I had practiced yoga for several years when suddenly I developed back pain that was difficult to shake. Under Amy Foley's patient and knowledgeable guidance in the Alexander Technique, I learned how to correct the ways in which I was unknowingly causing my own muscle strain. I felt much better! I came into Alexander Technique a skeptic, but I found there's something very useful in this outlook. Thank you!
Sam Battin
Fort Myers, FL
I am an adult professional who began violin with Amy Foley 7 years ago. I enjoy learning with Amy very much! She is a great teacher who understands the violin, playing the violin, and “learning” inside out. Amy knows how to teach—which I think is the most important thing you want in a violin teacher! She is the best violin teacher you can find: supportive, organized, knowledgeable, patient, consistent, etc. I excelled in school, but I learned so much more about “learning” and even concepts about life from Amy, which not only makes my learning of violin much easier and more effective, but also has helped me in other aspects of my life, such as learning other things whether another hobby or professional skills, improving my performance at work, etc. Violin is my lifetime project, and I will learn with Amy as long as she is teaching!
Jian Jiang
Chicago, IL
I was recommended to study the Alexander Technique to help improve my posture. As a professional violinist, I’m always trying to avoid injury, and Alexander Technique has helped me feel more in control of myself and my impact on my body. Amy has shown me how enriching Alexander Technique can be in my life on many levels, and she has helped me move past personal limitations I unknowingly set for myself. She is very kind and patient, and thoughtfully tailors the lessons to you. I would highly recommend studying with her to anyone who is interested in Alexander Technique.
Christine Fliginger
Chicago, IL
"I took AT lessons because my exposure to physical theatre in college made me start to consider my body in ways I never had before. Amy did an excellent job of helping me examine my day-to-day movements as well as specific movements like playing instruments or performing physically exaggerated characters. Although I no longer work in the arts professionally, AT has still helped me reduce tension headaches from chronic teeth clenching, and has helped me stay safe in the gym as I have taken up weightlifting."
Jim Alrutz
Chicago, IL
"I have only had two teachers in my life who have fundamentally changed how I view my place within the world. The first was a teacher I had in high school who taught me how to apply critical thinking through literature. The second is Amy, who taught me how to be integrated with myself as I walk through the world.
I came to violin partially seeking a connection to my physical body - which after years of ignoring it, had spiraled out of my control. With my time training with Amy as a teacher, multiple times I faced my shortcomings and it definitely led to a lot of frustration as a student. I had to develop more patience, humbleness to failure and an appreciation for the beauty of the violin beyond just its sound. These were things we spoke about frequently and worked together on in many contexts outside of just violin.
Technically speaking, her focus on the fundamentals as drivers for refinement and her eye for connecting them to more advanced topics was paramount for my learning. It cannot be stated enough how important fundamentals are, and Amy definitely did an exceptional job with moving back and forth between fundamentals and more advanced topics. Amy's lessons have a very unique quality - she focuses not just on you as the student who happens to have a violin - but on integrating you together with the violin in order to achieve the greatest level of success possible for the student."
Ashley Riley
Chicago, IL
I have studied Alexander Technique with Amy on a weekly basis, for over two years. Every lesson has provided insight on my physical and mental habits, and I leave feeling refreshed for my daily activities. Amy excels at presenting information from the ground up, and she makes sure that I clearly understand concepts through review and innovative activities. As a professional violist, I have also benefited from her expertise in stringed instruments. She has provided subtle suggestions for my set-up and mechanics which have had a very positive influence on my overall ease of playing.
Willie McLellan
Chicago, IL
"As a working professional adult woman at a point in my life when I decided to shift some focus more to my own interests and self-development, I decided to begin studying violin later in life - something I've wanted to do for a very long time. Having no previous musical experience at all, Amy Foley was encouraging and supportive from the start -- teaching me important basic fundamentals such as instrument care, balance, movement, positioning, intonation, and how to read sheet music. Amy has a wonderfully deep understanding of music theory and is clear and thorough in her explanations. Her patient and positive demeanor made me feel good about the progress I was making; and when I seemed stuck at any point, she came up with creative and applicable suggestions and exercises to help me over any hurdles. Studying violin has given me a greater appreciation for music as well -- I find myself listening to music differently, and the experience is now enhanced because I find myself noticing things which I learned during my lessons, e.g., how compositions come together to make the whole. And I've learned to hear more of the emotion in music because of what I've learned during my lessons; and Amy, with her talent and quiet sense of humor, has made the experience an absolute joy!"