"Xenia Pestova Bennett's approach to this subject is a breath of fresh air. Broadly rooted in calming down our physiological responses, she opens up important areas of exploration with a light touch and keen insight." - Steven Osborne, concert pianist
"Xenia provides simple, step-by-step instruction to help you achieve calm and inner peace. An ideal resource for anyone wanting to quieten the mind, and for performers in any field." - Patrick McKeown, Author of The Oxygen Advantage and The Breathing Cure
"Grounded in her career as a concert pianist, Xenia offers accessible and effective interventions to calm performance anxiety. This book brings together ancient contemplative practices and contemporary science. It's an incredible resource for performers of all kinds and from all walks of life." - Karina Ayn Mirsky, MA, ERYT; Author of Make a Difference & Make a Living Teaching Yoga: The Secret to Transforming Lives while Supporting YourSelf; Founder of Yoga Mindset Coaching
"LOVE, love, love, this book. Created by a musician-educator this is a veritable gold mine of tools and interventions that have been tried and tested first-hand. Top of the MUST READ list for performers and performance educators, from classical to traditional music - and everything in between." - Dr Liz Doherty, I Teach Trad: Professional Development for Irish Traditional Music Teachers
"This book is a helpful guide for anyone experiencing anxiety, including performance anxiety. Xenia's instruction is well researched, introducing readers to interventions from different health and wellness modalities and traditions with clarity and approachability. Her explanations on autonomic nervous system regulation through breath work and movement are simple, accessible, and are proven to be effective." - Jerry Givens, Author of Essential Pranayama
"Empowering wisdom emerges from these pages: the discovery that a slight shift in attention changes your state from anxiety and worry to a widening calm allowing your butterflies to fly in formation." - Penny O'Connor, MSTAT, Author of Alexander Technique for Actors
"The wisdom, kindness and curiosity that Pestova Bennett brings to bear in all her artistic work shines through in these pages, which are full of brilliant approaches to the alchemical problem we all - musicians included - face with turning our demons into something positive and powerful." - Rolf Hind, concert pianist and composer
"Xenia Pestova Bennett's research exploring the connections between body, mind and musical performance provides a holistic approach to an area that has hitherto been neglected. It is my view that the wellbeing potential of applying Xenia's practical techniques to all areas of life is profound, and I look forward to incorporating them more consistently into my creative practice in the future." - Dr Orla Flanagan, professional conductor and Assistant Professor of Music, Trinity College Dublin
