Mindful Breath & Movement for Musicians
No matter what instrument you play, being a musician is a full body, mind, and emotional experience. Over the years, I have witnessed the tremendous ways my yoga practice has supported my often demanding lifestyle as a musician. An offspring of my two passions, I created an offering designed to introduce musicians to the foundational teachings of yoga as an awareness practice to support a musical life and mind-body wellbeing.
Mindful Breath and Movement for Musicians are gentle, non-strenuous movements and practices for the breath, body, and mind inspired by yoga. These practices can help musicians develop awareness, concentration and focus, and overall wellbeing to navigate the physical, mental, and emotional demands of being a musician. Learn practices to calm performance anxiety, to deepen your access to breath, to feel connected to your innate creativity and to help protect your body from repetitive stress injuries. No yoga or musical experience is necessary.
Workshops
I offer workshops for groups and ensembles of all sizes. Please contact me for more information and to discuss which topics will best serve your intentions. I have enjoyed leading workshops with musicians of the Portland Chamber Music Festival, Oratorio Chorale, Freeport High School, the Southern Maine Music Academy and the USM School of Music.
Testimonials
At our recent Chorale retreat, Maria spent an hour with each vocal section. Her exercises, explanations, suggestions and observations were immensely helpful in opening up our breathing, body awareness, and concentration, to degrees that no other vocal warm-ups had ever achieved. I felt expanded both in being able to produce and control my own sound and in being more sensitively engaged with my fellow singers. A combination of deep calm and deep excitement. - Katy, Oratorio Chorale
Maria brings to the passionate musician gentle ways in which to create beautiful music while enjoying the process. She emphasizes the essential nature of good posture, of focusing on breathing and using it to relax but also focus, and of whole body involvement in this process. I found our time to be a time of peace and centering, of being in the moment. - Sue, Oratorio Chorale
