MindfulOpus

Jo Zakany | Coach for Classical Musicians
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Semiweekly

The MindfulOpus podcast is where we switch from Grind to Kind in our artistic process – so that artists like you can avoid burnout, ditch performance anxiety, and create a thriving, healthy life - on and off stage. The podcast is hosted by Jo Zakany, former violist with The Cleveland Orchestra, yoga teacher, and coach for classical musicians.

  1. 6d ago

    Let The Path Curve: Yoga, Agency & The Artist+ Life with Elena Urioste & Melissa White

    S3 Ep.3: Violinists Elena Urioste and Melissa White of Intermission join me for a conversation about yoga, performance nerves, ditching perfection, healthier practice, artistic agency, and allowing a musical career to become bigger than one prescribed path. This episode feels a little full-circle for me… I first crossed paths with Elena and Melissa more than 20 years ago, back in our Encore School for Strings days in Ohio. Years later, watching them bring music and yoga together through Intermission helped me imagine something I hadn't fully seen for myself yet: that being an artist didn't have to mean following one single, narrow path. Their work was part of what inspired me to pursue my own yoga teacher training in 2019, so getting to sit down with them all these years later felt particularly special. In this conversation, we talk about how yoga entered each of their lives and how it ultimately changed the way they play, practice, perform, teach, and relate to themselves as artists. We get into performance nerves, body awareness, perfectionism, healthier self-talk, and the idea that "you are your best and forever teacher." We also talk about agency: learning to trust your own body, your own artistic instincts, and your own sense of what works for you. And then we get into the Artist + of it all. Elena and Melissa share how Intermission began with two roommates, a Moleskine notebook, and an idea that other people didn't always understand. We talk about entrepreneurship, following an idea before you know exactly where it's going, and letting your career path curve rather than assuming you have to leave one identity behind to explore another. For any musician who has ever wondered, "Is this all I'm allowed to be?" I hope this conversation gives you a little more room to imagine. Maybe the path doesn't have to completely change. Maybe it can just curve. KEY TOPICS Yoga and classical music Performance nerves and breathing Body awareness and violin technique Perfectionism and healthier self-talk Compassion in the practice room The "three victories" practice Agency and artistic self-trust Teaching musicians to trust themselves Building an "artist +" identity Entrepreneurship for classical musicians Creating Intermission Letting your career path curve Intermission retreats and restorative practice TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Welcoming Elena Urioste and Melissa White 01:21 - Remembering Curtis, Encore, and our shared history 03:01 - What our younger selves would think today 08:11 - How Intermission inspired my own yoga journey 09:07 - Melissa's yoga origin story 13:54 - Elena finds hot yoga after heartbreak 18:01 - Yoga, violin technique, and performance nerves 22:28 - Compassion, discipline, and healthier self-talk 28:14 - Three victories and a new way of evaluating ourselves 34:42 - Yoga blocks, mirrors, and recording as practice tools 40:10 - Agency, ownership, and trusting yourself as an artist 48:07 - From violinists to entrepreneurs: creating Intermission 51:13 - How Intermission got its name 56:54 - The artist + life and letting a career path curve 67:22 - Inside the Intermission retreats 72:00 - Rapid fires + guest info   MY FAVORITE QUOTES "You are your best and forever teacher." "This is your today." "What's the one thing only I can do?" "Why do you have to switch direction? Why can't the path just curve a little bit?" ABOUT ELENA + MELISSA Elena Urioste is an internationally acclaimed violinist, yogi, educator, and entrepreneur. A former BBC New Generation Artist and first-prize laureate of the Sphinx Competition, she has performed with major orchestras throughout the U.S. and abroad. She is also co-director of the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective, Artistic Director of Chamber Music by the Sea, Professor of Violin at the Royal Academy of Music, and a Kripalu-trained RYT-200 yoga teacher. Melissa White is an acclaimed violinist, educator, and founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Harlem Quartet. A first-prize laureate of the Sphinx Competition, she has appeared as soloist with major orchestras across the U.S. and internationally. She teaches at NYU Steinhardt and the University at Buffalo and completed yoga training in Vinyasa and Ashtanga in Goa, India. Together, Elena and Melissa co-founded Intermission in 2017, bringing music, movement, mindfulness, breath, and self-compassion together through student sessions, professional retreats, and online resources for musicians. FIND ELENA, MELISSA + INTERMISSION Intermission www.intermissionsessions.com YouTube www.youtube.com/@intermission1777 Instagram @intermissionsessions Melissa White @afroviolinist Elena Urioste @elenaurioste www.elenaurioste.com MORE INFO ON MINDFULOPUS: Curious about working together? Book a 30 minute consult: https://calendly.com/mindfulopus/30min?month=2026-09 Find out more about my work: mindfulopus.com Follow me on instagram: @mindfulopus

