The Aligned Musician

Soprano Jenna Siladie has earned warm acclaim, praised by the New York Times for her "endearing sweet voice", and hailed by the European press as having a “both warm and shimmering tone".

In the autumn of 2017, she made her Germany debut as a guest at Oper Wuppertal, singing Gutrune in Götterdämmerung, being praised for singing  “with passion and sweet soprano sound which is seldom heard” (Die  Deutsche Bühne). She saw the addition of two new roles in the spring of 2017 as Adina in L'elisir d'amore with St. Petersburg Opera Company and then Lauretta in Opera Company of Middlebury's production of Il trittico.

Ms. Siladie's additional operatic credits include Micaela in Carmen, Iolanta in Iolanta (Tchaikovsky), Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro. She made her NYC debut with Gotham Chamber Opera in 2014, performing the respective leading roles of Popelka and Armande in a double bill production of Bohuslav Martinů's operas Veselohra na mostě and Alexandre Bis. Other NYC highlights include the leading role of Léontine in the U.S premiere of the Chevalier de Saint-Georges' 1780 opera L'amant anonyme (March 2016).

A  frequent concert and recital soloist, Ms. Siladie made her Carnegie Hall debut in June 2017 as soloist in John Rutter's Mass of the Children and has been a favorite guest with Carolina Philharmonic. Further concert appearances throughout the United States have seen her in Santa  Fe NM, New Haven CT, and Vero Beach Opera in Florida. She has also appeared in Lieder programs throughout Austria. Ms. Siladie earned her Master of Music from Yale University, where she "showed fine, round tone in the title role" of Tchaikovsky's final opera Iolanta, and was "particularly impressive and created a very memorable character out of Lucia" (Hartford Courant) in The Rape of Lucretia. Ms. Siladie also earned her Bachelor of Music from Stetson University, where she notably appeared as soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah with the  Stetson University Orchestra and Choral Union.

"Jenna Siladie, an EBULLIENT soprano with great stage presence SPARKLED" - Wall Street Journal

Ashley Downs MS, RDN, LDN, CPT has worked as a dietitian and personal trainer in various settings. As a dietitian, she has worked with athletes and designed wellness programs for clinical outpatient settings. 

She earned both a BS and MS in NutritNutritionon and Dietetics from Saint Louis University and her Master's Thesis was on the nutrition habits of collegiate performing artists. 


After she started working as a clinical dietitian, she felt like something was missing. She found that missing piece in acting and earned a BFA in Acting from Lindenwood University Belleville. 

Randall used to live the corporate life, working in big advertising agencies and video game companies in NYC and California. But after he lost his father, his job, his house, and his music studio all within a few months, he retreated from the matrix and found refuge in Yoga. With time and practice, he’s been able to find peace, balance, and joy despite seemingly insurmountable odds.

Randall completed his RYT200hr in Sri Lanka during 2020; received his Pranayama certification through The Breath Center in 2019; graduated from LSU with a degree in Communications in 2013; and has been playing music since 1998. 

Caroline Weeks, RDN, LD is a pediatric Registered Dietitian who has a passion for educating families on how to provide nourishing meals from the beginning of life. She is a postpartum nutrition and child feeding expert and has a particular interest in teaching the “baby led weaning” approach to starting solids. In her full time career, she is a clinician who works with families of children with chronic medical conditions such as GI disorders and Cystic Fibrosis.

What are boundaries? How do we learn to honor ourselves and avoid stress and overwhelm? 

In this episode, I share my perspective on the importance of healthy boundaries and some of my own thoughts and experiences where a lack of boundaries effected my stress levels or ability to regulate my nervous system.

Some questions for contemplation:

What are your boundaries around work, relationships, and yourself? 

What things are draining or powering up your energy levels?

How can you develop a stronger sense of awareness and be more willing to enforce your boundaries?

