THE MUSIC WARRIORS BREATH LAB
The ground beneath every note and every performance.
Do you sometimes feel the breath go shallow the moment someone is listening?
The sound follows - tighter, smaller, a little less yours.
Nerves and breath are connected. A free sound needs a free breath.
That's the work of The Breath Lab: freeing your breath so your sound can follow.
What this is
The Breath Lab is a live online working session for musicians who want to meet their breath in practice.
We work through the arc from movement and observation to active breathwork - from Aikido to yogic breathing techniques - and arrive at the awareness that you already hold the most powerful tool there is: the breath. It accompanies us our entire life. It holds incredible power for our wellbeing and our self-expression.
Not empty theory. Not a technique to add on top of everything else. A practice you can return to - before a performance, before a difficult passage, before you walk on stage.
If this resonates, you are warmly invited.
What we work with
We start with the body - joint warmup and movement to release what has quietly accumulated. From there we move into breath observation, belly breathing, and a series of breathwork practices drawn from Aikido and yogic traditions.
Each element connects to the next. This is not a sequence of separate tools - it is one continuous arc.
What musicians say about The Art of Breath
"Even after 30 years as a professional horn player, I was surprised how much excess tension Stefanie's work released. I suddenly had more air capacity, easier legato, better articulation and more power in my playing. Highly recommended."
Daniel Costello, associate principal horn, Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau, Germany
"It is a great course to get to know your body better, calm the nervous system and integrate breathing techniques into your playing."
Gretha Tuls, solo bassoon, Residentie Orchestra, The Hague, The Netherlands
Who this is for
Any musician who wants to be more connected with their own breath - and wants to use it in the moments it matters most.
Wind players, string players, pianists, singers - breath is the origin for all of us.
Every instrument descended from the human voice: that is sounding breath. That image is not just poetic. It is something you can feel in your playing, and carry into every performance.
The details
Session 1 of the Music Warriors Lab
17 June · 7 pm CEST · 90 minutes · Online via Zoom
Registration closes 16 June at 7 pm CEST.
Regular €47 - students €37 (Please send a copy of your valid student card to
If you have questions, write me an email:
Your guide
I'm Stefanie Liedtke, founder of Music Warriors.
I'm a performing musician myself. I still practice. I'm still working on how to play with more freedom and more confidence. That's exactly why I do this work — because I know what it costs to perform below what you're capable of, and I know what becomes possible when you free your breath to support your playing.
Two practices have shaped my work most deeply. Aikido - the Japanese martial art, which I have trained for over 30 years and hold a second dan black belt in — and Pranayama, the yogic breathing tradition, which I practice daily. Both live in everything I teach.
Stefanie Liedtke (foto's Michel Marang)
Why Can Martial Arts Enrich Our Musicianship?
Martial arts train balance, precision and centered strength.
This same coordination between body and mind allows musicians to perform with clarity and grounded presence.
Stefanie Liedtke/ Music Warriors - Address: Nieuwe Hoogstraat 28 B, 1011HG Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Email: [email protected] - KvK: 70611327 - VAT: NL001259091B85