Wellbeing tips from a DEBUT pianist

Horizon Artist Rieko Makita shares some ways she promotes wellbeing as a busy professional.

“I try to write out the things that I want to achieve - goals for the next two months, and reflections as well.”

Rieko recently performed at DEBUT’s flagship Secret Concert series in Shoreditch Treehouse.

Pianist Rieko Makita is a DEBUT Horizon artist.

Rieko talks about fitness, yoga and mental wellbeing, and shares some helpful ways to keep up healthy habits with a musician’s hectic calendar.

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“(Journaling) is kind of a thing that I go back to... I occasionally bail and then find my way back.”

Check out this list of Yoga guides from Alternative Classical

“...It’s important to keep setting time aside each week to do some of the things I love.”

Subscription services for gyms and classes can help if you need a flexible option

Journals

Taking time for myself to make journals is really helpful.

I started to read this book called ‘The Artist’s Way’ by Julia Cameron, and she talks about having ‘morning pages’ - the first thing you do is write out your thoughts each day as you wake up. It’s about clearing your mind so that creativity can find its way into your life.

Has it affected you as a performer?

It’s nice to have time to reflect outside of busy periods of working and travelling - and outside of the morning pages, I also try to write out the things that I want to achieve - goals for the next two months, and reflections as well. I think about what I’ve achieved and how long it takes to achieve them. 

It’s kind of a thing that I go back to now and then, and I occasionally bail and then find my way back!

Yoga 

I Love yoga. And I recently discovered a really beautiful yoga studio in Notting Hill called Life Centre. I've been to three or four classes there now, using ClassPass, which enables you to use different places on credit.

Classes can vary, with focuses on breath, core strength, flexibility, calming down, and relieving stress. All of these are essentials for musicians. 

ClassPass

I’ve used this for several years, and really recommend it - exercise is such a huge part of being a musician and staying well. Through exercise you can avoid injury, and boost your mental wellbeing.

As a pianist, practicing is very active, but it all happens in the same room. It’s so important to have that variation. Lots of the exercises I go to are like a creative event - you’re exploring your body in a different way.

As a musician, you don’t have a fixed schedule or even location, so options like Classpass great for me.

Doing something you love

I love playing the piano, but doing something you love on the side is really important. So it’s important to keep setting time aside each week to do some of the things I love:

• Cooking

• Art galleries

• Concerts (even if they’re not classical!)

This year, I signed up to an art class with the London Fine Arts Studio in Battersea. Compared to other schools, it’s really affordable, and I go there once a week on a Saturday morning. We started with charcoal drawings and then moved on to painting with oil. It’s given me another outlet that is very separate from my work and playing.

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