Musicians' workshops and private lessons with Janet Davies
Sunday 26 April, 2026
Morning workshop 10am - 1pm $145 ($125 con)
Afternoon masterclass 2.30 - 5.30pm $125 ($95 con)
Full day as Masterclass participant $250 ($200 con)
Full day observing Masterclass $230 ($180 con)
Workshop: Jika JikaNeighborhood
Centre, Northcote
Private Lessons at school in Preston
Alexander Technique for musicians using the Resonant Body© method
The Alexander Technique (AT) is a form of somatic (mind-body) training that is used world-wide by musicians. From recent research, reported benefits include a reduction in playing-related pain and excess muscle tension, as well as improvements in posture, stress levels, and performance anxiety. Players also report that instrumental technique, tonal resonance, breathing, and practice effectiveness can be positively affected. 1, 2
This workshop will introduce the method Janet has developed over decades of working with musicians to facilitate the practical application of AT to playing and singing. We will look at:
-
how to organise optimal balance and efficient movement patterns for your instrument
-
the importance of whole-body awareness in coordinating playing movements of the arms and breathing system
-
how to access power and intensity for playing without stiffening and using unnecessary force
-
the importance of developing accurate ‘body maps’.
In the morning session Janet will introduce and explore Alexander Technique and Resonant Body principles through a range of activities.
In the afternoon session Janet will work with up to eight musicians in a masterclass format, as they apply the principles to playing or singing. Those not directly involved in performing will observe and Janet will include the group in her teaching process. Performers in the masterclass will need to have attended the morning session.
Janet Davies
Janet Davies is currently Lecturer in Violin at Sydney
Conservatorium, where she has taught violin,
chamber music, orchestral studies and string
pedagogy over several years. As a professional player
Janet was a core member of the Australian Chamber
Orchestra.
Her students hold prominent positions in leading orchestras, and are regular prize winners and finalists in major competitions, including the National Youth Concerto, KPO Concerto, and Kendall National Violin Competitions, as well as the Dorcas McClean Travelling Scholarship.
Janet is also a fully qualified Alexander Technique (AT) teacher. Based on her extensive experience working with musicians, she has devised a unique method - The Resonant Body© - which elucidates the principles of AT so they are directly applicable for playing all instruments.
Janet teaches AT to Sydney Conservatorium students as well as musicians of the Sydney Symphony and Opera Australia Orchestras. In her private practice, she works with student and professional players on concert and audition preparation, technique modification and injury rehabilitation.
As a researcher, she has published on risk factors for musicians’ playing-related injuries and the effects of purpose-designed AT classes for tertiary and professional musicians 1, 2. In 2009 as a consultant to Sydney University’s Sound Practice Posture Trial, she designed a series of AT classes for players in Australia’s major orchestras.
1. Davies, J. (2019). Alexander Technique classes improve pain and performance factors in tertiary music students. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 24, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2019.03.004
2. Davies, J. (2020). Alexander Technique classes for tertiary music students: Student and teacher evaluations of pre- and post-test audiovisual recordings. International Journal of Music Education, 38(2), 194–207. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761419884331
