corpSonore - sound, body, wellness

This month, we had the immense pleasure of speaking with violinist and Alexander technique practitioner Jennifer Roig-Francoli. This episode delves into the unique way Jennifer utilizes the Alexander Technique to help musicians overcome obstacles and find ease and joy in their music-making experience. By the end, you will want a session with her! Bio: Bestselling author of the book, 'Make Great Music with Ease! The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life', Jennifer Roig-Francolí is an international award-winning violinist, double-certified Alexander Technique teacher, and creator of The Art of Freedom® Method for conscious living and masterful artistry. Jennifer’s inspiring online coaching programs for musicians combine her professional experience with a life-long love of meditation and perennial wisdom, providing her students with powerful tools to overcome pain, performance anxiety, and skills limitations.   Honored by TIME Magazine as a "Rising Star", Jennifer has performed as soloist in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and with orchestras such as the Pittsburgh and Berlin Symphony Orchestras. She has been the Concertmaster and Associate Concertmaster of multiple ensembles, including the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and Apollo’s Fire, the Grammy-Award winning Cleveland Baroque Orchestra.   Jennifer has taught the Alexander Technique on the faculty of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Xavier University, conducted and published prize-winning medical research on the Alexander Technique for laparoscopic surgeons, and founded two professional associations for Alexander Technique teachers in Ohio. In 2009, she designed and implemented a successful research study for surgeons using laparoscopy and AT at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center which resulted in a prize-winning paper presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics and published by the Journal of Urology. As a student, Jennifer studied with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki in Japan, Nathan Milstein in Switzerland,    David Cerone at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Josef Gingold at Indiana University. Show Notes: Awareness For Musicians The Cycle - Video  Make Great Music with Ease! : The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life by Jennifer Roig-Francoli https://artoffreedom.me/meet-jennifer/  Pain Free Performer   

Mariah Goulet is a musicians wellness advocate, saxophonist, writer, and so much more. We are beyond grateful she joined us to share her story of experiencing a career-ending injury as a musician. She was so open and candid with us about the trials of navigating a devastating injury in the music education environment. We spoke about how serious musicians' injuries can put a musicians identity into question, put a strain on their mental and emotional health, and the severe lack of understanding and support in the music community. She shared her process through healing, the resources she found for herself, and where she is today!  Bio: Originally from New Hampshire, Mariah Goulet (she/her) earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory (UMKC). Post-Master’s, Mariah continued at UMKC in pursuit of an Artist’s Certificate. In her final semester, she suffered a career- ending performance injury and was unable to complete the certificate program.  Unexpectedly being forced to make a life shift, she spent a year bartending full-time before pursuing a career in other passions.      Mariah currently works in development and enjoys writing, making memes, and listening to music. ​ Through her experiences, Mariah seeks to inspire and relate to students who have been faced with adversity.    Show Notes: Mariah's Website  Mariah's article with I Care If You Listen- "Higher Ed Supported Me Until My Career-Ending Injury-Then I Got Ghosted" Somatic Experience Therapy  NASA - North American Saxophone Alliance  Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney   

This episode is like a warm hug! In this episode, we interviewed pianist and music psychotherapist Renate Tsuyako Rohlfing. We were left with so many new insights into the power and potential of music; it inspired us to reflect on our history as musicians and preconceived notions and left us optimistic and excited about the future of music for the performer and receiver.  Renate Bio: As a pianist and music psychotherapist, Renate Tsuyako Rohlfing is passionate about integrating music and public health. She is focused on researching the impact of music on grief, anxiety, and memory, and works with people across the autism spectrum. A co-founder of Sounds That Carry, Renate develops projects for organizations that use musical and creative resources to solve challenges, process grief, enhance connections, and empower marginalized communities.  A decorated concert pianist, she continues to perform internationally at festivals including Musikfest Bremen, Lucerne Festival, Davos Festival, and many others.   Ms. Rohlfing writes for Psychology Today about the therapeutic benefits of musical expression on her blog, Music on My Mind, and has presented at numerous institutions including Harvard University and McLean Hospital Health and Tech Lab, and at conferences such as Berklee’s Music and Health Institute Exchange Series and Chamber Music America.    She is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and teaches classes on music, health, and psychology while practicing as a therapist at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University. She loves animals, is a proud native of Honolulu, Hawaii, and is a graduate of The Juilliard School and New York University. SHOW NOTES Music Therapy at NYU Berklee College of Music Elena Ferrante - The Lying Life of Adults   

Hello, 2024! We are easing into our resolutions this year, and so in this episode, we share the surprise gift we each got for Christmas, our process for yearly reflections, and a glimpse into our intentions for the year to come.  Show Notes: Pain Free Performer!