Karina Eijo is a dedicated flutist, collaborator, and educator who has a passion for helping students build a good foundation. Ms. Eijo received a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Florida at New World School of the Arts, Cum Laude in 2015 where she performed in a variety of chamber music groups and was a flutist in the NWSA Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Eijo recently graduated in May 2020 with a Master of Music degree in Flute Performance with honors from Austin Peay State University where she held a graduate teaching assistantship as an instructor of record for Music Appreciation and social media. During her time at APSU, Ms. Eijo performed in the APSU Wind Ensemble, APSU Symphony Orchestra, and performed in multiple chamber music settings. Ms. Eijo has performed at the Mid-South Flute Association Festival and has performed in masterclasses in Miami and Clarksville with such artists as William Bennett, Bart Feller, Dr. Lisa Wolynec, Boris Allakverdyan, and Lorna McGhee. Karina Eijo has also performed at the Mid-South Flute Society Festival with the APSU Flute Choir. As a soloist, Ms. Eijo has performed Concerto in G Major, K. 313 by W.A. Mozart with the NWSA Symphony College Chamber Orchestra for the orchestra's inaugural concert. During her graduate studies, Ms. Eijo competed and won the 2019-2020 APSU Concerto Competition and performed Concertino, Op. 107 by Cecile Chaminade with APSU Symphony Orchestra. As an educator, Karina is passionate about making music accessible to everyone and was a Teaching Artist for Miami Music Project for three years, a non-profit organization that seeks to provide music to children in underserved communities. Karina's past teachers include Suzan Degooyer, Melanie Lançon, Rene Miska, and Dr. Lisa Wolynec.

Nicole Brûlé-Walker, Movement & Breath Specialist has worked in the Therapy & Wellbeing industry for over 20 years. Her passion is human movement and finding simple solutions to restore balance and ease to both heal and prevent future injury. I don’t believe in repetitive strain. It simply comes down to imbalance being present in the body for too long. Recognizing it early allows for continued playing and practice. She has a private practice in North Yorkshire UK but is available for online consultations. She lives in a rural farmhouse with her husband & daughter Ava who is a Violist.

Eddy Malave is an active freelance violist based in New York City. A native of Long Island, he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Viola performance from The Juilliard School, where he studied under acclaimed violist  William Lincer and received the Willaim Gluck fellowship. His past instructors have also included Irene Stitt, Patinka Kopec and Margaret Pardee.

Mr Malave's work as a freelancer has carried him around the world performing in prestigious concert halls throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the South Pacific and the America's. He's performed alongside a diverse array of artists, some of who include Sir Elton John, Patti LuPone, Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, and Dmitri Rostropovich and has also collaborated with various artists such as DJ Victor Calderone, composer and producer A.R.Rahman and others.

In New York City, Mr Malave is a sought after performer who plays in a variety of ensembles. In the past he's performed with the Se Jong Soloists and currently plays with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the New York City Ballet, ABT, the New York City Opera, the New York Oratorio Society and the Grace Church Choral Society. He also performs in a number of Broadway shows.

In addition to his work as a freelancer, Mr Malave is an AmSAT- certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. He has  presented the technique in countries around the world, including Austria, Italy, Jordan, Singapore, Argentina and Canada and at institutions in the United States such as the Juilliard School and at New York University. He Teaches privately in New York City.

Mr. Malave is also a certified teacher in the Suzuki Method for both the Violin and Viola. In  addition to his private teaching  studio, he's a faculty member at both New York City's Third Street Music Settlement and New York University's Department of Music and Performing Arts in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.

Flutist Morgann Davis is an active performer and teacher who is passionate about music education and musician’s wellness. Fortunate to share the stage with many talented musicians, Morgann performs regularly with orchestras throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. Through her private studio, Davis Flute Studio, she is able to create an encouraging and inventive environment for learning for beginning students through adults. She has been on faculty at Maranatha University and has taught at The Ohio State University Flute Workshop, UW-Whitewater Flute Camp, and helped design and start the Pocono Flute Society Flute Camp for adults and hobbyists. Morgann has performed throughout the US with orchestras such as the Dubuque Symphony and Madison Symphony, as well as in Europe and Canada in various recital series. She has helped to promote an innovative approach to the arts as a member of the National Flute Association’s Career and Artistic Development committee and the inaugural chair of their entrepreneurship competition. She is invested in music education in her community as the program director of the NextGEN Youth Music program in Lancaster, PA. Morgann recently became a 200hr registered yoga teacher and enjoys helping musicians explore the mind-body connection to improve their wellbeing and performance. 

In addition to his 14 solo recordings, ten-string touch-guitarist Trey Gunn has toured and/or recorded with King Crimson, David Sylvian, Vernon Reid, Brian Eno, Azam Ali, Maynard J. Kennan's Puscifer’s, John Paul Jones, Robert Fripp, and Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree. He is currently performing solo and with the groups TU, KTU, 3Below, The Security Project and the multi-dimensional performance group Quodia. When not on the road, Gunn continues his work scoring for tv/film, runs his own media label (7d Media) and coaches musicians and artists in the creative process.

