Simple Holiday Survival Moves for (upper) String Players

I know, I know, my last post was all about how I LOVE the Nutcracker. It is my favorite holiday tradition etc. etc. etc. and IT IS don't get me wrong! I was not lying! I love the music, choreography, costumes, and story. For many young years of my life, I attended the Nutcracker every December.

I just forgot about a few little things in that post that make it difficult to love when you are performing this ballet several times per weekend, often multiple times in a day. Add to that all of the hopping around town, playing in multiple Christmas performances and productions, and preparing students for recitals and auditions. Sometimes just keeping my schedule straight feels like mental gymnastics and running from rehearsals to performances feels more like a workout than a commute!

Many of us do the happy Nutcracker dance and spend many hours playing Tchaikovsky’s most beloved ballet, collecting paychecks earned from hours spent in the dark, cramped pit, crouched over our music stands and trying not to poke other musicians in the face with our bows. I can only speak as an upper string player, but my goodness this environment really bring out the aches and pains!

The pit presents a multitude of difficulties that are often swept under the stage. My colleagues and I often hobble out into the hallway during intermission rife with pain and discomfort from maintaining unhealthy or unnatural body positions in the orchestra pit. I would argue that there are certain restrictions in the pit that amplify or expedite any discomfort one may feel when performing ON the stage rather than below it.

Here are some of the issues working against us:

Reduced space - sometimes if I get a little too excited in a musical figure I literally knock into my stand partner or a violist! My chair is definitely not where I would prefer it, but I can guarantee that I am not the only one who feels this way. The first violins are tucked up against a wall that has a drop off by their feet!

Awkward Sightlines - the conductor is much higher in regards to the orchestra for obvious reasons: he has to see what is happening on the stage. The neck angle required to see him is significant for us and I have yet to find a way to position my music stand to see the notes and the maestro at the same time. 

Darkness/lighting - I am getting old. The pit really highlights this. If you're a musician who has ever played the Nutcracker you know that 85% of the parts consist of terribly printed music in that very handwritten style that is super difficult to read if you add ledger lines, accidentals, dynamics, articulations, pretty much anything. I find myself sometimes squinting and leaning forward to actually see some of the notation and make sure my eyes aren't playing tricks on me.

Busy schedules - Yes, sometimes we do more than one Nutcracker in a day but if you add to that the other rehearsals and performances, you better believe that we barely have time to gulp down a meal in between services.

Stress - When I'm stressed my shoulders and neck get even tighter. I don't know a single person, let alone violinist (or violist) who benefits from super tight shoulders. Our jobs already add quite a bit of neck and shoulder discomfort at the best of times. The holidays are stressful for everyone but the added tension certainly does not help us do our job.

Repetition
 - Yes, multiple performances. Multiple shows. Multiple deja vu moments as we take our seats and feel the aches in the exact same places (can you say Apotheosis of this freaking piece with the seemingly endless tremolo - what a killer).

The list goes on.... 

Standing in the hallway during intermission griping about discomfort with my colleagues, I decided to teach them a few of the moves I use to relieve some of the tension. The feedback was enthusiastic. I mean, I should have known it would be but I was not prepared for the reports of immediate physical relief, enhanced concentration, and reduced feelings of stress. I should have been! I wrote about the subject because I 100% believe in these positive outcomes. 

For those of you who are unaware, I just completed my dissertation titled “Using Iyengar Yoga to Enhance Violin Playing”  (you can read it here) and spent months researching and practicing yoga and applying it directly to violin playing in a variety of settings. Although I technically did not address the pit environment there are several asanas that are directly applicable and appropriate for the types of discomfort experienced in this environment.

These are very simple moves focused on the upper body, arms, shoulders, and back. They can be done in concert clothes, and do not require much space (we did these in the hallway backstage), or many props, make minimal contact the questionable floor (who wants to be rolling around on the floor in their performance attire?), and are accessible to most.

A few of my comrades graciously agreed to model different versions of each pose for this post and I can't thank them enough for their help.

Tadasana Paschima Namaskarasana - Mountain Pose with Reverse Prayer Hands

(for those unfamiliar with Sanskrit, Tadasana, or Mountain Pose is simply standing with weight distributed evenly across both feet. For this post, it simply means we are not doing any fancy leg variations).

This pose stretches the Teres Major, Subscapularis, Rhomboids, Trapezius, Teres Minor, Infraspinatus, and Deltoids.

