Marina Gilman on body awareness through the Feldenkrais method

11/17/22 • 73 min

In our conversation today we take a deep dive into the Feldenkrais method as a way to release tension in the body by developing a deep awareness of how the mechanisms of the body are constructed and how they work together as a whole, that is, how one movement affects another. And we discuss why it’s important to develop this vision of how the body works as a whole in order to really be in control of your development as a singer. F.ex if you don't know how your ribcage is supposed to move how are you ever going to do it correctly? We even cover topics like breath and weight lifting!

If you have struggled with tension in your body when you sing, then this episode is for you! Developing awareness of your body and how it wants to move is a life skill like no other! Marina also guides me through some short lessons that you can try alongside us and see if you discover something for yourself.

Marina Gilman holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Indiana University, Master of Music degree from Ithaca College, and a Masters of Art in Communication Disorders from Northwestern University. She graduated from the Montreal Feldenkrais Training in 1996. She is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner, singing teacher, performer, and licensed speech pathologist with a specialization in voice. She has taught voice at Cornell University, Syracuse University, and in the Theater School at DePaul University Chicago. Marina has also taught at the School at the Steppenwolf Theater Company summer program. In her capacity as a licensed speech pathologist Marina has worked at major medical voice centers in Chicago and recently retired from working as part of the interdisciplinary team at the Emory Voice Center, Department of Otolaryngology, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Her interest in the somatic aspects of voice training began with her personal struggle with body tension. Over the years she has worked to bring the Feldenkrais work into her clinical, academic, and studio teaching.

Marina Gilman’s performing career includes recitals as well as leading operatic roles with regional opera companies. Marina regularly taught Feldenkrais workshops for actors, singers and voice therapists, as well as presented at professional voice and medical conferences. She has published research on voice in medical voice journals and is the author of Body and Voice: Somatic Re-education, available through Plural Publishing.

Connect with Marina Gilman

E-mail |

Resources Mentioned:

Body and Voice: Somatic Re-Eduation by Marina Gilman
Bodymapping
Interview on Voice Matters with Liz Johnson
Moshé Feldenkrais

Connect with Marina Gilman

E-mail |

Resources Mentioned:

Body and Voice: Somatic Re-Eduation by Marina Gilman
Bodymapping
Interview on Voice Matters with Liz Johnson
Moshé Feldenkrais

Previous Episode

Janet Williams on building resilience in a tough business

In our conversation today Janet generously shares stories and lessons learned from her own career. How she developed debilitating anxiety just as her career was going really well, what answers and tools she found to tackle it and how the solutions in turn inspired her to write her excellent book “ Nail your next audition”.

We delve into subjects on building mental tools needed to deal with struggles head-on in order to build your confidence and not tear it down. We talk about building an optimistic mindset, the foundation of resilience, defining how your ultimate goals should feel, pivoting, and finding other outlets for your creativity that make you happy while you build your career. And why the budding artist in you needs to be fed and nurtured just like the musician in you.

After an international career of more than 25 years of critically acclaimed performances at major concert halls and opera houses around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, and Berlin Staatsoper, American soprano, Janet Williams has dedicated her life and passion to teaching the art of performance mastery.

Her book, Nail Your Next Audition, The Ultimate 30-Day Guide for Singers was translated into German under the title: Erfolgreich vorsingen! The 30-Day Countdown to Take Off, and is the go-to guide for singers preparing for high-pressure performances.

The positive response to the book inspired her to develop the “Leistung and Performance Workshop”, which she has taught at music colleges, universities, and Young Artist Programs for singers since 2009.

Her students have won contracts with Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera Studio, Berlin Staatsoper Studio, Vienna Staatsoper Ensemble, La Scala, Theatre Liceu Opera Barcelona, Oper Köln, Oper Leipzig, L’opera de Bruxelles,

Janet Williams has worked as an adjunct professor, associate professor, and visiting professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock and at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, where she is currently an Honorary Professor. She is regularly invited to judge in international singing competitions. In 2012 she founded the Leistung and Performance Vokal Akademie Berlin, offering master classes, workshops, and performance opportunities for young talent.

Janet Williams received Bachelor of Music Degrees in both Vocal Performance and Music Education from Michigan State University and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Indiana University. She is a prize winner in numerous vocal competitions.

Janet is a long-time mentor, voice teacher, and dear friend of mine, not only did teach me to sing but she really helped me with a lot of my mental hurdles like so many of her other students.

This is a rich interview, full of love for the craft, the voice, and the people who decide to make it their lives work. There is some gold in here for everybody in the profession of singing!

Connect with Janet Williams

Website | Facebook

Write an email to Leistung & Performance Vokal Akademie Berlin for inforamation the next upcoming Online 30 day challenge:

[email protected]

Books Mentioned:

Nail your next audition by Janet Williams
Every good boy does fine by Jeremy Denk
Power Performance for singers by Shirlee Emmons and Alma Thomas
Performance success by Don Green
Focusing by Eugene T. Gendlin

Next Episode

Elaine Luttrull on financial empowerment for creative freedom

In our conversation today we talk about being financially empowered to be creatively free! Basically, we take a deep dive into her book Arts and numbers. We discuss subjects such as budgeting and how to create discipline around budgeting when you have a varying monthly income throughout the year. We discuss the emotional and psychological hurdles around gauging the worth of your work and building the confidence to ask for it. We also discuss the thrilling subject of negotiating through price anchoring, which I think all artists should learn to master! We even talk about the advantages of creating a business plan for solo entrepreneurial artists such as singers and so much more! This episode truly is a goldmine!

Elaine Grogan Luttrull, CPA-PFS, AFC® is the founder of Minerva Financial Arts, a company devoted to building financial literacy and empowerment in creative individuals and organizations. Her workshops and presentations have been featured nationally by groups that support the arts, including Creative Capital, the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, Sundance, Firelight Media, the National YoungArts Foundation, and a variety of state arts councils and commissions.

Elaine spent 10 years in academia, teaching at the Columbus College of Art & Design and serving as the Department Head for Business & Entrepreneurship from 2014-2018. She regularly provides guest lectures for colleges, universities, and conservatories that serve the arts, including the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, the School of Visual Arts, and the Cleveland Institute of Arts. Before that, Elaine served as the Director of Financial Analysis for The Juilliard School and in the Transaction Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young in New York.

Elaine is the author of Arts & Numbers and has regularly contributed to industry guides, including Professional Artist magazine, Business of Art from the Center for Cultural Innovation, and Create a Living Legacy from the Joan Mitchell Foundation. She is based in Dublin, Ohio (Kaskaskia and Hopewell indigenous and cultural lands) where she serves on the boards of the Short North Alliance and Healing Broken Circles. Previous board service includes Social Ventures, the Financial Therapy Association, and the Lark Play Development Center.

Connect with Elaine Grogan Luttrull

Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Books Mentioned: