For any enquiry about events or for press contact, please feel free to get in touch here. If you are interested in one-to-one training, ask for an invitation to a work session.
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You have already worked on your posture but you haven’t reached your goals…
You are going round in circles and still asking yourself too many questions…
To go further and bring all this into your teaching, I suggest we move forward together.
To Marc Papillon
With gratitude for his indispensable collaboration
in the Musicians’ clinic
With friendship,
World-renowned and a leading figure in hand surgery in France, Raoul Tubiana can be regarded as one of the founders and champions of hand surgery in France and, through his research and publications, as an eminent teacher.
To Marc Papillon
Friend and disciple in the physiology of the musician’s locomotor system.
Passionate about functional anatomy, I.A. KAPANDJI taught biomechanics in physiotherapy schools, which led him to write and illustrate three books of functional anatomy devoted to the upper limb, the lower limb, and the spine, trunk, head and neck. Translated into thirteen languages, these works are valued above all for their essentially visual teaching.
Concert artist, guitar lecturer in Sibelius-Academy and Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Marc Papillon has greatly influenced the way I work. His concepts and methods about ergonomy and playing an instrument with ease are game changing in their simplicity and functionality. The results in my own playing and in that of my students are clear and impressive.
Hello, I’m getting back to you three weeks after the professional training. First of all, thank you for the valuable information and advice you give us; a whole new world is opening up for playing an instrument! I worked on stabilising my wrist, and almost immediately the pain at the base of my index finger and in my wrist was gone. THANK YOU!
Hello, just to let you know that I managed to get through a week of rehearsals and concerts (7 to 8 hours a day) without pain, thanks to your warm-up and stretching exercises and to your techniques of body awareness and selective release. Thank you so much!
I went to see Marc to prepare my final recital at the conservatoire’s higher-education programme, which was to validate the three diplomas and three years of my course. Very stressed and marked by bad experiences in front of juries, I simply could not face this deadline calmly. Marc first helped me understand the reasons for this anxiety and switch off my reflexes of negative thinking. Little by little I put the pleasure of playing and my own sensitivity back at the centre of my practice, setting aside injunctions and duty. I found the desire to share my music again by exposing myself very gradually and with confidence. On the day of the recital I arrived calm and ready, I played generously, for myself and for the audience, and I conveyed my love of my instrument’s sound and its singing voice. By moving beyond the need to be validated and owning my personality, I earned the jury’s compliments and the best mark in my year. Far beyond this result, the path I travelled thanks to Marc showed me a fundamentally different way of thinking about my practice and about work: rather than hardness and merit, I understood that one can always be guided by desire, curiosity and the joy of playing.
You helped me understand that the source of my problems was not my body but the way I was using it. The solution proposed by the doctor treating me was surgery, because he considered me too hypermobile, and of course that terrified me. Fortunately I met you, and it has quite honestly changed my life! You helped me really understand the anatomy of my arm and hand and how to use them well. Thanks to your explanations, your advice and your exercises, I became aware of which parts of me were involved in the movements needed to play the guitar. Since then I have been able to return to normal playing, and being able to listen to my body lets me stay within my limits, without frustration. I can never thank you enough. Besides being a musician, I am also a music teacher at a conservatoire, and I have fully integrated everything I learned with you into my teaching; I consider it essential to pass it on to my students. Thank you!
What I take away from these workshops are essential elements of anatomy and of the mechanisms involved in my instrumental practice. I was also able to discover different techniques and the right vocabulary for the muscle areas I particularly use with my instrument. The postural exercises in fact help me reduce my back pain. As a result, by using them to warm up or stretch my muscles, the energy of my physical and musical playing is becoming more and more efficient and relevant.
In this quest, your exercises act like markers that trace a straight path for me. Some are harder than others, but there too, practising them over time helps me go gradually further. I feel no pain, no tension; I would rather say that it loosens my stiffness and lets me support my movement more fully, because by favouring my large joints I free up the smaller ones. Immediate result: a richer sound, a sound that breathes!!! 🙂 Thank you so much!
What a joy to meet you again virtually. I feel privileged to have taken the workshops. The idea of the videos is brilliant; I realise there are several details I had simply forgotten over time, and these videos refresh my memory. I no longer have any pain (tendinitis) and have started playing again without pain after… 20 years. At first I was a little wary because of the tendinitis, telling myself that the “pain-free” would not last. It’s holding up!!! By applying the advice, the exercises and above all relaxation in practice, things fell into place. In fact I realise (at last!) that the way I feel when practising is directly linked to the way I feel in a “concert” situation. It is never too late to learn… good habits. In short, a calm and relaxed mind fosters a calm and relaxed body, and vice versa. I am looking forward to the next videos. Thank you!
