Up! refers to one of the primary directions of thought in the study of the Alexander Technique that helps to orient a person in space and is key to accessing our kinesthetic sense, the lesser known sixth sense. Sharpening awareness of our kinesthetic sense allows us to move more freely and listen more acutely. It also helps us feel more connected to the environment and people around us making performance anxiety less of a hindrance.
Up is the opposite of down, a direction we already get lots of assistance with through the natural force of gravity. Playing an instrument with an upright posture allows sound to resonate freely though the player. It is a disconnect with these natural forces that causes the player to go down in body and inwards in thought which diminishes the listening potential.
My teaching aims to sharpen awareness around this idea and so I have coined the term, Up! Music.