  2. Aug 25

    Chasing Confidence: Why It Doesn't Work, and What To Do Instead

    S3 Ep. 2: What if confidence isn't what you actively need to cultivate to show up boldly on stage? In this solo episode, I'm breaking down confidence by working backward from the outcome most of us want. We often tell ourselves that we need to feel confident before an audition or big performance, but confidence isn't an emotion we can summon on command. And "fake it till you make it" only takes us so far. Instead, I share a practical framework for building confidence that I use with my clients. It's a ground-up approach that starts with Curiosity, Experimentation, Problem Solving, Competence, and how all of those are what lead to TRUE Confidence. For musicians, this can completely change the experience of practicing and performing. When something doesn't work, curiosity allows us to see mistakes as data, not judgement. The work stops being personal, and becomes information rather than evidence that something is wrong with us. From there, we can experiment, solve the problem in front of us, and develop genuine competence. I also explore the big differences between curiosity and shame when it comes to getting the results you want, why perfectionism breeds fake confidence, and how becoming your own inner coach can help you pursue excellence without making every result a referendum on your worth. Real confidence doesn't mean believing that everything will go perfectly - It means trusting that you can listen, adjust, problem-solve, and that you'll be ok regardless of what happens.   Key points: Why I don't believe confidence is something we should chase The difference between genuine confidence and fake confidence How I reverse-engineer confidence through the lens of curiosity Why mistakes are more useful as data than as personal judgments The difference between the voices of curiosity and shame How experimentation supports excellence without demanding perfection What it means to build confidence that isn't dependent on your result   Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and episode setup 00:30 Why "feeling confident" isn't where we begin 01:28 Confidence as an action, not a feeling 02:56 Working backward: confidence begins with competence 04:22 Curiosity as the foundation of the process 06:19 How curiosity protects our identity and confidence 08:07 Moving from curiosity to excellence—and eventually, confidence   Also - Come say hi! @mindfulopus on Instagram, or mindfulopus.com

  3. Aug 11

    Season 3: The Evolving Opus

    S3 E1: A conversation about outgrowing old structures, choosing curiosity over control, and creating frameworks that support who you are today. Season 3 is here, and in a fitting way, I'm kicking it off by changing the structure of the podcast itself. After two seasons with clear timelines, missions, and end dates, I'm opening things up: continuing every other Tuesday, bringing in a wider range of guests and conversations, and letting this season evolve without a predetermined finish line. That shift became the starting point for a much bigger conversation: what happens when a framework that once served you simply… doesn't anymore? Whether it's the fingering your teacher gave you, the audition process you've relied on for years, the way you care for your body, or even the way you think you're "supposed" to work, it can be surprisingly difficult to give yourself permission to try something new. I share some of my own experience with this too, including a recent playing injury that brought up frustration, shame, and the realization that what my body needed years ago may not be what it needs today. Instead of grasping for control, I'm practicing what I ask of my clients: letting curiosity lead, looking at the data without judgment, and staying open to the possibility that the answer may require a new approach. Because changing a framework doesn't mean the old one was wrong. Sometimes it served you beautifully for a particular season of your life. The question becomes: what do you want to keep, what needs to go or be upgraded, and what are you willing to play around with? Whether you're rethinking the way you practice, navigating an injury, preparing for an audition, questioning an old belief, or simply realizing that something in your life no longer fits who you're becoming, this episode is an invitation to get curious about what might support you now. You'll Discover: How to recognize when a structure has stopped serving you Why changing your approach doesn't mean the old one was wrong The difference between seeking control and leaning into curiosity How inherited practice and audition habits can limit self-trust Why mistakes can become data instead of opportunities for judgment What a well-being-centered performance process can look like How I'm navigating frustration and shame around a recent playing injury Three questions to help you keep, upgrade, or rethink an existing framework   Timestamps: (00:00)   Welcome and Season 3 intro (01:58)   Why the show structure is changing (04:54)   When old frameworks stop serving you (06:50)   Personal injury and learning to adapt (08:15)   Curiosity, self-trust, and audition prep (11:09)    Finding a healthier performance process (12:07)   The well-being wheel framework (13:35)   Letting go of what no longer fits (14:35)   How to evaluate your current structure (16:32)   Closing thoughts and send-off   Also - Come say hi! @mindfulopus on Instagram, or mindfulopus.com

