Feldenkrais for Musicians
Play with ease. Perform with confidence. Expand your sound.
Alex Toenniges, MM, GCFP
Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner & Bassoonist
Brevard, North Carolina & Online
The Musician’s Body is the Primary Instrument
As a musician, you pursue excellence. But when pain, tension, or performance anxiety creeps in, your instrument becomes a barrier rather than a bridge.
I am a Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner with a Master's degree in Bassoon Performance.
Unlike general somatic practitioners or physical therapists, I know your world. I understand the specific biomechanics of holding a bassoon, the respiratory demands of being a wind musician, and the psychological pressure of a high-performance environment.
My work is not about "fixing" you. It is about expanding your choices. By uncovering unconscious movement habits that limit your sound and cause pain, we can unlock a more efficient, expressive, and resilient way of playing.
Why Feldenkrais® for Musicians?
The Feldenkrais Method® is a somatic education system that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve how you move, think, and feel. For musicians, it offers a unique pathway to:
Prevent & Recover from Injury: Address the root causes of tendonitis, carpal tunnel, back pain, and neck strain before they sideline your season.
Refine Technique: Replace inefficient, high-effort movements with fluid, coordinated actions that require less muscular force.
Expand Your Sound: Release physical restrictions that dampen resonance, allowing for a richer, more varied palette of tone colors.
Calm Performance Anxiety: Shift from a state of "fighting" your body to a state of trust and curiosity, reducing the physical symptoms of stage fright.
Deepen Musical Expression: When the body is free, the imagination flows. Connect your physical movement directly to your musical intent.
“The aim [of the Feldenkrais Method] is a person that is organized to move with minimum effort and maximum efficiency, not through muscular strength, but through increased consciousness of how movement works.” - Moshé Feldenkrais, PhD
My Approach: Curiosity Over Correction
Drawing on my own experience as a performer and educator, I do not believe in "quick fixes." True change happens when the nervous system discovers new sustainable possibilities.
In my sessions, we move away from the mindset of "what is wrong with me?" toward "what else is possible?"
Awareness Through Movement (ATM): Group classes where you follow verbal instructions to explore new movement patterns on the floor.
Functional Integration (FI): One-on-one, hands-on lessons where I guide your movement while you play your instrument or move freely, tailored to your specific needs.
Whether you are a student struggling with a specific shift, a faculty member managing chronic pain, or a performer preparing for a solo, we will work together to find the path of least resistance.
Credentials & Experience
Alex Toenniges, MM, GCFP
My practice is grounded in both clinical somatic training and classical professional music training.
I am a Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner with over 8 years of specialized work supporting musicians.
Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner (2019–present)
Awareness Through Movement® Teacher (2017-present)
Registered Somatic Movement Educator
Master of Music in Bassoon Performance, Ball State University with Dr. Keith Sweger
Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance, Arizona State University with Dr. Albie Micklich
As a Professional Member of the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association, I meet the high Standards of Practice and uphold the Code of Ethics. For more information visit www.ISMETA.org
Past Feldenkrais® for Musicians Workshops Taught
Brevard Music Center, Summer Institute & Festival (Summer 2023 & 2024)
University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Guest Instructor, Wellness for the Performing Artist course (Spring & Fall 2021)
Feldenkrais® for the Neck & Shoulders workshop - Wellness Initiative (Spring 2020)
Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music - “Mind & Body: Wellness for the Musician” series (2017)
Grand Valley State University, Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance (2020)
Hope College Music Department (2020)
Publications
"The Feldenkrais Method® in Music: A Practical, Awareness-Based Approach to Learning and Teaching,” Master’s Degree Paper at Ball State University, 2017.
“Creating Optimal Learning Conditions: A Practical Application of the Feldenkrais Method® in Music.” The Double Reed 39, no. 3 (2016): 77-82.
“Creating Optimal Learning Conditions: A Practical Application of the Feldenkrais Method® in Music.” Paper presented at the Mid-North Horn Conference, Muncie, Indiana, October 28-30, 2016.