Inspired by my father, in his nineties, starting to learn the piano. We have a piano that has been in the family for over a hundred years, my father in his twilight years has decided to learn to play as he said it seemed a shame to have it sitting there, gathering dust, unplayed. He’s practicing scales every day at the moment. He has never played an instrument before and has no prior ability to read music, so it is all new for him. I also, have never learned to read music, and always wanted to play the fiddle. So, I have started, even though the strings are blurry, I am feeling my way through it and beginning to learn the language of music. It would be easier for my father, as he has a background in science and mathematics, however, post-stroke my focus for compartmentalising information is better than its was pre-stroke, and I am turning my resurfaced OCD into a positive by applying it to music. Here is a hokey picture of me practicing at my friend’s art studio where he graciously put up with the croaky graces of my crotchets.
I also dyed my hair blonde, but that was for a play at the amateur dramatic society here. Unfortunately, the director felt, after months of rehearsal, that my health condition was not reliable enough for him to feel comfortable letting me carry on with the part. It was a mutual letting go. Only two weeks before showtime but he had given me such a large part with so many lines and I, also, felt it was a risk. I had let him know months before that he should consider recasting but he is an optimist and wanted to be with me as I met the challenges, however, that’s show business, and I’m left with bright blonde hair as a result.
not sure about the hair @Rups but well done on taking up the challenge and even more well done for being able to handle the downside of a challenge too far.
This can never stop you.
I’m not sure about the hair now either that it is now just part of my regular look as opposed to a character in a play. Friends have suggested turning it green, I have suggested a mohawk. Just got to wait until my true roots grow back. Otherwise, I’ll be singing … round, round, I get around, round, round, I get around … all summer long. Or, maybe, I just have a heart of glass.
There is another stroke survivor in the cast, a bit older than me and had his stroke a few years ago. His part and lines were minimal compared to mine, I think the director was overly ambitious, and I was stressing about it every night, to be fair.
I sympathise @Rups I know how easy it is to get in a turmoil over what starts out as a minor difficulty.
Before you know it a shadow is cast over everything.
As someone prone to black moods I know it is important to see it coming and step back from the edge early before it develops.
Take care buddy, but be brave, you are capable of great things.
I think both you and your father are doing great things.
It’s a shame you and the director decided to pull out two weeks before showtime after months of practice. It seems to me that if you had managed to keep going until just two weeks you were well on track to deliver.
You say it was a mutual decision but I feel that this was a mistake. To me it would make perfect sense to let you carry on and have your understudy on standby in the [unlikely] event you could not deliver. I think the risk was small, but I guess you and the director were in a better position to make the call.
Certainly, there are positives from this - you can look for your next part and hopefully this time you can go all the way.
Wishing you all the best with the fiddling
I never know what the difference is between a fiddle and a violin but hey diddle diddle.
I think perhaps you can sing the Beach Boys song all summer, but not sure about the Blondie song
Good luck learning the fiddle. I never mastered i but I did learn piano at school as my 2nd instrument for music college. I have always been able to read music & never actually remembering learning it although I must have
Loving the pics look forward to maybe a little video of you playing the fiddle in time.
