimals is helping me even more to play Bach as I have always dreamed."

Yveline Ciazynski, retired psychoanalyst and Pianimals translator, France

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"If you want to get your pupils on their pianistic feet quickly and easily, Pianimals is for you."

Mario de la Vega, studio teacher, Munich

A sense of freedom, contact, control

"Alan's teaching has brought my playing to a whole new level of virtuosity, one that I had never even dreamed of. It is so exciting to see this same approach distilled into a format that allows my pupils to progress more quickly and adroitly than ever before."

Remon Holsbergen, concert pianist, Amsterdam

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Pianimals is available at our online store. Don't wait, order yours today, and in the meantime, join our fast-growing Pianimals Practitioners in our Pianimals Facebook Group.