  4. Jul 28 ·  Bonus

    Plot Twist: I'm the Guest! Interviewed by my Life and Business Coach...

    Bonus Ep 2: A conversation about career transitions, perfectionism, identity, and creating your life one mindful opus at a time. In this special episode, the microphone is turned on me as I sit down with my coach, Lindsay Dotzlaf, who interviews me! We unpack the journey that brought me from a 20-year career with The Cleveland Orchestra into this new chapter of building MindfulOpus full-time. We go back to my musical upbringing in Monte-Carlo, beginning auditions at six years old, and winning my orchestra position at 21 while experiencing double tendonitis in both arms. I share how those early experiences shaped my relationship with achievement, perfectionism, and self-worth—and ultimately inspired my work supporting the whole human behind the art. At the heart of this conversation is what it actually takes to make a major life change. We talk about following my "clear yeses and polite no's," learning to distinguish intuition from fear, preparing financially, and allowing a possibility to exist on paper before expecting it to become real. I also share what it has felt like to return to the viola outside the structure of the orchestra, how podcasting helped me rediscover my voice, and why stepping into a new identity doesn't require abandoning the artist or person you've always been. Whether you're considering a career change, questioning the path you're on, or wondering who you might become beyond the roles you've always held, this conversation is an invitation to explore with curiosity and create your life - one opus at a time… You'll Discover: How perfectionism and achievement can become tied to self-worth Why the right decision can still feel terrifying How to recognize your "clear yeses and polite no's" The difference between intuition, fear, and an old belief Why daydreaming can be an important part of creating change How thoughtful financial preparation can support a career transition What it means to redefine success through joy, freedom, service, and community The meaning behind MindfulOpus     TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Welcome to the bonus episode and what this interview is about (01:43) Intro to the Mindful Opus Podcast (02:14) How Jo got into coaching (03:40) Discovering coaching as a profession (05:33) 20 years in the Cleveland Orchestra (10:47) Growing up in a musical family (11:14) Childhood in Monte Carlo and early music training (18:18) What orchestra culture is really like (23:37) Top coaching themes: excellence vs. perfection (26:33) Detaching self-worth from performance (28:28) Deciding to go full-time in coaching (31:45) The emotional reality of making the leap (40:32) Advice for others thinking about a similar transition (44:24) The money conversation and planning for the move (51:06) Why taking time off after leaving mattered (54:29) Starting the Mindful Opus podcast (56:56) Favorite part of podcasting (58:25) The hardest part of podcasting (62:09) What success looks like in two years (64:07) Where the name "Mindful Opus" came from (65:35) Where to find Jo online (67:01) Outro and closing thoughts   Resources: Interested in coaching? Sign up for a free consult at mindfulopus.com Follow Jo on Instagram: mindfulopus.com Interested in how to find some work/life balance? Grab the free well-being resource at mindfulopus.com About Lindsay: Podcast: Mastering Coaching Skills Instagram: @lindsaydotzlaf Website: https://lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/

