Warm-Ups Revisited - A Body / Mind Approach

Most pianists are aware that, like athletes, it is essential to warm-up before practising demanding music. By doing so, we avoid tension and injury, awakening and stretching our bodies to do their best and to feel good during practice.

But what about warming up the mind to practise? Warm-ups are not just about doing scales and arpeggios. Successful practise requires the right mindset – alert, free of distractions and ready to focus.

In this two-part video lecture, William Westney re-thinks warming up as an integrated process for both body and mind. He provides an effortless approach - a relaxed, focused and therapeutic process that only takes a few minutes and has lasting benefits for healthy, productive practising.

Video 1: Introduction to The Body / Mind Warm-Up

This video introduces the body-mind warm-up, explaining the underlying ideas and why this “re-thinking” of warming-up is needed.

Video 2: How The Body / Mind Warm-Up Works

Following on from the introduction to the body-mind warm-up, this video provides a demonstration of it and an application to a specific piece of repertoire.

Together these videos provide a simple and effective process that prepares body and mind for a highly rewarding practice session – focused in mind and comfortable in body.

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