Simone Seales is a classically-trained cellist who is tired of playing music by dead white men. They focus on free improvisation (both tonal and atonal) and devising music for theatre. Simone is passionate about exploring sound and how sound can reflect emotional states of being and how emotions are embodied. Their creative influences come from Black feminist leaders such as Audre Lorde, Assata Shakur, and Angela Davis. Within their creative work, they centre Blackness, sexuality, intersectional feminism, and anti-racism.

Ramon Alfonso (Chino) Soberano is a Filipino classical violinist who performs solo, chamber, and orchestral music. Starting at age 7, he studied under notable teachers in the Philippines. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree cum laude in  Violin Performance at the University of the Philippines, he headed directly to the United States and earned his Master’s in Violin  Performance at Western Illinois University under Dr. Julieta Mihai. He won WIU’s Concerto Competition and was awarded honorable mention in the MTNA Young Artist Competition, held in Chicago in 2015. As a graduate assistant, Chino served as a second violinist in the Julstrom Quartet, the resident faculty quartet at WIU. As a member of the quartet, he also toured throughout Illinois to perform and coach various high school orchestras. Currently, Chino is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at Arizona State University, where he also was a Teaching Assistant, a member of the Herberger String quartet, and involved with IDEA, a student organization focused on inclusion and equity in the arts.

Guy Michel is a well-known professional cellist. He began his music career at the age of 5 in his native country, Haiti. Guy trained and established a foundation in classical music during his early years and continued his study in secondary and post-secondary education, ultimately achieving a Bachelor’s degree in Music.  In 2008, Guy decided to pursue a solo career outside of the classical music industry. Guy explored new possibilities with the cello by blending different musical genres together creating modern popular music with a classic twist. 

Guy has performed internationally throughout Ireland, France, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, and Haiti where he led music workshops. Even though Guy Michel is classically trained, he believes that music goes beyond Bach and Beethoven, or simply playing complex notes to showcase an individual’s talent. It is a form of self expression; A vehicle in which to awaken and stimulate the imagination. He loves exploring new possibilities on the cello with a repertoire ranging from easy listening to Hip Hop and EDM. There is no limit to what can be accomplished on an instrument. 

Over the years, he's developed a passion for yoga, fitness, and martial arts and has been practicing for the last 20 years!

This is one of my favorite episodes, and it was so awesome to finally connect with Guy. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've been following him on instagram for years and I love everything that he's doing!! 

Dr. Renée-Paule Gauthier is a sought-after performer, teacher, and high-performance coach whose career has taken her across the United States and Canada as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral leader, and clinician. 

Dr. Gauthier is passionate about helping musicians unleash their performance potential. In addition to offering peak performance coaching, she gives lectures about practice and performance preparation to schools and organizations, and she hosts the popular Mind Over Finger Podcast. The podcast offers discussions on mindful music-making, efficient practice, and building a purposeful career with the performers, pedagogues, and innovators who are shaping the classical music world today.      

An accomplished concert artist, Renée-Paule Gauthier was mentioned as one of the "best violinist of her generation" and she leads a busy performance career. She joined the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra for  the 18-19 and 19-20 seasons, and she performs with some of Chicago’s  finest ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet, Elgin Symphony, and Chicago Philharmonic. She is the String Area Coordinator, Co-director of the Chamber Music Program, and Violin Instructor at North Park University. Dr. Gauthier presents masterclasses and clinics on the topics of mindful efficient practice, audition preparation, anxiety management, and peak performance to audiences across the world.     

Francesca Leo is a cutting-edge flutist, educator, and performing arts health advocate. She is the founder of www.playingwithoutpain.com, an award-winning interactive website and social media platform committed to connecting musicians with resources to treat and prevent performance-related injuries. Francesca is currently on the board of the National Flute Association Performance Health Care Committee and the Performing Arts Medicine Association Young Professionals Committee and serves as the chair of the Puerto Rico Flute Symposium Wellness Committee. She is a certified 50-hour meditation instructor and is currently pursuing a certification as a licensed Body Mapping Educator. Francesca holds a masters degree in flute performance from the Manhattan School of Music and a bachelors degree from Bowling Green State University.

Dr. Janice Ying is the owner and founder of Opus Physical Therapy and Performance. She is an ABPTS board-certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy serving the Greater Los Angeles area and is widely recognized as an expert in the field of Performing Arts Medicine. Most recently, she has been awarded the 2021 Emerging Leader Award by the American Physical Therapy Association - Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy for her contributions to the profession through promoting Physical Therapy in the Performing Arts. She is currently the physical therapist at The Colburn School - Conservatory of Music and the American Contemporary Ballet.