Hello, I have been suffering for a very long time (35 years!) from focal dystonia of the hand. I can no longer play arpeggios or even hold a pick, nor even tell what the right movement would be! I should say that I am a musician with a traditional background (conservatoire gold medal…, competitions, orchestras…). I passed the CAPES in music education. I am in deep despair after consulting, over these 35 years, many specialists: physiotherapists, the hand clinic, graphotherapy, neurologists, hypnotherapy. I have also had two operations: a carpal tunnel release and the cutting of the lumbricals of the ring and little fingers of my right hand… I will stop the list there, it would be so long, and let you imagine how great my psychological and moral pain is at no longer being able to play. My distress is immense; I had devoted my whole life to this. The description matches almost exactly the case you talk about in this video. Can you help me, and how? THANK YOU!
Good evening Marc, I am making slow progress through your videos, not really at the pace I would like, as I feel I am juggling a lot of things at once, but little by little I am getting better organised and moving towards the regularity I aspire to. I already take great pleasure in discovering and integrating what your lessons teach, and the questions they raise in me seem very welcome! What’s more, I have just been asked to join a brass quintet with renowned musicians whom I admire and respect. I accepted, so I will have to go back into the world of musicians who are expected to excel. I think I am ready for it, and I believe your advice and expertise will be both a lifeline and a necessity. Not to mention my own musical projects! Whatever happens, I want to make music with my instrument. Thank you!
Lecturer of Guitar and Guitar Pedagogy - Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland
In the autumn of 2015 Marc Papillon was invited as a lecturer to the Sibelius-Academy in Helsinki, Finland. During a few days he gave masterclass lectures, which aroused tremendous interest in our students, professional guitarists and guitar teachers in Finland. Marc’s lectures were incredibly inspiring; they opened up new approaches to the processes of guitar playing. He combined the different aspects (physical, technical and mental) of guitar playing and managed to demonstrate how to find the joy while working with such a demanding instrument.
Hello Marc, After spending a few days on your website, I would like to give you some initial feedback on the content you offer. I have watched about 30 videos over the past few days, so here is how I see the content I have had access to. From my point of view, it is a real gold mine of information. There is a truly impressive number of concepts covered, and they seem extremely useful to me. Given that, I have to say this kind of work should be done in every music school. So much for a first impression 🙂 Thank you again for making this available to me. Have a lovely evening!
Thank you so much for this initiative, which brings hope to all the professional musicians who live with the immense sadness of no longer knowing what playing freely means, and who face incomprehension from those around them.
Hello Marc, still principal trombone of the Castilla y León orchestra in Spain. And thank you for your advice. I had dystonia in 2002 and recovered in 2006. Your advice is still part of my routine. Physical and mental exercises, sensations, etc… I still stay close to all of that and of course it completely changed the way I teach my trombone lessons… Thank you Marc.
Your videos are clear and very interesting; they are exactly what I needed. I am so happy to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I feel encouraged. Thank you, Lise
Hello Marc, I would like to express my deep gratitude for your work and your responsiveness. Thank you for this rather reassuring information; what’s more, I feel understood, and that is very important. All of this will help me grow in every way and make me a better teacher too. I am organising myself as best I can, which means slow, methodical work sessions every day to take things in. I am determined and rather stubborn (an occupational hazard..!) Once again, many thanks for this exchange, which reassures me and supports me immensely!
What I take away from these workshops is that problems which seem complicated, even impossible to improve, can sometimes turn out to be simple to change. Putting in place the fundamentals of good body posture (balance on the feet, a main axis, a centred and free head) already brings an overall balance to the body. These workshops made me aware that physiology and psychology are closely linked. Building a suitable, optimal posture for better playing and greater comfort is fundamental for a musician. This search, a task that will last our whole life, can nevertheless be guided by tools that are, in the end, simple. Now that I feel I know the body’s mechanisms better, I will look for playful and enjoyable ways to practise them and to have others practise them.
Thank you for this information; I recognise myself in your description. For my part, I don’t live in Paris, and it is very pleasant to be able to follow you remotely. A musician friend told me about your approach and I am looking forward to the next video! I enjoy watching your videos. I am very glad that the world of musicians is becoming more and more aware of ease in playing (still almost non-existent in conservatoires, and that is serious!). I grew up without correcting large curves in my back caused by the slackness you talk about. I have learned to become aware of my tensions and to stop them. Above all, by avoiding straightening up by pulling my shoulders back (that difference between tension and the right muscle tone being very hard to find). On the other hand, I still stumble over the question of breathing. As a violinist, I often feel a little stuck on that front. Is there a secret? Thank you again!
Hello Marc, The video workshops have been very useful to me, your work is great, really; it confirmed the approach I was already taking, regarding proprioception for example. They gave me solutions such as strengthening the shoulder girdle (I am a trombonist) and correcting a breathing pattern that was far too low, which I had been taught at the conservatoire. Thank you!
Thanks again for this advice, Marc! The stretching exercises for the shoulder girdle and the “awareness” exercises for the shoulder blades are exactly the ones I needed. A very convincing result, since yesterday I was able to practise for 4 hours without tensing my back… something I could hardly imagine just a few days ago. Now I need to refine my sensations.
Hello, Since watching these videos, I have applied the recommendations in my own guitar playing and also with my students. As you can imagine, the technical benefits and the sense of well-being are there. Thank you for your advice and your availability.
