A cellist lying back against an exercise ball, holding the cello at arm’s length, the muscles of his chest and arm drawn on his skin.

Marc Papillon Éditions

An original edition · Distributed by Éditions Billaudot

An original edition · Marc Papillon Éditions

Anatomy of the Artist

Musician, Actor, Dancer
265 illustrated pages · Distributed by Éditions Billaudot

The introduction to the Anatomy of the Musician series. This book gathers the foundations of the artist’s learning and research that are so often skimmed over, so that you understand and absorb the essentials before turning to the anatomy of each instrument.

Discover the book

Cover of Anatomy of the Artist: an accordionist seen from behind, with the muscles of her back and arms drawn on her skin.

An original edition

Anatomy of the Musician

Distributed by Éditions Billaudot. Available from your usual music retailer.

An original edition

Auditionsthe embodied musician’s lab

An original edition

The Living GestureLearn, play, last

A pedagogy of the body in music

Cover of The Living Gesture: a bass clarinetist playing on stage, her hair and upper body swept along by the movement, her case open beside her. Click to see the full cover, including the back.

An original edition, anatomy and pedagogy

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

From teaching misconceptions to physiology

  • Cover of Day 1.
  • Cover of Day 2.
  • Cover of Day 3.

This book sets out to offer musicians shortcuts to the problems they commonly face: back, neck and shoulder fatigue, difficulties with hand position, finger independence, joint laxity, anxiety, and more.

Very early on, musicians absorb one of the main functional errors: the excessive pursuit of physical relaxation. This invariably leads to a host of compensations. The areas most targeted in this quest for relaxation are the shoulders, wrists, thumbs, tongue, throat and abdominal muscles, whereas only the mind should remain relaxed and calm, ready for a physically engaged, toned body!

So much advice handed down from generation to generation keeps these misconceptions alive. With a more conscious approach to functional anatomy, received ideas are gradually giving way.

A mastered technique is the result of a toned body and a relaxed mind, not of an overly slack body and an overly tense mind! So many misunderstandings…

Play to play

A first in the physical and mental preparation of young musicians

  • Cover of S’amuser, c’est mieux jouer, the French edition.

    French edition

  • Cover of Play to play, the English edition.

    English edition

  • Cover of Divertocando, the Spanish edition.

    Spanish edition

For musicians who are already aware and ready to hear, and to read, what playing is really about.

You hear plenty of words from your parents and teachers, so trust your body and your sensations too.

Proprioception matters: a big word for the way your brain represents you in space and makes you work so brilliantly! Neuroscience now shows how important it is to learn with your heart.

So it is up to you, parents, and to your teachers, to take our children to the heart of the matter: physical engagement for a calm mind.

The Pianist’s Hand

La main du pianiste

Bilingual French–English, 2001

Cover of The Pianist’s Hand.

At the end of a chain (shoulder, arm, elbow, forearm, wrist), the hand bears much of the consequences of poor posture. This is why pianists should base their search for greater comfort on respect for anatomical and physiological function. The authors have developed a progressive method of postural education at the piano. Starting from overall posture (contact with the floor, pelvis, spine, head, upper limb), they present, with illustrations, the anatomy and placement of the hand at the piano. Each element of the hand’s biomechanics is linked to pianistic exercises on the score.

Learners learn all the better when the movement is right. But what is a right movement? Let us not talk about posture, which tends to freeze the image of an ideal position. Each musician develops a way of moving that is their own. They develop their own muscular balances, which they feel and which allow them to express themselves ever more freely.

The Guitarist’s Hand

La main du guitariste

Bilingual French–English, 2007

Cover of The Guitarist’s Hand.

The author, a specialist physiotherapist and trainer, invites guitarists to understand and integrate the anatomical and physiological essentials. These specific musical exercises encourage musicians to develop their sensations at the instrument, while their growing awareness guides and supports them throughout the training. They form the basis of a preparation program away from the instrument before playing, then at the instrument before and after working on repertoire.

This original method gives every guitarist a well-suited tool for setting up their functional goals correctly at the instrument, in pursuit of the finest sound.