
The Musicians' Wellness Symposium: Healthy Living for the Modern Musician
Virtual event July 24th-26th, July 28th 2023
Imagine practicing hours upon hours because you’re inspired, driven, and excited; not because you are full of shame and fear of not being good enough.
Imagine being able to knowingly and intentionally prevent injuries or playing-related pain in music school. (Most of us will have to deal with an injury at some point in our lives. It doesn’t have to be this way.)
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Imagine being able to safely manage your busy schedule without getting overwhelmed or burned out.
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Imagine having the tools & knowledge to nail your performances consistently and reliably. (Say goodbye to the surprise screw ups during the most important time: the performance.)
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The very first Musicians’ Wellness Symposium by Classical Wellness features 4 experts who cover the four pillars of healthy conservatory living: Performance Psychology, Time Management, Practice Health, and Pain Prevention. This 4-day event will prepare musicians for conservatory so that they can do what's required of them without breaking their spirit, health, or mindset.
This is perfect for you if you are:
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A High School student starting conservatory
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A conservatory student returning to school this fall
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A hybrid musician who plays music part time & is also involved in a totally different field
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A professional musician who feels pain, burnout, or overwhelm on a regular basis
Guest Speakers:

Noa Kageyama
Performance Psychologist
Also known as The Bulletproof Musician, Kageyama specializes in teaching performing artists how to utilize sports psychology principles to more consistently demonstrate their full abilities under pressure. He is on the faculty at Juilliard and has degrees from Oberlin (BA, psychology) and Juilliard (MM, violin performance). He received his MS and PhD in counseling and counseling psychology from Indiana University. On July 24th, he will discuss the mental side of performing; ways of practicing and preparing to lead to more consistent, inspired, and engaged performances.
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Join us for a workshop and live Q&A with Kageyama on July 24th! *instruments required*
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Cory Barger
Practice Coach
Cory Barger has distinguished herself as a performer throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. She received her Masters' degree in bassoon performance from London's Royal College of Music, and her undergraduate degree from UCLA. She also studied Performance Health and Personal Development at the University of West London. She enjoys a varied musical life as an orchestral player, chamber musician, and baroque bassoon enthusiast. She is currently principal bassoon of the Filarmonica de Boca del Rio, in Veracruz, Mexico. Along with being an orchestral musician, she helps musicians transform their relationship with practice, build trust within themselves, and become their own best teacher. Helping musicians make friends with their practice sessions and creating consistency without the shame and fear is one of Cory’s missions.
Presentation date: July 25th at 10:30AM EST


Jennifer Johnson
Body Mapping Instructor
Jennifer is a violinist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra in St. John’s, Newfoundland. From 1993-2005, she was a member of the Atlantic String Quartet. She is a Licensed Andover Educator and specializes in teaching healthy movement patterns to musicians through the method of Body Mapping. She’s also the author of 3 books on Body Mapping. On July 26th, she will discuss the most common mis-mappings that cause musicians' injuries and how to recover from them. Presently, she is the Founder, Performer and Artistic Director of the philanthropic concert series “Less Violence, More Violins.”
Dana Fonteneau
Business Coach, Management Consultant
Dana Fonteneau draws on her diverse background in the performing arts, psychology and business to help her clients attain greater personal and career success. Having worked with thousands of people around the globe, she is part business coach, management consultant, and therapist. Dana’s human centered approach helps individuals and small businesses succeed by working from the inside out. On July 28th, she talks about time management; what most people miss, and the most important aspects of it, to help the conservatory musician make the most of their busy schedules and avoid burnout.


Pricing Options
All-Access Pass: $175
One-day Pass: $75
Click here for the scholarship application (open to all). Please fill out on a desktop if possible.
Registration closes on July 3rd. Your scholarship application must be received on or before this date.

The story behind the Symposium
Hi! My name is Jalayne, and I’m the founder of Classical Wellness and the director of this event. I’m a cellist who studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and I’ll be starting my studies at Rice University Shepherd School of Music this fall. For more than two years I’ve been an online mental health advocate for musicians.
The Musicians’ Wellness Symposium was birthed because of a severe lack in mental health resources in music schools world wide. By ‘mental health’, I don’t just mean resources for those struggling, but resources for maintaining wellbeing in any stage of music school. That’s why I want to hold an event that covers the four most important pillars of music school: Practice Health, Performance Psychology, Time Management, and Injury Prevention. We all know that we’re supposed to do the work, and we want to do it. But when we hit bumps in the road, many times musicians are left in the dark to figure it out themselves. We aren’t experts in injury prevention, physical therapy, psychology, or productivity. So it makes sense that we might accidentally develop unhealthy habits or worse, lose inspiration or drive to continue music. This symposium will give you the chance to learn from musicians who have already gone through these issues and come out the other side (and have become experts in their field).
Young musicians are the future of music. In order to keep it alive and well, we must start to take care of ourselves in serious and tangible ways. Information on keeping and maintaining health (so that you can make the most out of music school) is every musicians’ right.
I hope to see you there!
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FAQ'S
What if I can’t attend all 4 presentations/workshops?
There will be recordings of all workshops and Q&A segments for 2 weeks after the date of the workshop. Links will be sent out via email after the entire event ends.
How long is the commitment for this event?
Humans' mental bandwidth has been considered in the creation of this event. Shorter zoom-days means more information retention, less zoom fatigue, and prolonged energy for the entire duration of the event. Each day expect to spend 80-120 minutes in session. Here is the daily schedule:
Day 1, July 24th: Noa Kageyama
10:30-11:35 am (EST) Workshop
11:35-11:50 Q&A
Day 2, July 25th: Cory Barger
10:30-11:35 am (EST) Workshop
11:35-11:50 am Q&A
Day 3, July 26th: Jennifer Johnson
10:30am-12:05 pm (EST) Workshop
12:05-12:20 Q&A
**There is no presentation on July 27th.**
Day 4, JULY 28TH: Dana Fonteneau Workshop
10:30 am-11:35am (EST)
11:35-11:50 Dana Fonteneau Q&A
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Will this event be recorded?
Yes. For two weeks after the end of the event, you will be given access to the recordings and the Q&A segments. ​
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When will I know about Scholarships?
When you apply for a scholarship, expect a response within 48 hours. Any amount you receive has to be accepted within one week. Acceptance requires payment of 100% of the remaining fees. You will be sent an email (from @classical-wellness.com) with instructions and your personal deadline. Please note: Minimal full scholarships will be given as there are limited funds, but we will try our hardest to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend. Scholarships are only granted for those attending live. No recordings will be available for scholarship recipients. Appeal through email if the scholarship given is not sufficient. Please do not accept or pay the remaining fee if you wish to appeal the scholarship award.
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Can I attend even if I am in another country?
Yes! Anyone is welcome to attend, as long as the time (10:30 am EST) works for you. Your currency will automatically be changed at checkout. Double check the international transaction policy with your bank to avoid possible surprise fees.
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Do I have to have my camera on?​
No. Although there might be invitations to participate, you are not required to do anything that is uncomfortable. You can be a fly on the wall!
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Please email assistant@classical-wellness.com with questions, and they will be added to this list!