Episode 011: Interview with Intermission

September 14th, 2019

We sat down for a chat in August with violinist yogis Elena Urioste and Melissa White, the creators of Intermission Sessions and Retreats to talk about their friendship, the retreat, and the future of Intermission. We were joined by Soprano Marie Masters Webb, who has attended 3 of the Retreats including the inaugural summer of 2017. 

Founded by violinists/yogis Melissa White and Elena Urioste, Intermission is a groundbreaking program that encourages a union of body, mind, spirit, and music-making through the practices of yoga and meditation. Under the Intermission umbrella exist two types of courses: Sessions, workshops for students; and Retreats, week-long getaways for professional musicians, both of which explore and celebrate the symbiosis between yoga and music. Through yoga, musicians of all ages begin to build greater awareness of their bodies and learn proper alignment to optimize their musical set-ups, practice mental focus and efficiency, and deepen their connections to their inner selves — and, ultimately, to music.

Show Notes: 

Intermission website: https://www.intermissionsessions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intermissionsessions/

Intermission Vermont is held at the Wilburton Inn in Manchester Vermont

Book recommendations

From Elena: Yoga and the Quest for the True Self by Steven Cope

From Melissa: They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery

From Marie: Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

(also mentioned by Elena was The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey and The Art of Learning by Joshua Waitzkin)

Heroes and Mentors

Elena: Violinists and Teachers Joseph Silverstein and David Cerone. Violinist Fritz Kreisler and Singers Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra

Marie: Singer and Voice Teacher at Oberlin Conservatory Daune Mahy

Melissa:  Violinist Itzhak Perlman and teachers Roland and Almita Vamos.