  5. Jul 14 ·  Bonus

    What Blue Jays Taught Me about Life, Music and Transitions

    In this reflective bonus episode of the MindfulOpus Podcast, I share the surprisingly powerful lessons I learned by watching two blue jays, Harry and Sally, build a nest, incubate their babies, and eventually leave the nest. What unfolds in my backyard becomes a meaningful metaphor for the classical music life: how we practice, how we wait, how we grow, and how we navigate change. For classical musicians, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the realities of artistic development. I muse on how determination does not have to look frantic, how patience is essential in the incubation stage of learning a phrase or preparing a performance, how consistency is really about returning to the work one moment at a time, and how transitions deserve space before we rush to the next thing. If you've ever felt impatient in the practice room, pressured to see results too quickly, or unsure how to move through a major career or identity shift, this episode offers a grounded reminder: growth takes time, repetition, and trust. Key takeaways for musicians: Determination is not the same as forcing progress. Practice often looks like repeated small efforts before improvement appears. Incubation is a vital part of artistic growth. Consistency is built one rep, one phrase, one day at a time. Transitions deserve a pause before the next leap. These lessons feel very timely and personal, with my recent transition out of The Cleveland Orchestra. I hope this episode resonates with musicians navigating change, burnout, auditions, or the space between growth or new identities. About the host: Jo Zakany is a coach for classical musicians, yoga teacher, and former violist with The Cleveland Orchestra. Through MindfulOpus, she helps artists move from grind to kind so they can avoid burnout, reduce performance anxiety, and create a thriving life on and off stage. Listen if you're: Preparing for an audition. Working with performance nerves. In a season of career transition. Feeling impatient with your artistic progress. Looking for a healthier mindset around the classical music path. Resources: Interested in coaching? Sign up for a free consult at mindfulopus.com Follow Jo on Instagram: @mindfulopus Interested in how to find some work/life balance? Grab the free well-being resource at mindfulopus.com —---- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00)  Welcome to Mindful Opus (01:03)  Life in the trees and observing wildlife (01:29)  Harry and Sally begin building a nest (01:57)  Determination in the nest-building process (04:25)  Patience, incubation, and letting growth happen (06:23)  Consistency as one moment at a time (08:42)  Leaving the nest and the decision to move on (10:09)  The importance of the in-between before flying (11:38)  Jo's own transition out of the Cleveland Orchestra (12:38)  Honoring pause during life and career shifts (13:07)  Recap: four lessons for artists and musicians (14:02)  Closing thoughts (14:28)  Outro and listener resources

  6. Jun 30

    My Next Opus: A New Chapter After 20 Years with The Cleveland Orchestra

    S2 Ep #10: This is one of those episodes I've been sitting with for a while. I have some big news to share, and honestly, even typing that feels surreal. After more than 20 years as a violist with the Cleveland Orchestra, I have officially stepped away from my position and am now full-time in MindfulOpus!! It's the kind of decision that took years to arrive at, and yet the moment it became real, my nervous system had plenty to say about it. In this episode, I'm sitting down to unpack the journey that led me here: from winning my job at 21 with double tendonitis in both arms, through burnout, yoga teacher training, a health coaching certification, and ultimately building MindfulOpus into the community it is today. I walk you through what I call my "clear yeses and polite no's," the universe moments that kept showing up along the way, and what it actually felt like to send that email. This has very much felt like a "life imitates art" moment, because so much of what we've explored together in these two seasons has led right here. If you've ever stood at a crossroads between who you've been and who you're becoming, this one's for you. You'll Discover: Why making the right decision doesn't mean it will feel good, and what to do with the harder emotions that come up anyway How Jo used "clear yeses and polite no's" to navigate a major life and career pivot What "universe moments" are and how to recognize confirmation and challenge when they show up Why following your curiosity doesn't have to mean a dramatic career change, and what it can look like instead How the nervous system responds to even positive change, and why that's not a sign something has gone wrong What my next chapter looks like, including whether I'll keep playing or not... Timestamps: (00:00) welcome and season two finale announcement (00:32) the big news: stepping away from the Cleveland Orchestra (02:50) the overarching why: tracing the journey from injury to burnout to curiosity (05:16) yoga certification, coaching, and building an artist-plus identity (07:35) when thriving started to feel heavy: honest self-reflection (09:59) the universe moment that confirmed the decision (12:21) why the right decision still came with a body terror wave, nervous system and change (14:42) following curiosity doesn't have to mean a career pivot, examples from the show (17:06) two ways universe moments show up: confirmation and challenge (19:30) what's next: viola, coaching spots, bonus episodes, and season three       Interested in diving deeper into this work with me? Visit mindfulopus.com to learn how we can work together. MindfulOpus has a video podcast! Visit our YouTube channel to watch: youtube.com/@mindfulopus Come say hi over on Instagram @mindfulopus

