MUSICIANS
INSTRUMENTALISTS, SINGERS AND CONDUCTORS
MUSICIANS
INSTRUMENTALISTS, SINGERS AND CONDUCTORS
As a musician, you already know that the body does not lie. It carries the truth of your training through repetitive hours of everyday practice, through long seasons of repertoire, through the pressure of each performance — whether it unfolds on a concert stage, in an orchestra pit, or in the quiet of a practice room. Somewhere along the way, many musicians lose touch with the ease that first drew them to their instrument, mistaking effort for progress and tension for discipline. This work is about finding that ease again, so that the freedom you feel in your playing is not occasional, but structural — and in service to your music.
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If you recognize any of these patterns in your own playing…
…Persistent discomfort in your arms, wrists, shoulders, or back
…a stubborn stiffness that lingers even after a thorough warm-up
…a technical plateau, where increased practice no longer yields progress
…a deep sense of fatigue that builds through hours of rehearsal
…an underlying tension that quietly compromises your intonation, depth of sound, or breath control
…an elusive technique that shifts unpredictably from day to day, leaving you wondering why your body feels so entirely different each time you pick up your instrument
…a wave of performance anxiety that triggers a physical response completely beyond conscious control
None of this reflects a flaw in your training.
It is simply information waiting to be understood, and my work is here to offer a different path forward.
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MY FRAMEWORKS
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My work bridges the gap between musical tradition and movement physiology, offering a foundation that is healthier, more expressive, and resilient:
Physiological ease that replaces chronic strain with a sense of lightness, freedom, and space in your movement.
Enhanced technical reliability born from a deep, clear understanding of the physical mechanics that underlie your technique.
Professional resilience to meet the demands of exhausting rehearsals and heavy repertoire, ensuring your physical stamina matches your artistic drive.
Psychological grounding on stage, anchoring a reliable physical foundation so that your mind can remain calm and steady under pressure.
Sustainable progress that transforms the practice room from a place of repetitive grind into an efficient, rewarding process of long-term growth.
Artistic freedom that allows you to bypass technical frustration and reconnect with the pure enjoyment of your craft.
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Kathryn Spencer, violinist
Royal Opera House
As a professional violinist of 25 years I had a range of learned postures which I had begun to realise were causing me problems both physically and psychologically, in the sense that I no longer felt as free to move and breathe while playing.
Thao's unique approach enabled me to become conscious of movements that had become habitual both while playing and in daily life. This has helped me develop a more free sensation while playing which has given me an ease to my physicality and more comfort and endurance day-to-day.
I found her suggestions very practical as they were easy to incorporate into my playing almost immediately, rather than separate exercises to be done exclusively before playing my instrument. Previously, I have found it difficult to incorporate more static postural ideas whilst playing the violin, however Thao's approach is based on fluid movement, which makes it ideal for musicians.
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Q & A
Is this work only for musicians who are in pain?
Not at all, and this is, in many ways, the more important half of the work. Physical ease is not simply the absence of injury. It is the foundation from which expression becomes possible. When the body moves without unnecessary tension, sound changes with it. Tone opens, phrasing becomes more responsive, and the instrument stops asking to be fought. Musicians come to this work for many reasons. Some are managing pain, others are preparing for a demanding season, and many simply want to close the gap between the sound they can hear internally and the one currently reaching the audience. All of these are, at their root, the same question.
What exactly is a Performance Health Specialist?
A Performance Health Specialist works at the intersection of artistic training and the science of human movement. Rather than waiting for pain to appear and treating it after the fact, the focus is on understanding the physical patterns beneath your playing, how you move, where tension accumulates, and how those habits shape the sound you produce. The aim is not simply injury prevention, but a deeper technical freedom, a body that supports the artistry instead of quietly limiting it.
Are you a physiotherapist or a doctor?