Known for his versatility as a violist, Louis Privitera maintains a  balanced career as an active chamber musician and educator. A founding member of the Tetra String Quartet, Louis has toured extensively as a  performer and teaching artist throughout the Southwestern United States,  Brazil, Ecuador, and Germany. A passionate educator, Louis is a proud studio teacher of students of all ages, some of which have gone to study music at universities and conservatories throughout the United States. He has held faculty positions at Arizona State University, Arizona School for the Arts and at Rosie’s House, a music academy serving underprivileged youth throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area. Recent teaching engagements include the American String Teachers Association national conference as well as the Summer Pre-Collegiate Studies Program at Stanford  University.  Louis earned a Master of Music Degree at the Peabody Conservatory and a  Bachelor of Music Degree from Arizona State University. His principal teachers include Victoria Chiang, Nancy Buck, and Cynthia Dubrow.

In this episode we talk about making classical music accessible, and the importance of empowering students. Is a successful music career determined by what the industry deems important, or is there a lot more room for possibility?

Dr. Rachel White Galvin is a movement generalist, freelance musician, and founder of MindFelt Methods. She holds a Doctorate in Viola Performance and is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, USA Weightlifting Level 1 coach, and former CrossFit level 2 trainer. She combines her broad array of education and experience to help musicians change their relationship with pain, posture, and perfectionism.

I talk about my musicians wellness journey, how I found breathwork, my shift in teaching style, accessible yoga, and my goals for next season!! 

TW: suicide, disordered eating, trauma

In this episode we learn about Lydia's musicians wellness journey transitioning from professional singer to breathwork facilitator, and discuss how something as simple as breathing can be a gateway to empowerment and liberation!

Greg Duffy is a singer-songwriter based out of Los Angeles who fuses both dance, pop, and country elements in his songwriting.

Building a grassroots fanbase across New York City's indie-pop scene, Greg has played sold-out shows across New England and California and recently relocated to LA.

He's worked professionally at various streaming services and record labels, most recently as the Director of Analytics at Epic Records. He also teaches Professional Development in Music Business at NYU's Clive Davis School of Recorded Music. He is releasing his first full-length album in 2021.

Haji Basim, an award-winning, passionate and charismatic artist, announces his brand of music that expresses a unique approach and blend of Folk, Devotional, and World music. Basim is an accomplished internationally touring multi-Instrumentalist, who has mastered Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, Sitar, etc. He is also a singer-songwriter, who has created a new diverse and spiritually upbeat genre called Urban Folk.

Haji Basim’s brand of Urban Folk music was created from the influences of several styles including Folk, Soul, Hip Hop, Flamenco, Bluegrass, Bossa Nova and Neo Soul. He also doubles as a sacred sound artist. With his array of sacred mantras and instruments from around the world such as the Sitar and Bansuri flute from India and the rhythmic Arabic tambourine known as the Riq. Basim creates a tapestry of healing and introspective music that captivate his audiences. As a meditation and yoga instructor, Haji Basim has facilitated tranquil sound healing concerts all across the world.

Asher has always tried to balance his passion for both music and movement. Graduating with a Bachelor degree of Music Performance, he desired to take a break from music and dive deep into the world of Dance. His yoga journey began in 2010 during his time as a competitive Dancer and a HS Dance Teacher. He used his knowledge of the practice as a tool to incorporate mindfulness into the movement of his high school dance students. Although it was met with resistance, it soon became something the students looked forward to. After his move to Chicago in 2013, he began to take his personal practice more seriously and was eventually presented with another opportunity to teach young people mindfulness through movement as the Choreographer for the South Shore Drill Team. Working the practice into his rehearsals changed both the physical movements of the dancers and the way they approached challenges in rehearsals, performances and life in general.

Asher Joined ZYG as a practitioner in 2018 while working on his Master of Arts in Applied Music Pedagogy degree hoping to find inspiration for his Thesis subject, Clarinet Yoga: A Holistic Guide to Body Awareness in Clarinet Pedagogy. As a musician that was experiencing chronic pain, this was a subject that was imperative to his future as an artist. Taking his thirst for knowledge further, he joined the Zen YTT spring 2020 cohort. Finally there was an opportunity to combine his passion of music and movement with the joy of teaching and helping others in the community.

Asher is looking forward to continuing this journey and can’t wait to inspire more people through Music, Movement and Mindfulness.