Iyengar says this pose reduces depression, increases the flexibility of the upped body, arms, elbows, and wrists.

Here we have 3 hand placements depending on flexibility: Ronna shows the full hand placement with palms of the hands touching (upper right), I show very little wrist flexibility but still the shoulder rotation (bottom), Phil touches just his fingertips together while still trying to pull his shoulders back. Wherever your body is, the shoulders are KEY. Work to pull them back, do not let them slump forward!

Tadasana Gomukhasana - Cow Face Arms.

This pose stretches the Teres Minor, Rhomboids, Latissimus Dorsi, Subscapularis, and Triceps.

Iyengar says this pose boosts confidence, improves breathing by opening the chest, activates the muscles of the shoulders and back, and helps relieves arthritis in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers by stretching the arms,

Here again, we see Ronna in the full expression (upper left), I use my rosin rag to get a better extension while still not being able to clasp my hands together, and Phil works on the rotation at the elbows and shoulder. This one is a killer for tight triceps and I really feel it when I'm performing all the time! In real life, I would have handed Phil a strap. He is working to push his left elbow up towards the ceiling here while keeping his chest open. 

Tadasana Garudhasana - Eagle Arms

This pose stretches the Trapezius, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Teres Major, Latissimus Dorsi, and Serratus Anterior

Iyengar says this pose removes stiffness in the shoulders.

Ronna again shows the final arm position in this one (top right) with a side view and frontal view (with a smile). Phil is working towards the hand clasp but can feel the stretch in his back around his shoulder blades. I am showing the back engagement without the hand clasp for anyone working towards that initial expression of the pose. My elbows are raised, which stretches my mid back between the shoulder blades and feels so so SO good!

To shine a little light on all those fancy muscles listed above please see the diagram below (a big THANK YOU to Jeff Montague for helping me create this).

Missing from this diagram are:

Deltoid - Do you see the shoulder muscle between where the Upper Trapezius and Teres Major are labeled in the diagram above? Where your arm would extend out to the side if the entire upper body was included here. Behold! The Deltoid!

Latissimus Dorsi - See that big swoopy muscle underneath the Infraspinatus in the above diagram (left side again)? That is the Latissimus Dorsi. 

Triceps - Situated on the back of the arm. They work in opposition to the bicep. They are not pictured here, but you know where your arms, right?

Subscapularis - This one is tricky because it sits UNDERNEATH the shoulder blades and you can't actually see it unless you were a skeleton with an invisible ribcage. It is very important for shoulder movement and tends to get caught up in all the string player discomfort.

When I hold yoga asanas, however simple they may seem, I don't count seconds I count deep inhales and exhales. If you do this, you will feel your body much more intimately and most likely hold these poses a little longer than 30 seconds or whatever. I tend to start with 6 inhalations and exhalations, and add more if I need to, want to, have the time, etc. You will also feel each pose intensify and followed by a magical release when you breathe into this tension. When you return to neutral you can almost feel the blood swoosh through your arms and back (swoosh is definitely a correct anatomical term) as increased blood flow returns to those areas.

The goal of this post is to help you find relief while at work. I am not trying to paint a bleak picture of our working environment at all! Some aches and pains are inevitable in this line of work and these poses offer a little release. The benefits of these poses are not limited to violinists and violists either. I bet if you spend time in the car, at a desk, texting, staring at your phone (I am guilty of all of these) then you will also find these simple moves therapeutic.  

*Disclaimer - It is best to seek help from someone with experience, a yoga teacher or physical therapist when first attempting these. They are intended to help NOT hurt. Please understand that each body is different and you should respect the limitations of your own body.

What do you to fight off the aches and pains in the pit? Are you looking for more suggestions? Leave a comment below. Believe me, I have way more where this came from!

Sources:

Gray, Henry, and H. V Carter. Gray’s Anatomy. New York, N.Y.; Lewes, 2013.

Iyengar, B.K.S., Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health. Revised edition. New York, N.Y.: DK, 2014.

Iyengar, B.K.S., Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika. Rev. ed. New York: Schocken Books, 1979.

Kaminoff, Leslie, and Amy Matthews. Yoga Anatomy. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2012.

The Traveling Violinist - NYC.

Dear New York,

I used to be so intimidated by you. I was afraid of your allure. Convinced I wasn’t ready to meet you. Certain you would eat me alive.

