The Approach of Josef Weiss

Through self-observation and self-analysis, Josef Weiss found out about the relation of the mind and body to the piano. He developed a program which creates freedom of movement in the fingers, hands, wrists and arms of the performing pianist. He describes his journey of finding a new way of playing the piano:

"I had not very much I could rely on. I knew the Alexander Technique and its principles. One day it happened that I was sitting at the piano playing, and suddenly I started to observe myself playing the piano. I was not playing anymore, it was playing me. It is very hard to describe. It was like I was observing myself playing the piano. I still had control over my playing, but I could also listen to it from the outside. I just let the playing happen. I sensed the touch, but I could not feel the movement.

I realized that freedom doesn't lead to the absence of feelings, but rather to an opening-up of the senses. And the thoughts are absolutely in the present. This experience was the opposite of what I had been doing for years. Before finding this new approach, I was working hard, and my thoughts were easily drifting off to other aspects of my life, especially while playing scales or memorizing pieces. The most amazing experience with this new way of playing was that I could re-create it every day, and I experienced a new kind of satisfaction and happiness.

I now train 24 hours a day. When I drive my car, when I do the dishes, when I sit at the computer, or when I do any kind of work, I practice playing the piano at the same time. My wrist and fingers have become softer and more sensitive to pressure. For me, a smart way of practicing the piano now means to include the whole body into the playing."

Josef Weiss gave his first recital in the U.S.A. with great success. He is currently working on the production of his first piano-CD.

Josef Weiss started to learn playing the piano as a minor at the University of Salzburg, at the so-called "Mozarteum" , with professor Brigitte Engelhart-Dent. He majored in French horn. After his university studies, he continued privately with Ehrentraud Reiter-Schwaninger. She introduced him to body techniques. At the same time that he started to teach piano at the music school of Ostermiething in Upper Austria, he also started to study music and movement education at the prestigious "Orff-Institute" in Salzburg/ His piano teachers there were Dr. Thomas Hauschka and Peter Arnesen. A workshop with Peter Heilbut introduced him to a new way of teaching piano.

As he moved to the U.S.A. in 1997 he got introduced to the Alexander Technique. At this time, Josef's playing was choppy and pounding; his playing was slow, and his hands started to hurt after a while. Before learning about the Alexander Technique he worked only on the correct notes. But then, as his coordination improved with the help of the Alexander technique, his piano playing changed, too.

He then started to investigate the relationship of his own body to the instrument. His teaching changed completely. Within four years, without any advertising, only by word of mouth, the number of his students grew from 5 to 50.

He discovered the "body-thinking-system" and uses this tool to help children find better learning habits. In applying the Alexander Technique to the playing of the piano, he created one of the most effective piano techniques of our time.

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