In this episode, violinist Moni Simeonov shares how he integrates daily health and wellness practices into his life as a professional violinist. Additionally, we discuss how to find balance, practice techniques and strategies, inner development and reflection, the importance of practicing self-doubt as much as we practice absolute self-expression free of critical thought, and so much more. This episode is a beautiful example of a professional musician actively approaching health and wellness from a three-dimensional and holistic perspective.  Moni Bio: A native of Bulgaria, Moni Simeonov began playing the violin at age 5, and ten years later, came to the United States on a full scholarship to the Idyllwild Arts Academy. He performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Opera, Ensemble San Francisco, and until recently, was the Concertmaster for the Sacramento Philharmonic. He has also served as a guest concertmaster with Reno Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic and the Pacific Symphony. His doctoral studies included minor fields in Viola Performance, Schenkerian Analysis, Japanese Language, as well as an emphasis on the interpretation of the Balkan folk music. On tour and in Los Angeles, Mr. Simeonov dedicates considerable time and energy to community engagement work and to musical activities and presentations for young people. Moni has performed and coached alongside Midori for her Orchestra Residencies Program American and International tours. Until 2014, he served as a director for the program. Outreach activities have taken him to places as diverse as homeless shelters in Peru and at-risk centers in Tennessee, to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon, and hospitals for the terminally ill in Sri Lanka. Moni’s summer teaching includes engagements with the Interlochen Summer Festival, the Singapore Violin Festival, and the Atlantic Music Festival. Moni is also the founder of Bulgaria’s first chamber music academy – “Quartet Intensive” in Sofia. Moni has concertized and taught around the United States, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. His recordings have been archived by PBS, NPR, KUSC, Bulgarian National Radio and TV, as well as Japanese Broadcasting Company – NHK. Moni received his BM and PC from the Eastman School of Music under Zvi Zeitlin, his MM and AD from Yale University with Ani Kavafian, and his GC and DMA from USC’s Thornton School of Music where he studied with Midori. Moni served as Adjunct Instructor at USC’s Thornton School of Music until 2014. That year, he was appointed Director of String Studies and Violin Professor with the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach. Moni is also the creator of zenviolin.com. Show Notes: USC  Midori Bob Cole Conservatory of Music Colburn Mind Over Muscle -Jigoro Kano Nurtured by Love-Shin’ichi Suzuki  The Inner Game of Tennis - Timothy Gallwey  Thinking Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman  Atomic Habits - James Clear  Peak - Anders Ericson 

Join us (Madeline and Hannah) for a candid chat about our recently launched Pain-Free Performer course. We talk about who this course is for, why it's different from other offerings, and the distinction between the different tier options. Check the show notes for how to sign up and for a discount code! Show Notes: Pain-Free Performer  Schedule a free consult with us! Use code PFP10 to get 10% off the top two tiers 

This month, we sat down with Lisa Ann Marsh, a pianist, body mapper, and musician wellness expert. She details her development of the Coordinated Movement Program for musicians at Portland State University, her perspective and deep breadth of knowledge in musicians wellness, and so much more. She left us encouraged, inspired, and motivated! It is a must listen.  Lisa Marsh    Show Notes  Harold Gray  Taubman Institute  Barbara Conable  Liz Kohl  Coordinate Movement for Pianists- Lisa Marsh  The Life We Are Given- George Leonard and Michael Murphy 

In this episode, we discussed our unique approach to musicians' health and wellness, recapped how we got to this place as individuals and a business, and shared a glimpse of what is coming this month on the platform! Hint: sign up for the newsletter to find out. 

In this episode, we had the honor of speaking with Denise Devenish, a humanistic psychotherapist who specializes in working with musicians. We talked about the vital importance of mental health for musicians, the often detrimental impacts of classical music education, and some strategies for maintaining mental health as a musician. This episode was incredible, and we wish we could require all musicians to listen to it! Show Notes: Denise Devenish Bio: Denise Devenish is a qualified, experienced counsellor working privately with a diverse range of people, offering a specialist service for those working in the music and creative industries. She offers individual therapy on a weekly basis and an in-house service at companies seeking to provide counseling for staff, team members and Artists.  Help Musicians UK Can Music Make You Sick? - By Sally Ann Gross and George Musgrave  Sony - Elton Jackson  The Creative Act: A Way of Being - By Rick Rubin

Welcome to our themed candid chats. We are kicking this new series off with a very important topic: mental health for musicians. In this chat we discuss lifestyle behaviors that greatly influence mental health and how we can explore them to best serve us.  Show Notes: Performance Psychology Workshop Sign-Up Interview with Dr. Michelle Cleere Interview with Carolyn Christie  Wellness tab for numerous mindset articles     

