PROJECT #BEYOUROWN BOSS:​ JULIA MASAKI

We are back for our second season of the #BEYOUROWN Boss Project whereby we are taking fantastic women to talk openly to us all about what it means to each of them to BE YOUR OWN Boss in the 21st century. So in the fourth installment of our 6 part campaign, we present cellist Julia Misaki.

My name is Julia Misaki and I am a cellist. I began playing the cello under the Suzuki Method in Osaka, Japan at the age of five, practicing on a makeshift tissue box with rubber bands for a fingerboard. Since then I have played with The St. Louis Youth Symphonic Orchestra and Southeast Missouri University Orchestra among others. I currently live in Los Angeles, California and work as a session musician. I also have my own boutique studio where I incorporate music therapy into restorative movement work with clients. My background in movement includes studies in ballet at The Boston Ballet School and The St. Louis Ballet School. I’ve also studied The Feldenkreiss Method, Biomechanics, The Alexander Technique and have internationally recognized certifications through STOTT Pilates and Yogaworks. In the future, I plan to perform and record live cello performances playing classical pieces and new composers in an effort to help herd the genre of classical music in particular towards to a younger audience. I also would like to transition from a boutique to a full-sized studio, while further studying and deepening my understanding of the integration between biomechanics and sound in service of healing.

The biggest challenge so far is that I have a limited background in business, which made the endeavor of starting on my own initially intimidating. I had to remind myself that whenever starting something new, an element of fear is to be expected and welcomed. My motto now is to dive in. I find it easy to fall back on excuses and cocoon myself in the safety of institutionalised education. Whether it’s accumulating more degrees and certificates, there will always be more than I can learn-however,  that shouldn’t stop me from feeling inadequate to start building now. No matter where I am in the process of creating, educating myself and remaining curious about the subject remains a priority.

To me, BE YOUR OWN Boss means embracing that we, women, have the tenacity, guts, and intelligence to take the reins. I am beyond inspired by the current surge of women making their voices heard and embracing positions of financial independence.  This is where it has to start. The girls now who are witnessing and taking on social cues from the women in their lives will grow up to become magnificent- and for that, I could not be more excited. Just imagine what can be accomplished in a future with everyone at the table and all of our voices heard.

Instagram: @misakijul

Youtube: Www.youtube.com/c/JuliaMisaki

Website: https://misakimovement.com