MindfulOpus

Jo Zakany | Coach for Classical Musicians
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  • Performing Arts
  • Updated twice weekly

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, violist with The Cleveland Orchestra, yoga teacher, and coach for classical musicians.

  1. 4 days ago

    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

    23 min

  2. 2 Jun

    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

    1hr 1min

  3. 19 May

    Finding Your Inner Compass When Life Gets Hard

    S2 Ep #7: There are moments in life when the map disappears. You thought you knew where you were headed, and then something shifts — a loss, a disappointment, an unexpected turn — and suddenly you're navigating without a clear north star. I've been there, and so have many of the clients I work with. This episode is my honest attempt to share what has actually helped me and them find some steadiness in those moments, not a perfect formula, but a set of concepts that can quietly build something I think of as an inner compass. In this solo episode, I'm drawing from Buddhist and yogic philosophy, mindfulness, self-compassion work, psychology, and years of being a deeply curious person trying to understand my own pain a little better. This isn't about bypassing the hard stuff or pushing through it with grit. It's about learning to be with it while staying connected to yourself, which I believe is where real healing begins. What I'm exploring today touches on some of the most profound shifts I've witnessed — both in myself and in the musicians and artists I coach. From the way we relate to pain, to the stories we layer on top of it, to the quiet steadiness we can cultivate even in the middle of a storm, these are concepts that don't just help you survive hard times. Over time, they can genuinely change how you relate to yourself. You'll Discover: - Why remembering impermanence can create unexpected relief when you're inside something really painful - The difference between the original pain and the extra suffering we create around it through storytelling - How letting go of control can feel scary at first but ultimately gives you more agency, not less - What equanimity actually means and why it matters especially for deeply feeling artists - How a loving-kindness practice can act as an accelerator for wellbeing, even when it feels uncomfortably sappy at first - Why remembering our shared common humanity softens the loneliness and shame that often come with hardship - What healthy resilience actually looks like, and why it's not the same as powering through Timestamps:  (00:00) welcome and podcast intro (00:32) season two theme: the human behind the art, inner compass (01:20) what this episode is and isn't, no perfect formula for hard times (02:10) the strange gap between the life you planned and the one unfolding (02:58) impermanence: nothing lasts forever, and why that's comforting (04:15) you are not the moment: creating space around the pain (04:50) mindfulness and the difference between pain and the story we add to it (05:25) the second arrow: how we amplify suffering through judgment (06:30) letting go of control and finding freedom in what you can influence (07:52) acceptance as empowerment, redirecting energy toward how you respond (08:45) equanimity: two definitions and the imagery of roots and mountains (10:17) equanimity for artists and emotional regulation (11:10) loving kindness meditation: the 30-second version and the science behind it (12:42) common humanity and softening the loneliness of hard times (14:20) resilience: what it is and what it isn't (15:02) why armor gets heavy, and what healthy resilience actually looks like (16:20) spirituality as a way to widen the frame when life feels very small (17:29) closing summary of all seven concepts (19:00) be your own north star: final reflection and invitation (19:39) closing thoughts, Sharon Salzberg recommendation, and outro 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

    21 min

  4. 5 May

    Theresa Rudolph: Learning to Trust Yourself Again

    S2 Ep #6: This episode felt like a conversation I'd been wanting to have for a long time — one that goes beyond the highlight reel and into the real, sometimes messy, always human experience of building a sustainable life as a professional musician. Theresa and I talk about injuries, burnout, rejection, perfectionism, and the surprisingly beautiful things that can grow out of our hardest professional moments. Theresa Rudolph is in her 15th season as Assistant Principal Viola of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and she's also on faculty at the University of Toronto and the Taylor Academy at the Royal Conservatory of Music — the gifted high school program at the RCM. She's a chamber musician, a mother of three, and someone whose depth of self-knowledge and body awareness genuinely stopped me in my tracks more than once during this conversation. What Theresa shares here is hard-earned. From recovering from a fractured bow arm early in her career, to navigating the emotional complexity of taking auditions while already holding a wonderful job, to learning what it actually means to practice smarter instead of harder — she brings honesty and warmth to all of it. And her perspective on professional disappointment and rejection as a pathway to self-trust? I wasn't expecting to get a little emotional, but here we are. You'll Discover: -Why breaking her bow arm became a turning point in how Theresa listens to and cares for her body -How stress and emotional strain can show up as physical pain in the same spot as a past injury — and what to do about it -What it really means to give your all when you're a working orchestral musician, teacher, and parent -The role that professional disappointment and rejection played in building Theresa's sense of self-trust -Why excellence over perfection isn't just a nice idea — it's a practice that changes how you play and how you feel -How strategic scheduling protects your body and your playing — and why rest days deserve to be treated as sacred -What the inner critic sounds like for both of us, and how to stop fighting it and start hosting it instead Timestamps: (00:00) welcome and introducing theresa rudolph, violist and educator (02:00) musician parents, growing up in vancouver, and how theresa found the viola (05:30) studying with gerald stanek, being pushed with kindness, and falling in love with the inner voice (08:30) winning detroit symphony at 21, the freedom of not knowing how hard it was (11:00) the fractured bow arm in 2007, ignoring the signals for 18 hours, and what she had to learn (16:00) finding a smaller instrument, having babies, and eight years of zero injury (19:30) the push push push culture, people pleasing on the front stand, and redefining giving it your all (23:00) playing schubert 9 in cleveland, less is more, and learning not to muscle your sound (27:00) body care mid rehearsal, athletic taping, bouncy balls backstage, and normalizing the small things (31:30) when stress shows up as physical pain, breathwork and alexander technique as tools (36:00) professional disappointment and rejection as the unexpected path to self trust (40:30) excellence over perfection, working with the same coach as her dad, and why perfect auditions don't exist (44:00) the inner critic, who do you think you are, and giving anxiety an armchair and a blanket (47:30) scheduling as a body care tool, keeping days off sacred, and listening before you practice (50:00) rapid fire, favorite moments on and off stage, spaghetti bolognese, and the gift of sunshine Learrn more about Therersa: https://www.tso.ca/about/orchestra/members-of-the-orchestra/theresa-rudolph 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