Kiana June has been touring professionally since she was 19. Classically trained, but an Irish fiddler all her life, she was first scouted by the world famous violin troupe Barrage and toured the world with the group for three years, performing for dignitaries and princes, arts centers, and televised specials all over the world. A particular highlight was performing Beijing Tv's televised Chinese New Year Special to 50 million viewers in the Water Cube.

In her spare time, she graduated early with a degree in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan School of Music. She has taken lessons and appeared in Master classes with Rodney Friend, Stephen Shipps, Aaron Berofsky, Alasdair Fraser, Jerry Holland, Natalie MacMaster, Christian Howes, Dennis Wilson, Ellen Rowe, and Marian Hayden. She has shared the stage with greats from Liz Carroll to Darren Criss (of Glee fame), and from Eileen Ivers to Bob Seger. In the fall of 2012, she hit the stage as the newest member of Gaelic Storm and since has recorded 4 Billboard World No.1 albums - a record for her young career.

In 2017 Kiana left the band to pursue her own music and currently performs all over the world on her own and as a featured soloist with Grammy-award winning artist, Carlos Nunez. Kiana is currently thrilled to be a part of the special touring production of award-winning Broadway musical Come From Away. She has also started an international fiddle club and educational movement - check it out on patreon!

Tiffany VanBoxtel helps singers and singer-songwriters give performances that they are proud of with as little as 1 hour per week of practice and without overpriced voice lessons. She graduated from a small liberal arts conservatory with a BM in Vocal Performance and a BM in Choral/General Music Education. After 10 years working with singers in the private 1:1 environment, she created a membership for singers so they can learn DIY style, but still get the guidance that they need in a way that's convenient, affordable, and tailored to each singer's unique dreams and goals.

Austin Pancner is a Trombonist and Personal Trainer. He is finishing up a Doctor of Music degree at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and is a NASM certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Precision Nutritionist. He’s also the CEO and founder of The Functional Musician, an online health and wellness business helping classical musicians holistically perform without pain.

In this episode, we talk about Austin's experience with injury and how we as musicians can prevent injuries through strength training, mobility training, and by learning how to take care of ourselves! 

Katie Zaccardi is the music industry's holistic music career coach. Through her work in both music and wellness, along with her own experience with a generalized anxiety disorder, Katie discovered the urgent need for conversation surrounding mental health and self care within the music industry. Realizing the music industry’s demand for honest discussion on such topics as mental and physical wellbeing, Katie established Out To Be. Out To Be advocates a balanced path to personal and professional success that is grounded in wellness. At its core is the idea that what you set out to do, you turn out to be; that no matter where you begin, you make your own way to the most authentic you. The Out To Be Podcast invites listeners to engage with insightful dialogue on all things wellness and their relation to working in music. Through the Out To Be Coaching platform, Katie supports artists and professionals with a personalized approach centered on cultivating positive actions & attitudes.

We talk about Katie's experience overcoming generalized anxiety disorder through addressing the mind AND body. As a holistic music career coach, she helps musicians cultivate positivity and reach their financial goals -even during covid19. If you want to learn about some ways to shift your mindset out of scarcity and fear, this is the episode for you. 🙌 

David Cartolano, also known as ‘The Conditioned Musician’ is a guitarist that decided to become a physical therapist, but realized that was only the beginning. His popular podcast, also called The Conditioned Musician, currently has 52 episodes in which he shares musicians stories on their struggles and how physical movement helped overcome them. In this episode we talk about musicians wellness and pain, injury, movement practices, the mind-body connection, physical therapy, and have so many quotable moments sprinkled throughout. If you're a musician you don't want to miss this! 

This episode is for those of us that need to record for juries or recitals at the end of the semester, and are having a hard time digging deep and finding the motivation to practice. I COMPLETELY empathize with you, and know that you are capable of accomplishing what you need to right now. But motivation is created from the relationship with yourself and your instrument. Work on improving that relationship and you will find all the motivation and inspiration you need right now.

As musicians, as many as 80-90% of us (some studies say even more) experience pain or injury during our careers. So how do we as musicians overcome this if we are experiencing pain? In this episode I share with you my approach. 

Book I mentioned:

Vanessa Cornett, The Mindful Musician: Mental Skills for Peak Performance

This is my very first podcast! Let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or topics you would like to discuss. I’d absolutely love to hear from you. In this podcast I cover: my intention for this podcast, why musicians wellness is so important, and ideas for how to reduce your risk of injury.