Today, we're celebrating Sister Catherine Swiezynski! 🎉

She is one of my dedicated students and has been part of my journey for years, and her experiences beautifully reflect the impact of our work together.

Here's her inspiring testimony:

October 2022: “I just wanted to share that our Saturday Alton Symphony concert went SO much better for me after doing the Cycle and other etudes that I learned in the Jumpstart class with Jennifer Roig-Francoli. I was able to play all of Beethoven's 5th with much more freedom than I usually have in performance, and I noticed where I was easing during repeated notes and measures. I also played Hedwig's Theme 32nd notes with much more ease. It helped that the maestro conducted the Jurassic Park theme before that in a cowboy-riding-a-dinosaur costume that made us laugh hysterically- a surprise to all of us. Laughter also increases ease!”

December 2022: “Hello! I just wanted to share my joy that Jennifer Roig-Francoli's Jumpstart program really made a difference in my latest piano quartet performance! We did an “Echoes of Eastern Europe” fundraiser concert for someone who was transporting convoys of ambulances to Ukraine. I was really nervous beforehand because this was the first time I played in a major public venue outside of a school or college in about 30 years! After daily doing the etudes I learned in Jennifer's class, I felt that I was able to play with more freedom and expression than I have before. In the opening Dvorak E flat Quartet, I realized that I forgot to change to my music bifocals and everything was blurry-but I was able to chuckle at myself instead of panic! (I had most of it memorized anyway and changed glasses before the next piece.) Some specific things from Jennifer's class that helped: 1) being aware of my primary concern- noticing what was happening (for me that had a very spiritual element) 2) doing Jennifer's etudes before going on stage helped 3) remembering Jennifer saying that being prepared for anything was more important than being prepared for something specific. 4) being aware of where I was easing, during rests, and in places where I wrote reminders, like where there was a crescendo to fff in the music. 5) practicing easing during cues beforehand, as I noticed that cues were formerly an occasion of great tension. We performed this program in a hospital and at the college where I teach before this fundraiser, and every one went better. I felt that I was more than ever, able to let the music flow through me instead of getting in the way. There is still much that can improve in, but I noticed a big difference between this and performances before the program! I am very grateful!”

March 2023: “Jennifer Roig-Francoli says that we get more of what we focus on. I definitely found that to be true during our February orchestra concert where we ended with Rimsky-Korsakov's “Capriccio Espagnole.” The first violin part has all kinds of harmonics, ricochet bowings and insanely fast passages. On the last page of the 5th movement, just before the coda and presto, I wrote a note on the music to remind myself to focus on where I was easing a bit. I was able to play that presto with more ease than I have ever played a fortissimo presto before! I had been doing “The Cycle” exercise which focuses on easing, and it helped. I studied Alexander technique when I was younger, but Jennifer teaches one how to “do it yourself” without a hands-on teacher, so that one can apply it more in situations like this. I'm very grateful for learning this simple but incredibly helpful idea from Jennifer!”

Thank you, Sister Catherine, for sharing your amazing journey with us! ❤️

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✨ Are you ready to experience this kind of transformation in your own playing?

Whether you’re preparing for an audition, struggling with tension or anxiety, or simply wanting to feel more ease, flow, and joy in your music-making, there is a way forward that supports both your artistry and your well-being.

That’s exactly what we’ll be exploring in my upcoming Sanctuary Workshop for Musicians 🌿. Together, we’ll use simple yet powerful tools to calm your nervous system, create “sanctuary moments” before practicing or performing, and discover how a single moment of centered presence can transform your music — and your life.

💫 Perfect if you’re new to this holistic approach, and deeply enriching if you’re ready to strengthen your foundation.

👉 Send me a message if you’d like the details.

Your sensitivity to the world’s challenges isn’t a weakness — it’s your artistic superpower. Let’s nurture it together and create music that offers sanctuary to others, while protecting the sanctuary within ourselves. ❤️

With love,
Jennifer