Jim Bovinette, Reporter
Jo Martinie, a certified yoga instructor, and Rich Illman, professor of trumpet at Michigan State University presented a demonstration of yoga techniques designed to assist trumpet players with self-development through awareness of the breath, movement of the body, and meditation. The presentation was narrated by Jo Martinie who used professor Illman to demonstrate the various yoga stretches, exercises, and techniques.
The main topics of the demonstration included procedures for Warm-up; Tension Release Before and During Performance; Post Performance; and End of Day. The presenters demonstrated how the use of yoga helps improve a player's breath control, endurance, and overall well being. They also showed how the various stretches that they demonstrated increased, or actually helped trumpeters to maintain flexibility essential to good performance.
A major subject of discussion that took place during the presentation focused upon how playing the trumpet can contribute to stress and tension to the body. Hand position for example, or how we address music on the stand around our basic playing positions can be major culprits of additional stress and tension. In addition the use of pressure in high playing, tension in the neck and its adverse effect on tonguing was also discussed. Illman described how he worked with yoga techniques to improve players by getting them to blow air freely and then to introduce the air to the trumpet without tension. 
Richard Illman felt that shallow breathing was one of the major causes of nervousness. He stated that deep breaths help to replenish the strength of the muscles and can be useful in dealing with fatigue. He also pointed out that yoga exercises had specific advantages for many trumpeters because they can be developed to address of our personal needs. Jo Martinie went further when she explained that the individual determines the “point of sensation” that results from each exercise. The session closed with a group exercise that left the participants stretched, rested, and relaxed.