    52 min

  5. 21 Apr

    Transformational Change: Create Lasting Well-Being On and Off Stage

    S2 Ep #5: The Four Pillars of Well-Being for Performers Most of us who pursue music or are seeking excellence in any endeavour have been told at some point that it has to be everything. That if you're not living, eating, and breathing the work, you're not serious enough. But I've found the opposite to be true, and this episode offers concrete ways of implementing lasting change in support of your life and well-being.  In this solo episode, I'm sharing the four pillars that sit at the core of my coaching philosophy and at the heart of this season's inner compass work. These are the practices I return to in my own life and the framework I use with every client I work with. Together, they offer a way of supporting your inner work, so your outer work is rooted in sustainable well-being. The four pillars are mindfulness, somatic work, mindset, and self-compassion. I break each one down in depth, share a prompt you can use right away, and at the end I tie them all together into a simple tool called the STAR method that you can carry with you into your everyday life. Whether you're heading into a high-pressure audition, just trying to get through a hard practice session, or looking for equanimity in your life, this episode is for you. You'll Discover - Why tending to your well-being off stage support you on stage - How a simple daily mindfulness practice builds the muscle of intentional focus over time - What polyvagal theory reveals about your nervous system and how to work with it rather than against it - How breathwork can help you calm down or energize depending on what the moment calls for - Why your thoughts are creating your feelings, and how one small shift can change everything - How to relate to your inner critic with curiosity instead of resistance - How the STAR method brings all four pillars into one on-the-go practice Timestamps: (00:00) Season two theme: the human behind the art (02:47) Defining well-being and why it matters for performers (04:45) Why zooming out actually enhances your work on stage (06:20) Pillar one: mindfulness and living in the present moment (07:30) Using your instrument as a daily mindfulness practice (08:27) Pillar two: somatic work and the mind-body connection (09:35) Polyvagal theory: the three nervous system states explained (13:14) Breathwork for calming down and for activation (16:26) Pillar three: mindset and the CBT thought model (18:30) Perfectionism vs. excellence and shifting the inner narrative (22:35) Pillar four: self-compassion as the lens for everything else (24:00) What to ask your harshest inner critic (26:14) The STAR method: a simple tool that ties all four pillars together (28:00) Closing thoughts and an invitation to share this work 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

    29 min

  6. 7 Apr

    Finding Alignment: Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir on Creativity, Authenticity & Change

    S2 Ep #4: There comes a point in any creative life where pushing harder stops working. Where the effort that once felt necessary begins to feel depleting, and the question starts to shift from "How do I make this work?" to "Is this actually aligned with who I am?" This conversation explores that turning point—what it means to return to yourself, and the courage it takes to choose that path even when it comes with uncertainty. Host Jo Zakany is joined by cellist Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir, whose career has spanned some of the world's most renowned stages, including Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, and the Barbican Centre. After years within the traditional classical music path, she began to listen more deeply to her own inner compass—ultimately stepping away from misaligned structures to build a more meaningful, self-directed creative life. Together, they explore the difference between grind and alignment, the body's role in recognizing what isn't working, and how small moments of authenticity can begin to reshape everything. From improvisation and deep listening to creating music as a form of connection and reflection, this conversation offers a grounded and honest look at what it means to trust yourself—and create from that place. YOU'LL DISCOVER • Why authenticity can feel risky, even when it's true • How the body signals misalignment before the mind understands it • The difference between pushing through and actually being aligned • How small moments of truth can shift your entire creative path • Why improvisation can reconnect you to your voice and intuition • How deep listening transforms both creativity and connection • The role alignment plays in attracting the right people and opportunities Timestamps: (02:10) authenticity, fear, and showing up as yourself (06:35) early career pressure, fitting expectations in music (11:20) fear of losing opportunities, choosing yourself anyway (16:45) academia path, stability versus alignment (22:10) burnout, resistance, and the body saying no (27:55) leaving academia, uncertainty and trust (33:40) why you cannot find the new while in the old (39:15) starting small, finding moments of meaning (44:05) improvisation as a turning point (49:30) rediscovering creativity through play and sound (55:10) three levels of listening, self, others, and environment (01:01:25) creating from truth instead of judgment (01:07:40) soul resonance sessions and meaningful music (01:14:10) alignment versus grind, expectation versus fulfillment ABOUT THE GUEST Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir is a cellist, improviser, and curator who has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared on stages such as Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, and the Barbican Centre, and has been praised for her "riveting" performances by The New York Times. Today, she creates deeply meaningful music through her online offerings, The Music Portal and Soul Resonance sessions, and serves as the Artistic Director of Tertulia in New York City—a series that brings world-class chamber music into intimate drinking, dining, and art spaces. CONNECT WITH SAEUNN Website: www.saeunn.com Instagram: @saeunncello Music Portal: www.saeunn.com/music Soul Resonance: www.saeunn.com/soul 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

