Bikram Yoga: Too Darn Hot for Me

Since moving to Vegas, I've taken advantage of the wide variety of yoga options. Most recently I decided to try Bikram Yoga. Bikram has messianic devotees who seem to love its practice. (To watch a 60 Minutes interview with founder Bikram Choudury click here) I admire their focus and commitment but after 2 classes, I've decided it just isn't the right style of yoga for me. They do a set series of poses in order which makes for great discipline, but I couldn't help but miss so many of my favorite asanas. I thought I'd developed a better tolerance for heat since I moved to the Mojave desert, but the humidity makes the heat index too extreme for me to feel healthy. The heat does increase flexibility and certainly makes you be present and live in the moment because all you can do is think of the Kiss Me, Kate song, "It's Too Darn Hot!" If you love to sweat profusely then you may love Bikram, but I felt exhausted from dehydration. As a singer living in the desert, I just don't think it's the right fit for me. Finally, I missed having music to guide and enhance my practice. There was no restorative meditation in Bikram's so-called "torture chamber." So my exploration of yoga styles will continue. I'm enjoying the journey but I hope I'll soon find a studio to call my own.

Wonderful time at Wanderlust

This wonderful yoga and music festival did not disappoint. Check out the great view from The Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool.

Cosmopolitan Wanderlust

The yoga and music festival known as Wanderlust is coming to Vegas this weekend! This is my chance to take an Anusara class with its creator, John Friend. Plus I've heard that the Cosmopolitan is a beautiful venue. I'm not familiar with the featured act Thievery Corporation but it sounds like they're a mix of reggae, jazz and Indian classical music. We shall see!

Red Rock Mudra

Hiking at Red Rock Canyon this weekend, I took a moment to meditate on the majestic beauty (and to catch my breath after a steep climb). This hand yoga posture known as Jnana mudra

helps maintain focus and concentration, so it's useful for singers, hikers, et al. I want to do Yoga Sanctuary's Red Rock Yoga Class/Hike but instead of paying $39 for it, I did my own solo hike and meditation for free.

Flow Yoga feature

Yoga for Singers is now featured in Flow Yoga magazine!
Click here for
Flow Yoga link

Yoga in the Yucatan

It's been a busy summer with a cross-country move, but I found time to do some yoga while in Playa del Carmen. Sun salutations sure feel good on the Mayan Riviera!

I've been doing a fair bit of composing (more on that to follow) and exploring the yoga scene in Vegas. From Expressive to Kundalini, Sanctuary to Blue Sky, it's great to have so many options. But I'm most excited about meeting my new students at UNLV, hearing auditions, and starting work on a new opera production.

Yogaforsingers.com is launched

I am so excited to announce the launch of my new website:

YOGAFORSINGERS

The site shares information about my book as well a link to my
YOUTUBEPAGE

Yoga is an ancient tradition, but Yoga for Singers is trying to be very 21st century!

Druid City Opera Workshop Part Deux

I am looking forward to teaching at the 2nd annual Druid City Opera Workshop next week. Besides teaching Yoga for Singers, I get to direct scenes from Elixir of Love, Le nozze di Figaro and Cosi fan tutte. Tuscaloosa was recently ravaged by record tornadoes, so it will be interesting to be working in the city. I'm glad that the workshop wasn't cancelled because it can bring business to Tuscaloosa when it needs it the most.

Now Tweeting

I've finally joined Twitter. Despite my initial resistance, I must admit that I am finding it to be a fun and interesting endeavor. Follow me at @LindaLister1. I am following a number of singers (from Renee Fleming to Lady Gaga) but so far Deepak Chopra has my favorite tweets.

YFS ebook now available

The ebook of Yoga for Singers is now available! It is an ePub, which works on iPad, iPhone, iTouch, Nook, Android, Kobo and Sony Reader. Not on Kindle, unfortunately. So soon I will make a Kindle-friendly pdf available on my website. But for now, buy the ePub or paperback at Lulu.

Yoga for Singers is published!

I am so excited to announce the publication of my book, Yoga for Singers: Freeing Your Voice and Spirit Through Yoga. The culmination of years of work (plus blood, sweat and tears), my book is finally on sale!
CLICK HERE TO BUY!. In 6-8 weeks, it should also be available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retail outlets.

"B is for Bad Poetry" premieres

On March 21, I returned to Rome to see the senior recital of my former student, Emily Tweedy. In a gorgeous dress suitable for Lakme, she sang the world premiere of a set I wrote for her entitled B is for Bad Poetry. Based on Pamela August Russell's hilarious book, the set seemed to amuse the audience thanks to Emily's witty performance.

Liszt and Lister

Tonight UE presented an evening celebrating the birthdays of Chopin and Liszt. I sang my first Liszt song, the gorgeous "Oh! quand je dors." Although I have always loved this song, for some reason I had never performed it before. I will get to sing it again later this month at another concert, this time with harp. Liszt, Hugo, Petrarch. Nice company indeed...

YFS at UTK

I recently had the pleasure of presenting a Yoga for Singers workshop at the graduate vocal seminar at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Special thanks to their vocal coach/collaborative pianist, the fabulous Patrick Harvey. The book release of YFS is so close I can taste it!!

New job at UNLV

Big change is in the air for me. This fall I will be joining the faculty at the University of Nevada Las Vegas as voice professor and Director of Opera Theatre. I will miss Evansville (especially my Victorian carriage house apartment) but this is an exciting new opportunity. I can't wait to direct opera again! And it will be an adventure exploring Vegas. It's not Paris, but at least I will have my own (faux) Eiffel Tower!

Sookie Stackhouse song premieres

Tonight was the joint voice faculty recital at the University of Evansville. I sang my song cycle Pleas to Famous Fairies, which my former student Laura Collins premiered in 2009. But for this event I wrote a new fairy song "Sookie Stackhouse" in honor of the True Blood character who was recently revealed to be a fairy. The audience laughed at the song's Jersey Shore joke (Sookie-Snooki). And it was great fun to sing the Offenbach Orpheus Fly Duet, the Merry Widow Cavalier duet and an HMS Pinafore trio with my colleagues.

YFS at NOA

I started the new year by giving a presentation at the 2011 National Opera Association convention in San Antonio. Entitled Yoga Breathing and Meditation for Opera Singers, the session focused on using pranayama techniques as well as meditation with mantras, mudras, and chanting. It was great to see former mentors and old friends such as David Holley (UNCG Opera Theatre) and Paul Houghtaling (UA Opera Theatre).

Rejoice greatly: Evansville Philharmonic debut

On Dec. 11 I made my debut with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. I was the soprano soloist for two performances of Handel's Messiah. The first was a candlelight concert at Trinity United Methodist Church in Evansville while the second was presented in the Granary in New Harmony. A wonderful way to start the holidays!

Photo: With tenor Steven Stolen.

Holiday Pops at Victory Theatre

The University of Evansville presented its annual Holiday Pops concert downtown at the beautiful Victory Theatre. I got to sing one of my favorites, the Judy Garland classic: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Mood Indigo premieres

Yesterday was the inaugural Mood Indigo jazz jam at UE. We had a good crowd in the Ridgway Center. Today we continued our musical adventures as the pre-show act for WUEV's "Happy Holidays and All That Jazz" concert.

Pictured: Lauren McMillen a.k.a Zooey Deschanel