This month we had the pleasure of speaking with cellist turned journalist Ruth Hallows. You may know her from her blog From A Cellist’s Perspective. She shares with us her experiences and challenges going through music school, why she turned to journalism and how she is marrying the two to create the career of her dreams.    Ruth Hallows Bio: British cellist Ruth Hallows graduated from the Royal College of Music and was winner of both the Pendle Young Musicians Bursary Competition and the Reuben Burton Foundation Scholarship. Ruth has studied with famous cellists including Raphael Wallfisch and Gregor Horsch. As a chamber musician, Ruth performed on BBC Radio 3 In Tune, collaborated with the award-winning Sacconi Quartet and played at UK venues including the Wigmore Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. Ruth Hallows is now a freelance journalist with experience in investigative reporting, conflict analysis, local news and video journalism. Due to complete her MAJ at Goldsmiths University in Sept 2023, Ruth has been the online assistant for The Strad, Lewisham correspondent for EastLondonLines and worked as a freelancer as part of the Telegraph's Investigations Team. Internships include Tortoise Media and Airwars. Show Notes: Royal College Of Music  Creative Career Center Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Abbey Roads Studios Alexander Chaushian  Danny Howard  Goldsmiths University  Polyphony - The New Voice of Classical Music  On All Fronts by Clarissa Ward

Welcome to season 6 of the corpSonore podcast! We are beyond excited to share this seasons guests with you. Listen to this episode to hear what’s happening behind the scenes at corpSonore, and what we have planned for the coming year. 

This month we had the immense pleasure of speaking with fellow body nerd Breana Gilcher. She shared her journey through a playing-related injury, her impressive knowledge of the body and fascial system, and how she balances life and work as an oboist, teacher, and myofascial release practitioner.  Breana Gilcher Bio: Breana Gilcher is an oboist, improviser, educator, and Certified Massage Therapist based in Los Angeles. Breana’s music career spans orchestral playing, contemporary music, improvisation, and studio work. As an oboist she has collaborated with a myriad of groups and artists such as the LA Chamber Orchestra, LA Opera, Musica Angelica, wildUp, Wayne Shorter, and Andrea Bocelli. She is on faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara as Lecturer in Oboe. Breana received her massage therapy training from Hands on Healing in Tujunga, California and completed an internship in Myofascial Release Therapy for musicians with Jenni Asher. She holds additional certifications in Music Therapy and Personal Training, as well as a certificate in Performing Arts Medicine. Having struggled with playing-related injuries and found Myofascial release to be incredibly beneficial to her own recovery and maintenance, one of Breana’s passions is to provide artists with individualized therapy that understands the demands of a creative occupation, both before and/or after an injury. As a therapist Breana’s primary goal is targeted treatment in a gentle, therapeutic space in which the body feels safe to let go of what it no longer needs. http://www.breanagilcher.com Show Notes: Breana's Self-Care Toolbox Myofascial Release  Jenni Asher  Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA)  Eva Amsler  Alexander Technique  Feldenkrais Technique  John Barnes Rolfing  The New Rules of Posture- Mary Bond

This month we had the immense honor of speaking with Janet Horvath. She shared her history with us, what led her to write her legendary book Playing (Less) Hurt: An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians, her top five tips for injury prevention, her perspective on reinvention, and a tantalizing glimpse at her new book coming out in just a few short weeks. Trust us; you do not want to miss this episode! Janet Horvath Bio: A lifelong performing classical musician, as the associate principal cello of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1980-2012, Ms. Horvath is a writer, anti-racism spokesperson, and advocate for injury prevention for musicians. She has performed in recital, chamber music, and as soloist with orchestras throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, and has given masterclasses and seminars for orchestras and conservatories from coast to coast. She has appeared on CBC, BBC, and NPR radio stations, and PBS television and is a popular guest speaker, live and on podcasts, discussing cello playing, the importance of the arts and music in particular, injury prevention, and genocide prevention. Her first book Playing (less) Hurt – An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians received international critical acclaim, winning a gold IPPY award in 2009. The Cello Still Sings—A Generational Story of the Holocaust and of the Transformative Power of Music, her new book, is a vivid, moving, and true story of personal discovery, which will be published February 28, with presales beginning January 1, 2023 Other publications include for The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Minneapolis StarTribune and numerous music magazines. She completed my Masters of Music degree from Indiana University and MFA in creative writing from Hamline University, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her classical music articles appear on www.interlude.hk   Show Notes: Janet Horvath Playing (Less) Hurt: An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians The Cello Still Sings: A generational Story of the Holocaust and of the Transformative Power of Music Indianapolis Symphony Minnesota Orchestra Alice Brandfonbrener Dr. Richard Ledermn Performing Arts Medical Association Hamlin University

Welcome to the last candid chat episode of 2022! This episode is a cozy collection of our holiday traditions, our intentions for the new year, and a sampling of some offerings you can look for in 2023. 

