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This month, we had the immense pleasure of speaking with violinist and Alexander technique practitioner Jennifer Roig-Francoli. This episode delves into the unique way Jennifer utilizes the Alexander Technique to help musicians overcome obstacles and find ease and joy in their music-making experience. By the end, you will want a session with her!
Bio:
Bestselling author of the book, 'Make Great Music with Ease! The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life', Jennifer Roig-Francolí is an international award-winning violinist, double-certified Alexander Technique teacher, and creator of The Art of Freedom® Method for conscious living and masterful artistry.

Jennifer’s inspiring online coaching programs for musicians combine her professional experience with a life-long love of meditation and perennial wisdom, providing her students with powerful tools to overcome pain, performance anxiety, and skills limitations.  

Honored by TIME Magazine as a "Rising Star", Jennifer has performed as soloist in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and with orchestras such as the Pittsburgh and Berlin Symphony Orchestras. She has been the Concertmaster and Associate Concertmaster of multiple ensembles, including the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and Apollo’s Fire, the Grammy-Award winning Cleveland Baroque Orchestra.  

Jennifer has taught the Alexander Technique on the faculty of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Xavier University, conducted and published prize-winning medical research on the Alexander Technique for laparoscopic surgeons, and founded two professional associations for Alexander Technique teachers in Ohio. In 2009, she designed and implemented a successful research study for surgeons using laparoscopy and AT at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center which resulted in a prize-winning paper presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics and published by the Journal of Urology.

As a student, Jennifer studied with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki in Japan, Nathan Milstein in Switzerland,    David Cerone at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Josef Gingold at Indiana University.
Show Notes:
Awareness For Musicians The Cycle - Video 
Make Great Music with Ease! : The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life by Jennifer Roig-Francoli
https://artoffreedom.me/meet-jennifer/ 
Pain Free Performer 
 

Mariah Goulet is a musicians wellness advocate, saxophonist, writer, and so much more. We are beyond grateful she joined us to share her story of experiencing a career-ending injury as a musician. She was so open and candid with us about the trials of navigating a devastating injury in the music education environment. We spoke about how serious musicians' injuries can put a musicians identity into question, put a strain on their mental and emotional health, and the severe lack of understanding and support in the music community. She shared her process through healing, the resources she found for herself, and where she is today! 
Bio:
Originally from New Hampshire, Mariah Goulet (she/her) earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory (UMKC).

Post-Master’s, Mariah continued at UMKC in pursuit of an Artist’s Certificate. In her final semester, she suffered a career- ending performance injury and was unable to complete the certificate program. 

Unexpectedly being forced to make a life shift, she spent a year bartending full-time before pursuing a career in other passions.     

Mariah currently works in development and enjoys writing, making memes, and listening to music.
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Through her experiences, Mariah seeks to inspire and relate to students who have been faced with adversity. 
 
Show Notes:
Mariah's Website 
Mariah's article with I Care If You Listen- "Higher Ed Supported Me Until My Career-Ending Injury-Then I Got Ghosted"
Somatic Experience Therapy 
NASA - North American Saxophone Alliance 
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney 
 

This episode is like a warm hug! In this episode, we interviewed pianist and music psychotherapist Renate Tsuyako Rohlfing. We were left with so many new insights into the power and potential of music; it inspired us to reflect on our history as musicians and preconceived notions and left us optimistic and excited about the future of music for the performer and receiver. 
Renate Bio:
As a pianist and music psychotherapist, Renate Tsuyako Rohlfing is passionate about integrating music and public health. She is focused on researching the impact of music on grief, anxiety, and memory, and works with people across the autism spectrum. A co-founder of Sounds That Carry, Renate develops projects for organizations that use musical and creative resources to solve challenges, process grief, enhance connections, and empower marginalized communities.  A decorated concert pianist, she continues to perform internationally at festivals including Musikfest Bremen, Lucerne Festival, Davos Festival, and many others.
 
Ms. Rohlfing writes for Psychology Today about the therapeutic benefits of musical expression on her blog, Music on My Mind, and has presented at numerous institutions including Harvard University and McLean Hospital Health and Tech Lab, and at conferences such as Berklee’s Music and Health Institute Exchange Series and Chamber Music America. 
 
She is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and teaches classes on music, health, and psychology while practicing as a therapist at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University. She loves animals, is a proud native of Honolulu, Hawaii, and is a graduate of The Juilliard School and New York University.
SHOW NOTES
Music Therapy at NYU
Berklee College of Music
Elena Ferrante - The Lying Life of Adults 
 

Hello, 2024! We are easing into our resolutions this year, and so in this episode, we share the surprise gift we each got for Christmas, our process for yearly reflections, and a glimpse into our intentions for the year to come. 
Show Notes:
Pain Free Performer!

In this episode, violinist Moni Simeonov shares how he integrates daily health and wellness practices into his life as a professional violinist. Additionally, we discuss how to find balance, practice techniques and strategies, inner development and reflection, the importance of practicing self-doubt as much as we practice absolute self-expression free of critical thought, and so much more. This episode is a beautiful example of a professional musician actively approaching health and wellness from a three-dimensional and holistic perspective. 
Moni Bio:
A native of Bulgaria, Moni Simeonov began playing the violin at age 5, and ten years later, came to the United States on a full scholarship to the Idyllwild Arts Academy. He performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Opera, Ensemble San Francisco, and until recently, was the Concertmaster for the Sacramento Philharmonic. He has also served as a guest concertmaster with Reno Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic and the Pacific Symphony. His doctoral studies included minor fields in Viola Performance, Schenkerian Analysis, Japanese Language, as well as an emphasis on the interpretation of the Balkan folk music.
On tour and in Los Angeles, Mr. Simeonov dedicates considerable time and energy to community engagement work and to musical activities and presentations for young people. Moni has performed and coached alongside Midori for her Orchestra Residencies Program American and International tours. Until 2014, he served as a director for the program. Outreach activities have taken him to places as diverse as homeless shelters in Peru and at-risk centers in Tennessee, to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon, and hospitals for the terminally ill in Sri Lanka.
Moni’s summer teaching includes engagements with the Interlochen Summer Festival, the Singapore Violin Festival, and the Atlantic Music Festival. Moni is also the founder of Bulgaria’s first chamber music academy – “Quartet Intensive” in Sofia.
Moni has concertized and taught around the United States, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. His recordings have been archived by PBS, NPR, KUSC, Bulgarian National Radio and TV, as well as Japanese Broadcasting Company – NHK.
Moni received his BM and PC from the Eastman School of Music under Zvi Zeitlin, his MM and AD from Yale University with Ani Kavafian, and his GC and DMA from USC’s Thornton School of Music where he studied with Midori.
Moni served as Adjunct Instructor at USC’s Thornton School of Music until 2014. That year, he was appointed Director of String Studies and Violin Professor with the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach. Moni is also the creator of zenviolin.com.
Show Notes:
USC 
Midori
Bob Cole Conservatory of Music
Colburn
Mind Over Muscle -Jigoro Kano
Nurtured by Love-Shin’ichi Suzuki 
The Inner Game of Tennis - Timothy Gallwey 
Thinking Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman 
Atomic Habits - James Clear 
Peak - Anders Ericson 

Join us (Madeline and Hannah) for a candid chat about our recently launched Pain-Free Performer course. We talk about who this course is for, why it's different from other offerings, and the distinction between the different tier options. Check the show notes for how to sign up and for a discount code!
Show Notes:
Pain-Free Performer 
Schedule a free consult with us!
Use code PFP10 to get 10% off the top two tiers