Hello, In these videos I recognised the extremely positive and detailed approach that helped me deal with problems of pain. Thank you for sharing this work online; every day I use the techniques I studied with you to improve my relationship with my instrument, and the results are there. All the best!
I signed up for your “The Joy of playing” workshops and I am delighted. I want to thank you for this enormous piece of work, fascinating and very illuminating! It is so rare for all these ideas to be discussed in the context of learning an instrument… In my case it never happened, and that is a real shame…
Dear Sir, I wanted to thank you once again for your presentations on 27 May at the Philharmonie and for the advice from which the students of the regional conservatoires (CRR) were able to benefit. These presentations fully belonged in this day devoted to “discovering the profession of orchestral musician”, and the feedback we have received from both the students and the conservatoire directors has been very positive.
I remember from these workshops that problems which seem complicated, even impossible to improve can sometimes be easy to change. Put in place the fundamentals of a good body posture : foot balance, major axis, centered and independent head, already brings an overall balance of the body. These workshops made me conscious that physiology and psychology are very much related to one another. Building a proper and optimal posture for better performance and comfort is fundamental for a musician. This research which is a job that will last all our life can nevertheless be guided by simple tools, after all. Now that I have the feeling to better understand the mechanisms of the body, I will try to find fun and enjoyable ways to practice it.
How nice to find you virtually. I feel privileged to have completed the workshops. The idea of the videos is great, I realize that there are several details that I simply forgot with time, these videos refresh my memory. I never get those pains anymore (tendonitis) and I have started playing again after… 20 years. At first, I was a little afraid, because of tendinitis, and I kept telling me that “painless” would not last… It continues !!!! By applying the advice, and most importantly, the relaxation in practice, it was quickly placed. In fact, I realize that (finally!) the way of feeling in practice is directly related to the one felt during concerts. It’s never too late to learn … good habits. In short, a calm and relaxed mind promotes a calm and relaxed body condition, and vice versa. I am now looking forward to the next videos. Thank you !
Thank you very much for this initiative, which brings hope to all professional musicians who live with this great sadness to no longer know what playing freely means, and who are facing a lack of understanding from those around them.
In this quest, your exercises act as markers which create a straight pass for me. Some are more difficult than others, but then again, they gradually help me to go further. I feel no pain, no tension, I would rather say that it unties my stiffness, it helps me support my gesture in a more massive way, because by favoring my large joints, I release the smallest. Immediate result : a richer sound, which “breathes” !!! 🙂 Thanks a lot !
Hello Marc, I am still trombonist of the Castille Leon Orchestra in Spain. Thanks for your advice. I had a dystonia in 2002 and I recovered in 2006. Your advice are always part of my routine. Physical and mental exercises, sensations etc. I am still close to all of this and of course, it completely changed the way I give my trombone lessons… Thank you Marc.
Hello, since these videos I took into account the recommendations in my own guitar practice but also with my students. As you can imagine, the technical benefits and well-being are there for all to see. Thank you for your advice and your availability.
Thanks again for these tips, Marc! Muscular stretching exercises of the shoulder girdle and “awareness” of the shoulder blades are exactly the ones I needed. A very conclusive result since I was able to work for 4 hours yesterday without stretching out my back … something that I could hardly imagine a few days ago. I must now refine my feelings.
I remember from these workshops, essential elements about the anatomy and mechanisms involved in my instrumental practice. I was also able to discover different techniques as well as an adequate vocabulary on the muscular areas that I particularly use with my instrument. Indeed, postural exercises allow me to lessen my back pain. Therefore, by using them to warm up or stretch my muscles, the energy of my body and musical performance becomes more and more effective and relevant.
Concert Artist, Guitar Lecturer in Sibelius-Academy and Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Marc Papillon has greatly influenced the way I work. His concepts and methods about ergonomy and playing an instrument with ease are game changing in their simplicity and functionality. The results in my own playing and in that of my students are clear and impressive.
Hello, just to let you know that I managed to do a week of rehearsals and concerts (7 to 8 hours / day) without suffering, thanks to your warm up exercises, stretching exercises, your awareness and selective relaxation techniques. Thank you very much!
Lecturer of Guitar and Guitar Pedagogy - Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland
In the autumn of 2015 Marc Papillon was invited as a lecturer to the Sibelius-Academy in Helsinki, Finland. During a few days he gave masterclass lectures, which aroused tremendous interest in our students, professional guitarists and guitar teachers in Finland. Marc’s lectures were incredibly inspiring; they opened up new approaches to the processes of guitar playing. He combined the different aspects (physical, technical and mental) of guitar playing and managed to demonstrate how to find the joy while working with such a demanding instrument.
Hi Marc Thanks again for a very interesting lesson! I came on a bit late so I didn't hear the beginning. I tried to log on to zoom, but I never came on for some reason. If possible I would like to hear more about the tongue at some point. Especially in relation to articulation on saxophone/woodwind. I think everybody struggle to get more speed in their articulation, so it would be extremely interesting to hear what you have to say about that. Anyway thanks so much for these giving and educational lectures! All the best !