Introduction to Forearm Rotation

06 Feb 2021 @ 16:00 GMT

Find out how to revolutionise your piano playing by incorporating forearm rotation to help you feel strong, coordinated and tension-free!

If you struggle to play with freedom, ease and comfort you may well be among the many pianists trying to find the solution by drilling those fingers with lots of Hanon and Czerny. Despite this, the playing feels tight, un-coordinated and unreliable.

Forearm rotation and associated choreography is a way of coordinating the arm with the fingers in very specific and controlled ways. Tiny, almost imperceptible and invisible movements in the forearm share the job of putting down the keys with the fingers. This yields significant benefits, resulting in improved coordination, reduced tension and a feeling of greater strength and comfort in your playing. 

Workshop format & content

This workshop serves as a practical introduction to the concepts and although it covers similar subject matter to our highly popular workshops on this topic last year, it will focus on being more hands-on and interactive. Graham will demonstrate the principles, and participants will have the opportunity to try them out during short breakout sessions interspersed throughout the workshop. There will be plenty of opportunity for Q&A via the chat feature in Zoom during the workshop and after each breakout session.

Topics covered include:

• Basic principles and sensing the forearm-wrist unit
• Single rotations, including trills, Alberti patterns and how to apply them to a simple note pattern, such as an adaption from Hanon
• Double rotations, including repeated notes
• Combining single and double rotations
• Rotations involving the thumb
• Applying rotations to scales

Here is what some of the participants had to say about our previous workshops on forearm rotation:

“It really is quite remarkable!” 

“The concepts I learnt gives me the feeling that anything is possible!”

“After applying what I learnt, I found that my sound was significantly improved!”

“I struggle with tension and this workshop was exactly what I needed!”

“I found the demonstrations with the different camera angles to be both fascinating and incredibly useful!” 

Additional content

Included in the workshop ticket is our guide to forearm rotation on the Online Academy which features over 40 videos demonstrating the underlying concepts and applying them numerous repertoire examples. Participants will also receive a recording of the workshop and worksheets with the exercises featured.

Subscriber discounts

Discounted tickets are available to Online Academy subscribers. Please sign-in to your account and the discount will be automatically added at the check-out. If you are not an Online Academy subscriber and would like to find out more about subscription options then please click here for further information.