No. I don't diagnose, and for anything acute, or anything that needs a medical opinion, I will always point you toward the right professional rather than work around it. But easing pain is very much part of this work. What I don't do is treat pain as an isolated symptom to be managed. I look at the pattern producing it. That's often where this work differs from physiotherapy, and the two tend to sit well together rather than in competition. If you find yourself returning for the same treatment every few months for what is essentially the same issue, that recurrence is usually worth paying attention to. It tends to mean the body is asking for something more lasting than relief, a look at what keeps recreating the problem in the first place. My training, built specifically around the physical demands of musicians, is shaped for exactly that kind of question.
Why don't you offer single sessions?
Because a single session, however insightful, rarely changes anything lasting. Body awareness is not information that arrives all at once. It is a capacity that develops through repetition, reflection, and the accumulation of small recognitions over time. What I offer is not a set number of hours, but a process of change, and a process asks for a degree of commitment from both sides in order to actually take hold. Musicians who come expecting a single conversation to resolve years of habit are often looking for the wrong thing here, not because the insight isn't real, but because insight alone rarely rewires a pattern. That said, my introductory package exists precisely for those who want a genuine, structured taste of the work before committing further.
Where do I start?
Most musicians begin with a short introductory process, simply to feel how this work operates before going further. From there, the path tends to depend on what's most alive for you at the time. Some move into a longer foundation process to build a more thorough understanding of their physical patterns, while others are preparing for a specific performance and want that preparation woven directly into the work. The exact structure is something we shape together after the first session, once I understand where you're starting from and what you're working toward.
How many sessions does it take before I notice a change?
It's honestly impossible to say with any precision, and I'd be wary of anyone who claimed otherwise. Change moves at the pace of the individual. It depends on your prior experience with body awareness work, what's currently happening in your life and practice, and how much space you have to actually absorb what comes up in a session. What I can say is that this is exactly why the work is structured as a process rather than a single encounter. Consistency, more than any single breakthrough, is what allows change to settle into the body rather than remain an idea about the body.
What actually happens in a session?
Each session begins with a conversation about how you're feeling physically and what you're working toward artistically. From there, you'll play a passage that currently feels difficult, and together we identify where tension or inefficient movement is shaping the sound. We work through targeted exercises addressing what we've found, then return to the same passage to notice what has shifted, both physically and in the sound itself. Depending on what comes up, I'll sometimes send you home with a small set of exercises to continue with, either woven directly into your practice or done separately to build strength and awareness on their own. It's an iterative rhythm of observing, adjusting, and listening again, session after session.
Do you work online, or only in person?
Both, either at my studio in Stockholm or online through a platform we agree on together. The two work equally well, because the aim is never simply to correct you from the outside, but to develop your own perception until you can trust it on your own. What I'm guiding you toward is an internal compass, individual to you, and, like you, capable of continuing to change as you do. Learning to meet your body freshly each day is what, over time, lets it support your artistic voice instead of working against it.
What languages do you work in?
Sessions can be conducted in English, Vietnamese, or Polish, whichever you're most comfortable working in.
Where should I start?
It depends on what feels most immediate to you right now. If the priority is resolving a physical limitation of your own or preparing for performance, the Musicians path is the natural starting point. If you're looking to protect your own longevity while learning how to guide students safely through their own physical development, the Educators framework is built for that. Many people move between the two over time, and if you're genuinely unsure, the free 20 minute call is a good way to think it through together first.
How does booking and managing sessions work?
The process is designed to stay out of your way. Once you choose a package, checkout is handled securely through Stripe, after which you'll receive access to your own client portal. From there, you can view availability, book sessions directly, and keep track of how many sessions you have left, all in one place, without back and forth scheduling.
*The booking system ic currently unavailable, please e-mail me at thaolepianist@gmail.com to book directly.
I'm not sure which package I need. Can I still book a call?
Yes, and this is exactly what the free 20 minute call is for. Choosing where to begin isn't always obvious, particularly if what you're navigating is more subtle than acute pain. Use the call to talk through what you're experiencing and what you're working toward, so we can figure out the right path together before you make any commitment.
*The booking system ic currently unavailable, please e-mail me at thaolepianist@gmail.com to book directly.