I’m glad I overcame my fear. I’m glad I visited.

5 days in the Big Apple. How could I be so wrong?

Active Violinist and The City

Day 1 – Wednesday

Jeff and I arrived in the afternoon and after leaving our luggage at the very hip and cool Yotel in Midtown we walked the Highline. It is pretty wonderful. There are so many gorgeous buildings, interesting architecture, great views (into peoples’ homes and of the city), interesting people watching, and wonderful nooks and resting areas. It is so serene. We walked the entire way to the new Whitney Museum. We bought coffee and Mexican food along the way and waded through some excellently placed water fixtures (hot, tired feet!).

High Line views.

Yum! Yum! Yum!

Jeff was really looking forward to 'studying this conceptual approach to public space' sadly everyone was very much the opposite of nude.

When we got to the Whitney we couldn’t NOT go in and look around. What an incredible space! What incredible art! We headed back to the hotel via the city streets.

He is literally melting. An enormous statue made of wax with a lit candle on his shoulder. A selfie in the background only for perspective.

Our hotel was very cool: A happening bar and really great food. We ended up staying in for dinner and were tucked into bed by 10:30pm. We go all out.

The view from our bathroom at the Yotel

Day 2 – Thursday

I met up with my Freshman year dorm-room neighbors for lunch. What a reunion! I hadn’t seen either one of them for at least 8 years. I can’t believe it worked out! I don't think I laughed or giggled like that in quite some time. Their lives sound way more glamorous than mine in (relatively speaking) sleepy Oklahoma. 

Afterwards I walked over to Carnegie Hall in hopes of making my debut only to discover they are closed for the summer. Rude!

Come Hear Me! (one day, one day....fingers crossed forever)

Giving up on stardom (for the moment), I meandered over to Central Park and watched some really fun street performers before dipping in to the American Museum of Natural History. I totally forgot that Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller was filmed here! I chuckled about this (to myself) while observing the exotic taxidermy. 

Heading into the Museum. The only shot I could get without 10,000 tourists included.

The dinosaurs are epic! Head into the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater to hear Liam Neeson narrate some cool facts about the solar system. The whole exhibit on Black holes and Dark Matter is amazing. I could have spent several hours here alone if it weren't bordering on dinnertime. 

Something something something......prehistoric

I was flying solo as Jeff had to work all day so I headed back to the hotel (on foot - the best way to see a city).

If you walk around NYC you will see this scene pretty much everywhere.

We went out to dinner with his boss at Esca, a Mario Battali restaurant around the corner from the hotel. Holy Moly it was good! I like to eat, and I’m not really snobby about it but oh man it was great! I also forgot what kind of wine. Oh well! I recommend it - especially if you like Seafood (and even if you don't!)

We walked over to Times Square after dinner. It is nuts! Honestly this was probably my least favorite part of the trip. Trust me, better viewed from the comfort of your own home. Chaos everywhere. Before hitting the hay we stopped in a local market and picked up some gelato to share on the balcony….in the rain. All in all it was a romantic date for 3.

Times Square.

Day 3 – Friday

I stumbled out into the neighborhood for breakfast and found a fantastic little bakery/coffeeshop called Amy’s Bread. I felt bad for Jeff because he was working in the hotel lobby and I could not stop raving about my pastry and cappuccino when I got back.

We had to change hotels today so I caught an Uber to the Omni Berkshire with our bags and dropped them off before exploring 5th ave for a hot minute.

I stumbled upon a gorgeous church service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

I just love this part of the exterior. Lily - so lovely. I couldn't stop admiring her.

I stopped to smell the lavender at the Rockefeller farmers market (how do you even get a vendor spot here!?), stopped in at Bauman Rare Books to admire some spines (a Brahms score on sale for $18,500!!), and did some serious window shopping pretty much every where.

Rockefeller Lavender. I'm pretty sure Tina Fey AND Alec Baldwin buy their bouquets here.

My family friend from Traverse City came downtown to meet up and we immediately got covered in gold – literally accosted by the 24 carat gold skincare ladies who, for whatever reason thought I could afford $800 face cream. There is so much insecurity imbued in the beauty industry! The more I said “No Thank You” the more of my little imperfections she pointed out…but in the sweetest way possible. Like she was my BFF genuinely concerned about my future; Warning me of my impending botox bill if I didn’t suck it up and smear gold on my face now, before it is too late.

