Ravinia 2019, Issue 1, Week 2

M E Elena Urioste (left) and Melissa White (right) have been adding yoga to their instrumental practice for a decade. M E L I S S A W H I T E A N D E L E N A U R I O S T E got through the beginnings of their professional violin careers without thinking much about their bodies. If they had performance-related pain, they ignored it as long as they could. Then, in 2009, they separately found yoga. The two had already been friends from attending many of the same camps and conservatories, but when they com- pared notes about their yoga practice, they found they were discovering all kinds of benefits as violinists. Urioste, who that same year attended Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, quickly sensed that her limbs were looser, her focus in practice was greater, and her perfor- mance anxiety was reduced, meaning that her bow arm was steadier. Eight years later, they founded Intermission, which now offers week- long summer retreats for professional musicians, as well as one-day sessions in schools and conservatories. “It’s like yoga meets an artists’ colony,” Urioste says, with two yoga classes a day for “a community of like-minded, open-heart- ed, curious musicians.” Playing any instrument takes ex- treme coordination of dozens of muscle groups, nerves, ligaments, and more. But many musicians, even accomplished ones, don’t think much about the role of their body in their work until a problem happens. In recent years, awareness has been growing about how various phys- ical disciplines can help musicians not only prevent injury, but also play better and feel better. “Yoga has affected every cell in my body and every layer in my mental and emotional self,” Urioste says. Because she thinks of everything holistically, the insights quickly became incorporated into her work as a violinist. “I always look for crossovers—in nature, in art, in literature. If a yoga teacher says, ‘Observe yourself without judgment,’ my mind is going to jump to violin performance.” “A lot of the time, we’re not aware of what our body is doing when we’re playing an instrument,” White adds, “because we’re not aware of what our body is doing when we’re not playing an instrument.” ˜ U R I O S T E A N D W H I T E ’ S I N T E R M I S S I O N P R O G R A M recently received a $10,000 grant from the Sphinx Tank entrepreneurship competition, which they will use to help develop a mobile app to encourage wellness and mindfulness. Both violin- ists have long been associated with the Sphinx Organization, a Detroit-based group that promotes diversity in the arts. White, who will perform at Ravinia as part of the Harlem Quartet on June 8, often starts a class with young musicians by doing a group breathing exercise, “and even in two minutes, you can feel the room change.” The learning goes both ways. Last winter, at a preparatory arts academy, a slender female tuba player asked Urioste and White for some tips. “We told her that we’re not tuba players,” Urioste admits, knowing that those physical de- mands were outside their expertise, “but we still had a really interesting dialogue. She taught us so much about breathing.” The two violinists have learned that string players, too, need to breathe with the phrase. “One breath per bow,” Urioste says. “It breathes new life into the music itself. It gives my phrases profile and variety. The difference in the sound is really noticeable.” When she works with young violinists, “I’ll notice if their breathing is shallow, or if they’re distributing their weight unevenly, or if unnecessary muscle groups are involved. Even if my eyes are closed, I can tell if someone isn’t breathing.” As a student, she was not taught about the physical aspect of playing; she learned a lot for herself after becoming a dedicated yoga practitioner. “It’s more than just keeping our arms strong and well. It’s an entire body experience,” White says. “The position of your feet matters, whether standing or sitting. If the lower half of the body is weak, the upper half has to counterbalance.” The mindfulness aspect of yoga also helps Urioste prevent injury. She now thinks ruefully about the months-long numbness in her right arm that she did not know how to treat in college. But about three years ago, when she felt the beginnings of something similar, she was able to neutralize it with a few hours of stretches to her neck and upper body. “We ask a lot of our bodies,” White says, and she tries to be aware of what she’s feeling. Unlike football players, she says, “we don’t get paid millions to play just yet. And that’s even more reason to be preventative with our bodies.” COURTESY OF INTERMISSION (BOTH) MAY 31, 2019 – JUNE 16, 2019 | RAVINIA MAGAZINE 23