“Back to the Breath” —Mindfulness for Cellists

Shirli Nikolsburg

While we are all facing a new reality with the Covid-19 pandemic spreading all over the globe, our way of experiencing life has taken on a new reality in the present moment. Each day, we are presented with innumerable challenges, from following the sobering news on TV and social media, being bombarded with worries, anxiety and panic about what is next to come in your country, your city, within yourself and for your loved ones. It is important to create a positive outlet in the midst of this uncertain time. As a musician and cellist, you have a way to create a positive outlet by playing the cello. Another positive outlet is to quiet the mind through breathing exercises and meditation.

I created “Back to the Breath” Mindfulness and Visualization for Cellists to help one guide us through these challenging times. This 10-minute meditation practice is designed to give you the tools you need to increase the productivity of your practice time and reduce performance anxiety.

*we recommend that listeners use headphones*

You can listen to the meditation here

Happy Practicing!

Subjects: Playing Healthy

Tags: breath, breathing, meditation, Practice

AUTHOR

Shirli Nikolsburg

Shirli Nikolsburg introduces musicians to the experience of mindfulness practice into both their instrumental and performance practice. Shirli holds a Master of Science in Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, a postgraduate certificate in Gestalt Psychotherapy from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and was trained in mindfulness and meditation at the Chopra Center in San Diego CA. with Dr. Deepak Chopra. Having received a Bachelor of Arts from Chatham University in Visual and Performing Arts and a Piano Performance Diploma from the Donya Weissman Conservatory of Haifa Israel. Shirli has extensive experience teaching music education and studio piano to students from K-12. She also studied modern dance with Merce Cunningham in New York City.

Shirli has been teaching masterclasses in Mindfulness for Musicians and the Performing Arts at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music and the Preparatory School of Music, as well as the School of Drama. She will be presenting new masterclasses at Duquesne University’s Mary Pappert School of Music and at the City Music Center at Duquesne University.

https://www.mindfulnessformusicians.net/about

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