    55 min

  7. 24 Mar

    Grit Over Grind: How To Work Hard Without Burning Out

    S2 Ep #3: How To Work Hard Without Beating Yourself Up    Hard work is something most artists know intimately. But the way we relate to that hard work can make the difference between sustainable growth and eventual burnout.   In this solo episode, I take a deeper look at a concept that sits at the heart of MindfulOpus: shifting from grind to kind. For many of us, the word grind has become synonymous with ambition and dedication. But over time I began to realize that the internal energy behind that effort matters just as much as the work itself.   I share a personal story from an audition preparation moment that helped me recognize the difference between pressure-driven grind and purpose-driven grit. That shift led me to explore research from Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, and Kristin Neff, whose work on mindset, motivation, grit, and self-compassion helped me better understand what healthy perseverance actually looks like.   This episode explores how we can pursue excellence while also supporting the human behind the art. Because the goal is not to avoid hard work, but to approach it from a place of curiosity, purpose, and self-support rather than fear and pressure.   You'll discover: • Why grind and grit can look similar from the outside but feel very different internally • How shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset can change the way we experience mistakes • What Angela Duckworth's research reveals about grit and long-term commitment • The difference between controlled motivation and autonomous motivation • How burnout can develop when pressure becomes the primary driver • Why self-compassion is essential for sustainable excellence • How fierce self-compassion can become the inner coach that helps you keep going   Timestamps: (00:00) season theme: the human behind the art (01:45) what I mean by shifting from grind to kind (04:30) audition preparation and recording anxiety (07:10) hearing mistakes in real time and the fear response (09:35) shifting from fixed mindset to growth mindset (12:00) experimenting with uncomfortable practice strategies (15:25) the moment grind started to become grit (18:00) letting go of outcome and focusing on the work (21:10) Angela Duckworth's research on grit (24:30) self determination theory and healthy motivation (28:00) burnout and stepping away to rest (31:20) discovering self-compassion during recovery (34:40) fierce self-compassion and the inner coach (38:30) a simple exercise to shift from grind to grit   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!

    19 min

  8. 10 Mar

    Jonathan Biss: "Perfection Is Stagnation"

    S2 Ep #2: On Perfectionism, Performance Anxiety, and the Purpose of Music   Perfectionism and performance anxiety are two forces that so many artists struggle with, often quietly and alone. In this conversation, I sit down with concert pianist, author, and New York Times contributor Jonathan Biss to explore the powerful connection between perfectionism, control, and anxiety in the lives of performers. Jonathan shares openly about his own experiences with perfectionism and how the pressure to never show weakness shaped his life both on and off stage.   In our conversation, we talk about why vulnerability is essential to meaningful performance, why perfectionism can lead to stagnation, and how learning to accept what we feel can create a profound sense of freedom as artists and as human beings. This conversation is honest, reflective, and deeply human. We explore what it means to pursue excellence without falling into the trap of perfectionism and how letting go of control can actually expand our artistry rather than limit it. I took so much away from this discussion and I hope you will too.   You'll discover: Why perfectionism and anxiety are deeply connected for many musicians and performers. How the fear of exposing weakness can fuel both perfectionism and performance anxiety. Jonathan's personal experience having a panic attack in the middle of a concert and what it taught him. How practicing acceptance can transform your relationship with anxiety on and off stage. Why vulnerability is essential for truly compelling performances. The difference between pursuing excellence and chasing perfection. How letting go of perfectionism can actually expand your artistry and creative freedom.   Learn more about Jonathan Biss, his book, and his upcoming album here: www.jonathanbiss.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!

    45 min
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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, 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
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 - 2026 MindfulOpus
  • Show Website
    MindfulOpus

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