Recently the orchestra has received attention from many organizations that assist the students with their musical skills and abilities.

One of the orchestras’ overall goals is to work on breathing and communication. Therefore, Miriam Edgar the Director of Orchestra asked a yoga instructor to come in and educate the students about the positive effects of breathing while playing a musical instrument.

“One of the ways an orchestra communicates is through breath,” Edgar said.

Prior to the yoga instructor coming in, the orchestra had two days of rehearsal where they performed their pieces in a circle.

“People from one section were not allowed to sit next to members of their same section, therefore they had to communicate with other section members across the room only using breath,” Edgar says.

Throughout college, Edgar said she struggled with breathing when working with wind instruments.

“One of my professors brought in a yoga instructor and my playing abilities improved. I wanted my students to improve their playing skills just like I did,” Edgar said.

Junior Kate Duerksen, a cellist in the orchestra, said the yoga exercises created positive effects when playing her instrument.

“The yoga helped strengthen us and improve our sound,” Duerksen said.

Joel Salbo, orchestra director at Saint Cloud State University, offered to work with the orchestra students as well. Salbo worked with kids in rehearsal, but also talked about the importance of music jobs.

“Salbo talked about many different fields in the professional music world such as music therapy and music business. Our orchestra is very fortunate to have volunteer clinicians come in because our orchestra program does not have a large budget for it,” Edgar said.