This month we had the pleasure of speaking with pianist Patrick Cashin. He shared with us his personal journey through injury, what supported him in his recovery, and how he now helps other pianists prevent injury through a holistic and physiologically informed approach to playing the piano.  Bio: Described by CBC Radio as “a truly original interpretive voice,” pianist Patrick Cashin is becoming known as a distinctive presence on the Canadian music scene. He designs unique recitals centered around the best of the piano repertoire and particularly enjoys playing Mozart piano concertos, in which he improvises and composes cadenzas in the style of Mozart.  Patrick draws from a wide array of experience in both classical and non-classical music, having tried on many musical hats during his formative years in St. John’s, Newfoundland. As a student at Memorial University, he won several competitions including the Atlantic Young Artist and Petro-Canada Young Artist Competition, resulting in some early success playing recital tours and concertos with local orchestras.  He left Newfoundland to study for two years at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, then at the University of Montreal, where he completed his doctorate under the guidance of legendary piano pedagogue Marc Durand.  Over the years, Patrick has studied in master classes with many brilliant musicians of the older generation, including Ferenc Rados, Robert Levin and Leon Fleisher. He leads a busy collaborative career performing with soloists and ensembles in the Montreal area. As a teacher, he is passionate about helping other pianists prevent and recover from piano-related injuries by playing with healthy technique.  Show Notes: Alexander Technique  Glenn Gould School The Université de Montréal Marc Durand Twosetviolin  What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body- Thomas Carson Mark Core Performance- Mark Verstegen  Musicians Clinic of Canada  Dr. John Chong

Welcome to fall! Are we pumpkin spice latte people? Listen to this months candid chat to find out what’s in our cup this season, and hear what new goodies we have launching for you this month!

Ever wondered what happens when you sing, what methods to use for effective practice, and how to advocate for yourself as a performer? Listen to this riveting episode with tenor Philippe Castagner; he shares his journey back from a career that had fallen apart, how he taught himself what he needed to know to succeed, and so much more.  Philippe Bio: Philippe Castagner is a professional operatic tenor.  After winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition at the age of 22, his career briefly flourished, but proved unsustainable.  After determining that the cause of his failure was a lack of technical preparation, psychological resilience, and physical fitness, he set out to craft a new vocal pedagogy using historical and contemporary sources.  The resulting  "New School Singing" is a pedagogical system built on the premises that the human voice is not an instrument, that voice culture is the process of influencing a living being, and that vocal techniques are species of direct action rather than examples of tool use.  As a result of applying this new philosophy to his own singing practice, he was able to successfully return to life as a professional operatic tenor, singing lead roles on stages in Germany, Czechia, and Italy.  His experience compelled him to start Mister Opera, a sometimes controversial YouTube channel that seeks to educate, entertain, and advocate for consumers of vocal pedagogy.  He currently resides in Pilsen, Czechia. Show Notes: Ingo Titze- Nonlinear source-filter coupling in phonation: Theory Complete Vocal Technique The Art of War - Sun Tzu

Welcome to October! In this episode we get candid about our thoughts on musician’s injury rates, and the many dimensions that make up the statistics we often see and hear. Show Notes: Schedule a consult or private session with us! Dr. Ingo Budweg Article Interview with Dr. David Peirce PAMA Virtual Symposium

This season we are kicking off our first interview episode with Noa Kageyama! Noa shared with us his journey into performance psychology for musicians, how performance psychology can benefit musicians, and what it looks like to work with him.  Noa Kageyama bio: Performance psychologist Noa Kageyama is on the faculty of The Juilliard School and is a performance coach for the New World Symphony in Miami, FL. A conservatory-trained violinist with degrees from Oberlin and Juilliard before pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at Indiana University, Noa now specializes in working with performing artists, teaching them how to utilize sport psychology principles and more consistently perform up to their full abilities under pressure. He has conducted workshops at institutions ranging from Northwestern University, New England Conservatory, Peabody, Eastman, Curtis, McGill University, and the U.S. Armed Forces School of Music, to programs such as the Starling-Delay Symposium, The Perlman Music Program, and the National Orchestral Institute, and for organizations like the Music Teachers’ National Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.  Noa’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Musical America, Strings Magazine, Strad, and Lifehacker. He maintains a private coaching practice and online mental skills courses, and authors a performance psychology blog and podcast called The Bulletproof Musician. The Bulletproof Musician  Show Notes: Oberlin Conservatory of Music Juilliard  New World Symphony  Don Greene Deliberate Practice Model Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown  The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey  Performance Success by Don Greene 10 Minute Toughness by Jason Selk