breathing free Archives

Wellness Retreats for Musicians: Why Are They on the Rise?

I knew there was no way I could practice the amount I needed and not just completely destroy my body. I wondered how other people did it. It never occurred to me in college that it was something I could learn - University of Denver, USA, 1989 On line, or off, pandemic or no, wellness retreats for musicians are all the rage. With so much more now on offer in music colleges and schools in terms of a holistic approach, I set out to find out why so many young musicians are drawn to finding alternative support. In a survey I recently conducted about wellness as experienced by students in music schools and colleges over the last fifty years, it became apparent that, from the beginning of this period, horror [...]

By Ruth Phillips|2024-03-18T13:24:48-04:00June 18th, 2020|Categories: Artistic Vision, In the Practice Room, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: meditation, yoga, breathing free, stage presence, inspiration, breath, Growth, wellness, power, Practice|

Breathing Free — by Selma Gokcen

"The nose is for breathing, the mouth is for eating." —Proverb One of the more noticeable aspects of the modern cellist’s performance is noisy breathing. On records or in the concert hall, sometimes heard as far back as the last row, the laboured breath of the cellist engaged in giving his or her best performance can be a major distraction to a listener. Whether it’s the sharp sniff or gasp on the up bow or a general effortful pant, is this heavy breathing necessary for their work? On a recent surf of the internet, I came across some amusing comments about cellists and their breathing from a radio listener: “I always find that 'cello players breathe loudly, even on recordings! I wondered if perhaps it is a symptom of having [...]

By Selma Gokcen|2017-11-24T04:29:08-05:00April 18th, 2013|Categories: Alexander Technique for Cellists, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: breathing free, cello, exalting emotion, freedom, shift weight, cello pressing on chest, cellobello, existing tension, attention, straining for breath, chest cavity, expiration, breathing, touch, conditions, energy, food, exercise, use affects function, correct position, health, freedom of the thorax and ribs, lungs, divine influence, Alexander Technique, gases, abdominal muscles, downward force of gravity, Gokcen, guide, affect, drink, inspire, Alexander principle, efficient breathing, re-education, muscles relax, automatic process, gravity, enlivening, Selma, reducing air pressure, breathing apparatus, exhale, enter and depart life, muscles, sequence|