  7. Jun 16

    Self-Trust for Musicians: How We Lose It and Begin to Rebuild It

    S2 Ep #9: Self-trust might be one of the most quietly radical acts we can practice as artists — and honestly, as humans. It sounds simple, but for so many of us in this field, it's anything but. This episode is a reflection on something I've been circling all season long, and something I've wrestled with deeply in my own life: what it means to actually trust yourself, follow your gut, and stop outsourcing your own authority. This is a solo episode, and I'm sharing what I've learned — often the hard way — about how musicians and performers can lose that inner thread of self-trust, sometimes so gradually we don't even notice it happening. From the early days of handing our gifts over to teachers and institutions, to the slow replacement of curiosity with the pursuit of approval, I walk through what that drift looks like and why it runs so deep in our world. What I've come to believe is this: rebuilding self-trust isn't about making perfect decisions. It's about becoming someone who trusts themselves to handle whatever comes next — the wins, the losses, the uncertainty, and the in-between. The more I've practiced that in my own life, the more freedom I've found in my artistry. And I think that's available to you too. You'll Discover: Why musicians often lose self-trust early, and how the pursuit of praise can quietly replace the pursuit of curiosity The difference between seeking guidance and outsourcing your autonomy How perfectionism and the need for external approval are deeply linked for performers What self-abandonment can look like in your life and career, and why it tends to build slowly over time Why self-trust cannot be contingent on things going well, and what it actually means to trust yourself through failure How experiences outside of music helped Jo reconnect with her own instincts and strengthen her artistry A guided exercise from coach Martha Beck to help you distinguish between fear of the jump and your gut's true answer Timestamps: (00:00) welcome and podcast intro (00:32) introducing self-trust as this season's through line (02:54) when music stops being playful, how approval replaces curiosity (05:19) perfectionism, external focus, and losing your own voice slowly (07:42) Jo's personal experience outsourcing decisions, and what she learned (10:07) how going against your inner knowing erodes self-trust over time (12:33) fear, FOMO, and why failure gets pathologized in our industry (14:55) reframing self-trust: it's not about getting it right (17:24) people pleasing vs. being anchored in your own truth (19:51) Martha Beck's diving board exercise for navigating decisions (22:17) season two reflection and preview of the finale Resources Mentioned: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown Untamed by Glennon Doyle Carol Dweck's fixed mindset concept Martha Beck's diving board decision-making exercise MindfulOpus Season 1 Ron Patterson finale episode MindfulOpus S2 Ep #2 with Jonathan Biss MindfulOpus S2 Ep #8 with Kayleigh Miller Interested in diving deeper into this work with me? Visit mindfulopus.com to learn how we can work together. MindfulOpus has a video podcast! Visit our YouTube channel to watch: youtube.com/@mindfulopus Come say hi over on Instagram @mindfulopus

