Liisa Tamminen

 

A native Finn, I currently live in Switzerland, working both in Finland and Switzerland. Already when I was a child, my mother introduced me to the world of yoga. In those days it was like some sort of small circle secret society activity... I attended my first real yoga class while studying in the Netherlands to become a professional violist when I had heard that there would be yoga classes at the dance academy, which was in the same building with the music academy. Somehow I managed to sneak in to the class with all those professional dancers. I was immediately hooked and started practising yoga daily. I soon realised the great benefits which yoga brought to both my well-being and viola playing and understood that I found something I never should give up.

 

While working as an orchestral musician, I studied yoga intensively for many years around the world with an idea to learn more about yoga and myself. There were not too many teacher trainings at that time, or at least it wasn't yet a huge business, but somehow, as a by-product of my studies, I found myself as an sought-after yoga teacher.

 

I participated in workshops and lessons in different yoga styles all over the world, coming to the conclusion that Iyengar Yoga is the style which served me the best. For many years to come, I studied with Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher Glenn Ceresoli in Australia and India, as well as participating in many courses around Europe. In total, I have completed over 1000 hours of professional yoga studies, hold an Yoga Alliance's certificate, certificates from the level 1 and 2 Iyengar Yoga teacher trainings as well as certificates from many Iyengar Yoga advanced teacher training courses. I also have Yoga for Children -teacher certificate (Yoga Beez).

 

Both my experience of teaching hundreds of students, many of whom have been musicians with the intention of getting help with professional challenges, and perhaps also due to checking my own priorities and preferences, I noticed my own yoga style changing to direction of simpler but nevertheless effective approach. I developed my own style of teaching, which could be described as hatha yoga with Iyengar Yoga principles considering the alignment and anatomy. Back to 2005, I developed a special "Yoga for Musicians" practice to serve my colleagues with the unique knowledge I have acquired from both profession. 

 

I teach at the Art Universities of Zürich and Helsinki. Hundreds of musicians around Europe have participated in my lessons and workshops during the years. I also teach live streaming lessons, organise workshops and courses, and give group and one-to-one lessons.

 

I currently happily divide my time between professional yoga teaching, a freelance violist and baroque violist. I work internationally in the orchestras, and chamber music and early music ensembles. I have a beautiful solo project about meditation and baroque music with many sold out performances both in music festivals and yoga events.