Yoga within the Music Studio

By Evelyn Lee Soen
The Journal of National Music Teachers Association
August/September 2004

I subscribed this magazine for 6 years and believed that I faithfully went through all the articles before I became a mom. This article I chose to report was published in 2004, so no excuse for that.

I first learned yoga in 2000 and practiced until I began to have a different life style. Sometimes I was too tired to bring my yoga mat to the floor. When my hands were free from my babies, I just wanted to rest or clean the house more than anything before they needed me. I'd often say to myself that I'll just practice the breathing technique instead of the whole 45 minute ritual. And it's been pretty much like that since 2005.

When I read this article, I thought of myself as a former piano teacher, who once incorporated yoga during regular piano lessons and summer camps. I started to teach students yoga after I noticed health benefit and improvements in my posture and muscle tension. Students found it interesting and they also liked to stretch their body before and after their lessons.

The author, Soen was motivated to incorporate yoga in her studio when she noticed her students were feeling too tired, sleepy or lack of concentration. I also tried small talk, a short game or sight reading, and it seemed to help students somewhat to think of music. However, while their mind might be able to shift to the present, their bodies were far from ready to play an instrument. Their back was tense from carrying a heavy backpack, their legs and arms were too tired from their extra school activities... and the list went on and on.
Soen had the same problems with her students. She thought that asking students to play scale and arpeggios before playing their pieces may not help them. Thus she began her search to help her students and found the answer in her own yoga practice. She believed that yoga can be another tool for music teachers to help students in their attempt to unlock and liberate the capacity to play an instrument. She chose the simplest poses that can be practiced while sitting or standing. She says that teachers can choose one or two poses for each lesson according to the student's age and length of the lesson. She believes that the added benefit to the teacher is a better transition and relaxed time between students.

When I added a little yoga session in my regular lesson, my students seemed to enjoy the time. So the summer of 2002, I designed a 6-week summer piano lessons with yoga, and it became one of my students' favorite summer camp themes. I asked students to do yoga before and after they practice at home so they could actually feel relaxed as they play music.
The benefits of yoga practice are well known. Many musicians also practice yoga and they get benefits from it. But not many of them teach yoga for their students. I believe that even a simple breathing technique and stretching can change the learning environment. It helps with performance anxiety, muscle tension, and it also can prevent injuries many musicians experience.

As I prepare to be in the teaching scene again, I often think about my former students -the students I taught when I was in my early 20's, in my late 20's and the students I taught in my 30's. I wonder where they are now and where they stand musically. I wonder if they ever think of the lessons they had with me and remember the life lessons I tried to teach them: music does not exist in the manuscript papers; music is in the place where you can truly think, hear, feel and sing. It doesn't have to be "note-perfect" because it becomes art when you become true to yourself as you play. Music learning can be fun, different and effective when a teacher's little personal touches are added. I know I'll remember that when I stand in front of the older kids.