  8. Jun 2

    Kayleigh Miller: Speaking Up for Musicians' Health and Well-Being

    S2 Ep #8: Kayleigh Miller is someone I've wanted to have on the podcast since the beginning. And our conversation today doesn't disappoint: we talk about musicians' body health, injury prevention, and what it means to use your voice to advocate for a healthier, more honest industry. I first discovered her on Instagram — not through her movement work, but through her voice. She writes openly about the things most people in our industry rarely say out loud. Sitting down with her felt like a conversation I've been wanting to have for a long time, and I think you're going to feel the same way. Kayleigh is a freelance violist and movement educator based in Seattle, and former member of the San Antonio Symphony and Chautauqua Symphony. She holds certifications in yoga, Pilates, body mapping, and personal training, and works with musicians and non-musicians alike. Her blog, The Musicians Collective, has sparked some of the most honest conversations happening in our field right now. We cover a lot of ground in this one, starting with the body: how to understand pain, what different sensations are actually telling you, and why developing body awareness is one of the most important things a musician can do at any stage of their career. Then we move into the harder conversations: what's really going on behind the scenes in professional orchestras, the injuries that don't get talked about, the teaching dynamics that have shaped so many of us in ways we're still unpacking, and what it would actually look like to change the culture from the inside out. Kayleigh is warm, direct, and deeply knowledgeable, and I think her perspective will stay with you long after this episode ends. You'll Discover: - Why musicians are small muscle athletes and what that means for how we care for our bodies - The difference between productive discomfort, fatigue, and pain that needs real attention - How the brain's threat response shapes the experience of pain, and why it's not always proportionate to the actual injury - Why spine mobility is the often-skipped foundation for shoulder, neck, and arm health in musicians - What teachers can do to better support student body awareness without needing to become movement specialists - The culture of silence around professional musician injuries, why it exists, and what it costs us - How abusive or controlling teaching dynamics show up in music education, and how to recognize them - Why strength training supports rather than hinders playing, and how to approach it without ego - What it looks like to advocate for yourself and your students in a culture that hasn't always made that easy Timestamps: (00:02) welcome and the heart of this show (00:32) introducing Kayleigh Miller, violist, movement educator, and honest voice in classical music (02:53) starting on violin, falling for viola, and picking it up at seventeen (05:07) landing in Seattle, building a movement practice, and the winding road of an artist plus (07:12) following curiosity from yoga teacher training to body nerd for musicians (09:30) we are small muscle athletes, what that means for injury awareness and prevention (13:56) why teachers matter and where to start without becoming a certified body expert (18:38) mapping the pain buckets: fatigue, discomfort, sharp pain, numbness, and the threat bucket concept (23:16) pain science, the brain, and why signals aren't always proportionate to tissue damage (28:00) the spine as your root system, why most musicians skip it and go straight to the hands (30:18) the culture of silence around orchestral injuries, programming decisions, and the biological tax of performing (34:57) treating musicians like athletes, shame, and what real institutional support could look like (43:30) recognizing harmful teaching dynamics, what they look like, and why they're still happening (49:10) moving from perfectionism to excellence, growth mindset, and changing the culture for the next generation (52:44) the case for strength training and why the narrative that it hurts your playing needs to go Resources Mentioned: Jennifer Johnson, What Every Violinist Needs to Know About the Body — https://giamusic.com/resource/what-every-violinist-needs-to-know-about-the-body-book-g7409 Lea Pearson, What Every Flutist Needs to Know About the Body — https://www.fluteworld.com/product/what-every-musician-needs-to-know-about-the-body/ Janet Horvath, Playing Less Hurt — https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Less-Hurt-Prevention-Musicians/dp/1423488466 Lorimer Moseley, Tame the Beast pain resources and Graded Motor Imagery workbook — https://www.tamethebeast.org/ TEDxAdelaide: Lorimer Moseley, Why Things Hurt — search on YouTube Carol Dweck, Mindset Janice Ying, PT, Opus Physical Therapy, Los Angeles — https://www.opuspt.com More info on Kayleigh Miller: www.kayleigh-miller.com, www.musicianshealthcollective.com Interested in diving deeper into this work with me? Visit mindfulopus.com to learn how we can work together. MindfulOpus has a video podcast! Visit our YouTube channel to watch: youtube.com/@mindfulopus Come say hi over on Instagram @mindfulopus

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About

The MindfulOpus podcast is where we switch from Grind to Kind in our artistic process – so that artists like you can avoid burnout, ditch performance anxiety, and create a thriving, healthy life - on and off stage. The podcast is hosted by Jo Zakany, former violist with The Cleveland Orchestra, yoga teacher, and coach for classical musicians.

Information

  • Creator
    Jo Zakany | Coach for Classical Musicians
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 - 2026 MindfulOpus
  • Show Website
    MindfulOpus

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