Yoga teaching
Find out more about my Liverpool-based yoga teaching.
Teaching yoga in Liverpool
As much as I love music, practising yoga is one of my favourite things to do. I love moving my body in graceful (and sometimes not very graceful) ways, connecting with my breath, finding focus and calmness, and I love carving out time to be just as I am. Most of all, I love sharing it - that's why I'm also a yoga teacher!
You don't need to be flexible or strong to do yoga - increases in both are happy side benefits! While stretching into different shapes is a fun part of it, yoga is also so much more. It's a practice that combines movement and stillness, bringing awareness and connection to your body, mind, and breath. A regular yoga practice increases mobility and flexibility, builds strength, eases aches and pains, develops better breathing, helps one's ability to focus, can help manage anxiety, promotes relaxation, increases feelings of calmness and wellbeing, and can offer guidance in how to live gracefully in the world.
Yoga practice for musicians
As a classical musician and yoga teacher, one of my missions in life is to encourage musicians to warm up their bodies before they play their instruments! Playing an instrument is great for the soul but stressful on the body, so warming up and limbering up helps your joints and muscles get ready to play at your best. It also helps prevent playing injuries and helps you feel great going into your music making! Join me in warming up using the videos below. I've also created a Musicians Warm Up Timer you can access using the button!
3.5 Minute Musicians Warm Up Timer
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Want to see the inspiration for this and supercharge your practice?
Check out the SPARK Practice Timer!
10 Minute Yoga-based Warm Up for Musicians
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Bekah, 2nd Bassoon, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
"After being introduced to yoga as a complete novice I feel completely at ease in Gwen's classes. The pace enables me to work within my comfort range and feel confident following her clear and gentle guidance. I enjoy being given the space to breathe and stretch and become steadily more knowledgeable about the benefits practising yoga can bring. I'm already hooked and feel stronger after just a few weeks!"
Anthony, Tutti Bass, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
“A great workout for body and mind. Gwen is an excellent teacher, with classes to suit all levels from beginner to advanced.”
Nina, Principal Bassoon, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
“I was immediately impressed with Gwen's precise and clear instruction when she started teaching me. She has a fantastic awareness of postural details which really support my yoga practice. I find her classes inspiring with a happy balance of mindfulness in both stillness and movement, and plenty of encouragement to challenge ourselves within our individual bodies' capacities.”
Ian, Tutti Viola, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
“I have really enjoyed the yoga sessions I have had with Gwen. Despite only having scratched the surface, I have found doing some yoga in between playing sessions to be very helpful to my mental and physical wellbeing.”
Yoga is for musicians
Yoga is a great way for musicians to keep their bodies well, reduce the likelihood of playing injury, reduce performance anxiety and practice being in the present moment. When I practise yoga regularly, playing viola is easier and more fun!
I teach weekly in-person yoga classes for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. I also teach private sessions to musicians looking to start or develop their yoga practice.
Please contact me if you’d like to schedule a session!
Yoga is for teens
Yoga is great for all teens, but teenage musicians can especially benefit from yoga! On top of the demands of school and life, teenage musicians juggle their own instrument practice, private lessons, orchestra and chamber music rehearsals, performances and exams. While all of these can be very fulfilling, they also require hard work and can be stressful at times. In practising yoga poses, teenage musicians can help rebalance their bodies from the specific demands of their instruments and feel stronger and more flexible in the process. The breath work and relaxation aspects of a yoga class offer tools to help manage performance anxiety and stress, increase focus and get better sleep. In a yoga class teens can take a break from the demands of music, school and life, and connect with themselves with kindness, acceptance and a bit of fun!
Yoga is for everybody
It’s a common misconception that you need to be flexible or fit in order to practice yoga. Rather, increased strength and flexibility are happy side benefits of a yoga practice! Other benefits include more impulse control, finding it easier to be in the present moment, feeling an increased sense of wellbeing and getting better sleep. All anyone needs to do is to show up!
I teach a monthly Zoom yoga class open to the public. This is an hour-long class and is on the first Sunday evening of every month, at 8 pm GMT. Please contact me if you’d like to be added to the mailing list and receive the Zoom link, or the recording afterwards. I’d love to see you there!
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Liverpool
In 2022 I earned a qualification in teaching Trauma-Sensitive Yoga from Trauma Therapy Manchester. I teach a weekly yoga class at a drop in for asylum seekers in Liverpool, run through the British Red Cross. I have also taught one-to-one sessions.
Please contact me for more information.
Contact me
Get in touch and let's explore opportunities to get involved in my yoga sessions.