Back to All Events

Pranayama (Yoga Breathing) for Singers

  • Silk Road House 1944 University Avenue Berkeley, CA, 94704 United States (map)

Pranayama is an ancient Ayurvedic practice of controlling the breath.  The word pranayama comes from the Sanskrit prana for life force (or breath) and ayama for extending or stretching.  Join us for a 2 hour workshop in pranayama for singers.  Learn new practices to enhance and inform your breathing, and how to apply these exercises to your regular singing practice and performance needs.  Take-home materials will be provided to guide you through your continuing journey of pranayama techniques such as nadi shodhan, square breaths, deep yogic breaths, fast breathing, and ujjayi.  This collaborative workshop was developed by Myroslava Symonenko (Pranayama, Ayurveda) and Corinne Sykes (Eastern European folk singing.)

THE TEACHERS
Myroslava Symonenko has been practicing ayurvedic yoga, meditation, and pranayama since 2004 in Ukraine and Canada.  Her guru is Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda, and she has studied at a variety of schools of yoga and meditation in Europe and North America.  As breath is the way that can connect our conscious and unconscious with our awareness and small daily effort, Myra loves bringing the methods of helping achieve a more controlled and balanced lifestyle. 

Corinne Sykes has studied and shared Balkan and Eastern European vocal techniques since 2006, including with Kitka Womens Vocal Ensemble from 2010-2017.  She is grateful for work with countless master singers including Mariana Sadovska, Tzvetanka Varimezova, and Petrana Koucheva.  Breath has always been a challenge and a mystery throughout her singing career, and she is excited to share this new collaborative workshop with other vocalists to benefit from the ancient practice of pranayama.