After this semi-demoralizing experience where I was forced to come to terms with my own sagging, drooping, decaying mortality we headed to the West Village for a bite to eat (and a cocktail). Turns out family friend Maxine is kind of besties with Mario Battali so we bellied up to the bar at The Spotted Pig, the former haunt of Philip Seymour Hoffman (R.I.P.). It is cozy and unassuming but hot dang those deviled eggs are worth writing home about.

THE Spotted Pig

Jeff came and met us in the village where we strolled through the lovely streets and admired the intimate and inviting vibe of the area. I know it is silly to say because I will NEVER be able to afford it – BUT I would totally live here.

We had dinner at a really great little French place that we kind of stumbled upon. At the table to our left were 2 buds from college who were clearly now investment bankers – whining about how one’s fiancé demanded $5 million in the prenup and how he said no, took the ring back and now can't decide whether he should take her back. REALLY DUDE!? The whole conversation made me a little ill, and also sort of livid. I'm still thinking about what I should have leaned over and said, what I hoped this unknown lady did and where on his person he should probably 'stash' that ring (hint: probably not recommended by 4 out of 5 Doctors). A serious case of 1% problems.

We ended the evening strolling then headed to the Fulton Street Station (Jeff’s company had a hand in its creation) and walking through the 9/11 Memorial. Probably way more incredible in the daylight but completely impressive at night as well.

So big I couldn't fit it all in one frame!

Day 4 – Saturday

We headed uptown for breakfast, at Sarabeth’s and a little browsing at the Corner Bookstore before heading to the Guggenheim because….duh. 

This place makes me dizzy. Also - has anyone ever organized some sort of run up and down this place? That would be a hoot - and also a killer workout.

-Sidenote about the Corner Bookstore: this is my favorite kind of bookshop: Small, local and full of gems. I loved overhearing a customer ask for advice on what novel she should read next only to hear a variety of choices in so many different genres recommended by the store employees. It just makes me want to read more!

Everything at the Guggenheim is swirling and round....except the stairs.

After the Guggenheim (which was awesome) we picked up coffee from The Church of Heavenly Rest and a stroll through Central Park.

We sipped our fancy shmancy dry cappuccinos while watching a Jazz Quartet jam under a tree in the park, then headed to the Met.

The perfect stage for a drizzly jam in the park

A line out the door and around the corner awaited us. Lucky for us it was moving quickly. I could have spent days and days and days in there.

The ladies - what your outfit feels like after you've seen Manus x Machina

We ended up spending hours in just the Manus x Machina exhibit alone. The crossroads of fashion and technology has really produced some jaw dropping pieces of wearable (or almost wearable? Some designs certainly didn’t seem to keep the human form in mind) art. Blah blah blah there were several Picassos and stuff by other famous people but if you put a gown in a museum, no offense Mr. Pollock, but I’m going to swoon over it.

There's a million more where these came from. If you've ever run into me on Instagram you know I love a good gown pic any day.

For our last evening in the city we headed to Williamsburg for dinner at this crazy hip Thai restaurant with a pond (it seemed like it was straight out of a movie) and a book reading/performance at National Sawdust. Helen DeWitt read from her book The Last Samurai and Timo Andres performed selected piano works mentioned in the book. It was pretty cool. I got my book signed by BOTH OF THEM.

National Sawdust. Not the performers. Obviously.

We stopped by a little Italian place for a late night snack and some wine before strolling (this seems to be our signature tourist move) through the neighborhood before eventually returning to the craziness of 5th Ave.

Day 5 – Sunday

Time to go home. Sob! I did miss Blanche but this was just (barely) the tip of the iceberg! We strolled through Rockefeller Plaza, read our books in Bryant Park and dodged the rain in Barnes and Noble before accepting our fate and heading to the Airport.

It was a great trip – I didn’t get a sunburn, we did some cool stuff, burned some calories, consumed some calories, and learned a bunch of stuff.

My previous avoidance of this city has been turned into interest and fascination. Now I really want to come back and see a performance (or 17) at Carnegie Hall, catch an Opera at the Met, a performance by ABT, hello NY Phil, Orpheus, Alice Tully Hall, Zabar’s, Poisson Rouge…..the list goes on.

In the words of a wise terminator: I’ll be Back 

B.K.S. Iyengar + Yehudi Menuhin + Yoga + Violin = Research?

