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The Exhale

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What we do

The Exhale redesigns how music is taught and practiced. We offer a diversity of face-to-face classes led by a unique community of internationally acclaimed musicians, artists and holistic practitioners that explore all aspects of musicianship, from the physical to the intellectual. Our programme goes much further than learning an instrument, improving technique, and studying repertoire, because we address the wellbeing of musicians. We provide supportive, nurturing masterclasses that empower toward creative and personal freedom. We offer space to pause, explore and refresh. We show musicians how to care for their bodies and their minds, as well as how to manage self-doubt and injury. We tackle everything from performance anxiety to diet, breath, meditation, and freedom of movement. Our specialists include world-leaders in Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, and Body Mapping. The Exhale offers something for everyone and meets musicians at any level.

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Our Story So Far

The Exhale’s first week-long retreat was set to take place in Biel, Switzerland during Easter 2020. Learning experiences with an international faculty of musicians alongside daily seminars on subjects ranging from improvisation to meditation were planned. But, before any of that happened, Covid-19 pushed the world’s population into their homes. That original intention evolved to become an online learning environment developed and run during the COVID-19 pandemic, numbering over 2,000 registered participants, a faculty of more than 90, and thousands of hours spent in online classes, courses, events, and experiences taught in three languages (English, German, and French).
As of Easter 2022, The Exhale is moving its focus to 'in person' events. This website will provide online support for those events. We will maintain our social media channels in order to keep the conversation going. We will continue to provide space for community, exchange, and learning. We will stay in touch, will invite your messages and comments, and print the valuable posts and articles on topics surrounding holistic learning for musicians and performers.

We look forward to welcoming you to our live events, where we will reconcile our original love and passion for music, with a body, mind and heart that are as strong, open, and inspired as our wish to let the music play on and on.

Yours,
Gwendolyn, with Joanne, Skye and Alex

Img 0357 1 Peter Sheppard Skaerved
Peter Sheppard Skaerved
Violin Strings Musicology
Anita King
Anita King
Piano Body Mapping All Instruments Alexander Technique
Philippe Borer Square
Philippe Borer
Violin Pedagogy Education All Instruments Viola
Emi Ohi Resnick
Emi Ohi Resnick
Violin Pedagogy
Meet our Artists

What our participants say

“The Exhale classes felt incredibly honest, grounded, healthy, inspiring and open. I cannot describe the sense of relief in observing such a natural and fluent approach to music performance…”

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Gwendolyn Masin The Exhale About

The Exhale was founded by violinist Gwendolyn Masin. The goal: to fulfil the need for holistic wellbeing as the foundation for successful performance and career development. Music-making demands discipline, professionalism and creativity. For us to live in and through music, we need a place where we can begin an inner journey to understanding, without outward expectation. We need a place where we can learn to exhale.

What is the function of music to you? How do you think it should sound? What would you like to listen to, and how? When you play, would you like to do so with a sense of ease? Would you like to play, to interpret, without physical or emotional barriers?

The real experience of making music – of listening intensely, of moving intently through time and space, of immersing yourself in exploration of the senses – is not a matter of course. It is a joy and privilege. We look forward to sharing it with you.

The Exhale

General Enquiries & Support
zen@the-exhale.com
inhale@the-exhale.com

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