The project started in autumn 2014 with two preparatory seminars for four first-year students. The naprapath went through the main themes that would be covered in subsequent seminars: posture in different practice situations, a training programme especially aimed at violinists, and advice on recuperation techniques. At the start of 2015 the naprapath, violin teacher and three students travelled to the US to participate in the NYU Winter String Camp, an annual seminar held by the string department at the Steinhardt School, a part of New York University.

The seminar was attended by students, violin and viola teachers from Australia and the US along with specialists on posture, recuperation and Alexander Technique.

The “naprapathy group” contributed by having Peter Herresthal use his masterclasses to prepare the students for the naprapathy seminar later in the week, emphasising the importance of good posture and recuperation to effective practice. Naprapath Morten Skjønnhaug held two all-day seminars where the students performed and Peter Herresthal served as a technical/musical “translator”.

The seminars were attended by a large audience, which included some of America’s leading teachers. Two of the students from the NMH took part and helped with the demonstrations. The topics covered are described in Section 3.1. Aside from the seminars, the group also explored and were given demonstrations of other physical techniques and topics, such as Alexander Technique, the set-up and design of violin chinrests, and information about the institution’s programme for “Undoing Bad Habits”.

The subsequent seminars at the NMH continued to address the main themes described in Section 3.1, including training suggestions and exercises (also provided via video) and with an increasingly nuanced approach to patterns of movement based on new experience and knowledge. This knowledge was applied by the principal instrument teachers in their weekly lessons while working on technique, vibrato, bow arm, shoulders, neck and use of the legs and back while performing. All students were given a one-to-one therapy session on Morten Skjønnhaug’s table.