Liisa Tamminen

I’m a Finnish violist and yoga teacher living between Switzerland and Finland, lucky to call both places home. My yoga journey began in childhood, introduced by my mother, long before yoga became widely practiced.

 

Years later, while studying viola at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, The Netherlands, I discovered a yoga class at the dance academy located in the same building. I somehow found myself practicing among professional dancers and thought, “Wow, this is challenging!” But I was immediately drawn in. I began practicing daily and quickly saw how much it supported my playing, my focus, and overall well-being. I knew yoga was something I’d never want to let go of.

 

As I continued my career as a professional musician, yoga stayed with me. I studied wherever I could while travelling around the world—at a time when good teachers, studios and courses were harder to find and yoga wasn’t yet a trend. After exploring many styles, I found that Iyengar Yoga really resonated with me. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to study with wonderful teachers, including Senior Iyengar teacher Glenn Ceresoli, in India, Australia, and across Europe.

 

I have completed over 1,000 hours of professional yoga studies, including Level 1 and 2 Iyengar Yoga teacher trainings and several advanced Iyengar Yoga courses. In addition, I hold a Yoga Alliance certification (hatha yoga, vinyasa yoga), a certificate in Yoga for Children (Yoga Beez), as well as Mindfulness and Mindful Meditation certification (Yoga Alliance).

 

I’ve taught yoga for twenty years, including 17 at the Zürich Hochschule der Künste (Zurich University of the Arts), and I teach regularly at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, since 2018. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching numerous workshops for orchestras, universities, and music schools around the world, along with lecturing on yoga, mindfulness, and well-being. I offer a range of classes, including group sessions, one-on-one instruction, workshops, live-streamed classes, and corporate yoga. I also lead retreats for those who wish to deepen their practice.

 

My teaching has naturally evolved into a grounded, accessible style, rooted in the principles of classical Hatha Yoga and deeply influenced by my long-term studies of Iyengar Yoga. The clear alignment and mindful attention to detail in my classes come from this background. Since 2005, I’ve also developed a special Yoga for Musicians practice, shaped by my own experience as a violist. It’s a gentle yet powerful way to help musicians reconnect with their bodies, minds and breath.

 

Alongside teaching yoga, I perform as a freelance violist and baroque violist, working with orchestras, chamber groups, and early music ensembles across Europe. One of my favourite creative projects is a solo recital that weaves together baroque music, mindfulness and meditation, a combination that’s found its way into music festivals and concert halls alike.

 

It would be my true joy to guide and support you on your own yoga journey, no matter where you're starting from.