Welcome to Season 4 of Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman. For this first episode in 2024, I welcome the violinist, author and coach Jennifer Roig-Francoli. We talk about her newly released  book, Make Great Music with Ease!: The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life, and  her Art of Freedom Method which incorporates the mind-body skills of the Alexander Technique. This episode also features excerpts from her solo violin album, Solo Con Spirito, with music of Kreisler, Enescu and Bach. 

Jennifer had the opportunity to study with Nathan Milstein, Josef Gingold and Stanley Ritchie  and has had an interesting career as a performer, including with Appollo’s Fire. We talk about performing barefoot at Carnegie Hall, travels to India, and in Jennifer’s words” how you do one thing is how you do everything”. I myself have been very influenced by different mind-body practices like the Alexander Technique,  and the power of thought to help me address habitual tensions in my own life has really helped me, and I trust this inspiring and helpful episode will be of help to you, both musical performers and not, because the content of this discussion addresses universal challenges for all of us.  This conversation is punctuated by some excerpts from Jennifer’s solo album, and I hope you’ll listen to the whole album which you’ll find both on streaming services, or better yet for purchase on her website: https://artoffreedom.me/meet-jennifer/

Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/jennifer-roig-francoli

Here you can sign up for my weekly newsletter to get access to Sneak Peeks for upcoming episodes: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter

I have had several interviews talking about some of the same issues as this episode. My interviews with  Julie Lyonn-Lieberman, Madeline Bruser, Stephen Nachmanovitch, Derek Gripper and Daniel Ramjattan will be good places  to start if you missed any of those. 

Finally, I’m an independant podcaster, and I truly need the help of my listeners to keep this project going: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

photo of Jennifer Roig-Francoli: Tina Gutierrez

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(04:16) album Solo con Spirito! Celebrating 50

(05:27) excerpt from Kreisler’s Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice

(07:07) excerpt from Enescu’s Sarabande

(07:47) Stanley Ritchie 

(10:03) Jennifer’s studies at Indiana University, learning baroque violin

(12:58) Apollo’s Fire

(15:11) studies with Nathan Milstein

(18:43) Alexander Technique and Primal Alexander touch-free approach

(32:58) please support this series! Thanks. 

(33:15) the importance of transitions and mindset, performance anxiety, The Art of Freedom Method

(41:43) music education, pressure from teachers, competitiveness in the music industry

(46:36) excerpt from Ysaye’s Ballade

(46:34) challenges in parenting for musicians

(52:44) music education, letting go of the focus on goals

(58:41) excerpt from Bach’s Chaconne

(01:00:12) performing barefoot

(01:02:56) decisions around pitch and more for Solo con Spirito

(01:07:25) How you do one thing is how you do everything

(01:11:32) India meditation retreat Amma’s ashram

(01:16:31) connections made through Art of Freedom online coaching