B.K.S. Iyengar + Yehudi Menuhin

aka

Yoga + Violin

These dudes...how can you not love them?

This is it. I'm diving in! This is my first post on the topic of my dissertation (or document as they like to call it at OU) research.

Yoga has taken the world by storm. It is reportedly a several billion-dollar industry. 

Yoga pants, yoga mats, yoga classes, instagram accounts, workshops, festivals, books, websites, video subscriptions, food, diet, philosophy. Everyone seems to be doing it. In fact, I know more people who DO yoga than who DON’T do yoga these days.

And that is incredible. 

I started practicing yoga when I was 19. I was at a summer music festival in Hawaii (poor me) and yoga was an optional morning activity before rehearsals. I figured why not? And that was it. I was hooked. Just like most people trying yoga. The initial benefits were immediate. I felt so focused in rehearsals, my body felt strong and long, I felt happy and positive. I didn't want to stop.

And I haven't really since. I've tried all sorts of yoga - Bikram, Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini, Power Yoga, Ashtanga, Yen, Sculpt, and finally Iyengar. I practice at home, on my own. I travel with a yoga mat. I read books on the subject. And now I am writing my Dissertation on it.  

I was first introduced to Iyengar yoga a few years ago. I had been shoving my body half heartedly into sun salutations and asanas without really understanding what I was doing or how it was supposed to feel. The goal was pretzel shapes no matter how I got there.

Pretty much on speed dial pre-Iyengar yoga practice.

I signed up for a ‘Strength and Alignment’ class (secret code for an Iyengar class) and my whole concept of yoga changed. Gone was the mood lighting and mindless sun salutations. My muscles spasmed and quivered for a full 90mins just doing basic poses, and using props. Here I was thinking of myself as a pretty advanced yoga student and come to find out that when done properly there is absolutely no easy yoga pose and your entire body is working ALL OF THE TIME. Goodbye ego – talk about a humbling experience! Just standing up straight can make your body fatigue! Whoa!

We did Ustrasana. 

I used to HATE this pose. I mean avoid it like the plague, whine like a baby on the inside or do something else in class when given the option. My neck would crunch, my legs would go a little numb, it was hard to breathe and just felt genuinely terrible. Everything was wrong with it. But then we worked on it in class and OMG I got it! When done correctly it feels AMAZING! You really do feel tremendous joy. Your heart opens up. You feel warm, your arms and chest expand. You come out of the pose and want to smile and just love everyone.

And that was it. I was hooked.

Many yoga lovers are turned off by Iyengar yoga; there is no music, there is no 'this is your practice', there are tons of props, you don’t heat the room, , you have to listen to every instruction from the teacher, you hold poses forever, it is not workout yoga, you feel like you're going to die in trikonasana (triangle pose), you never thought standing on your own two feet could be so difficult. If you can make it to the end of class = you will feel AMAZING. At least I do. 

Just looking at this photo makes my legs ache! He may not look insanely strong - but what he is doing right here takes remarkable strength, concentration, and flexibility.

Iyengar teachers are a quirky bunch. They tend to be a bit older. Seasoned. No nonsense but not mean. They know exactly how each pose should look and feel. They have spent years in training (because there is no 200 hour training course or retreat for Iyengar teachers) and most importantly they use yoga therapeutically to cure or ease what ails you.

So what does this have to do with violin again?

Just as I go ‘all in’ with Iyengar yoga, imagine my surprise when I open his seminal book "Light on Yoga" and find a forward written by Yehudi Menuhin. 

WHAT?! What business does this classical violinist have writing a forward in one of the most famous books on yoga of all time? And on behalf of the man credited with bringing yoga to the West!?

Turns out it was Menuhin who brought Iyengar to our attention. Yep - we Westerners have a forward thinking classical violinist to thank for our current obsession with Yoga.

Menuhin actually said the following;

"I consider B.K.S. Iyengar to be my first real violin teacher. He is the first to teach me how to use my body"

Talk about a revolution in pedagogy and performance! 

That is a profound statement for a world famous once child-prodigy violinist to make about a previously unknown yoga teacher. It really got me thinking/curious/obsessed about this whole yoga thing. I loved it before but this seemed like a perfect opportunity to dive in intellectually too.

So there you have it.

My journey + the discovery of Menuhin’s involvement = mild/intense obsession with the impact this friendship had -in this case- specifically on the classical music world.

You can read my dissertation here. 

Enjoy!