I'm writing here today to introduce myself as encouraged by Caspiana. At the moment I am in the shielding category with Bronchiectasis though I manage that condition pretty well and kind of disagree that I'm "extremely clinically vulnerable" I had a strop with my GP about that since my fear was that I would be prohibited from travel in the months ahead. The upshot was that the doctor gave me the discretion to get out as and when I chose but to take all risks bla bla.
You might ask "What the hell is that title about". Well, I had a delivery of a piano stool at the end of last week. Not the real McCoy but a pretty good imitation nonetheless. A bit squashy as I sit down, glossy black finish and space for storing sheet music.
Until lockdown began I was a "Volunteer Ward Musician" in UCLHospital, London and have so many wonderful stories of sharing music at the bedside whether it be from a portable keyboard of using a Bluetooth speaker and downloading patient requests via Spotify. So I am happy to tell a few tales on this site, some of good humour and some just inspirational. Maybe some of you have favourite tunes from the past. Music can be transformative and healing. I am not a perfect pianist but I do like to entertain and try a tell a story. If I make mistakes on the keybaord then I laugh and say that's part of who I am!
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Greenthorn
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Well what a lovely thing to have done Greenthorn! We'll definitely look forward to some of your stories. Music is really transformative and healing. It can change a mood in a moment and release tensions of all kinds. Take care and we'll look forward to your posts. Your stool looks really good too. I hope it gives you wonderful service.
Thanks Callendersgal. I appreciate all you say. It was one of your posts (or comments) the other day that prompted me to spend my time reading posts. I have some great stories to tell of more encounters on the ward. Watch this space and let me know the kind of songs you like or genre of music.
Hi David, and thank you. I have the widest imaginable range of likes in music, from classical to musicals and film theme, ballads, old pop of my youth, big bands, the sacred, in fact almost anything but rap. Shall look forward to your posts! 🙏
Thanks Jerry. I'll try to be entertaining on any posts. I miss visiting the ward I was assigned to. It wasn't long after the commencement of lockdown that the ward was converted to a Covid 19 ward. If and when I might return I will have to wear protective clothing and a mask. The scenario is difficult to contemplate as so much of the fun is the banter with a patient - difficult wearing masks.
I look forward to writing posts on a weekly basis so see you around and let me know what kind of music or songs you like.
I think that’s lovely. I bet you loved doing that. Shame COVID came along and mess it all up for everyone. I am looking forward to hearing your funny and inspiring stories 🙂
Thanks. I only wish I had taken notes on every occasion I returned home. But I have enough memories over a 3 year period that will see me write a dozen or more stories. I also played once a week in the atrium of a SW London hospital where many patients attended for psychiatric appointments. There was also a kids department at the hospital; one kid called Theo aged 3 was fascinated by the piano. Theo's story will be in the mix!
Welcome Greenthorn, we shall look forward too hearing a tale or two. It sounds a very worthwhile activity you perform at the hospital, when circumstances allow. Music is definitely healing and uplifting. 🎵
Thanks Bobbybobb. I was very often uplifted after playing on a ward. I may only see between 6 or 10 patients but there was always a 'diamond' moment, that precious moment when music would touch a heart and bring back a memory from yesteryear. Sometime a nurse would do a little dance at the bedside.
Ha Ha Midiri, that M and W joke is timeless, as was the pat on Andre Previn's cheek! In my case, too much enthusiasm on a lightweight keyboard leads to a few wrong notes. It isn't that I play in the wrong order, but that the right order can get 'smudged'. It's all part of the live performance ha ha.
I used to play myself, and I remember being mortified when I played a bum note! I gave up on piano, but am considering whether to take up the folk harp.
Whereas my brother had a natural talent for music and piano playing, I learnt through craft and constant practice. I hated lessons as a kid. It wasn't till I was 50 that I really began to listen to what I was playing and throwing the sheet music away. Day by day I trained my ears to recognise pitch intervals and I slowly began to develop an ' alphabet' of harmonic progressions. Sorry I'm going off a bit. But I did have the privilege of listening to a girl harpist in Roscommon, Ireland, she being only 14 years and the harp was 3/4 or 1l2 size. I wondered if one of those is a folk harp?
One of my school friends played the viledin. I remember at school my brother used a biro to inscribe the inside of the instrument with a rude word beginning with b and ending cks. This was never noticed by my friend until he took an exam and the examiner for some reason looked into the viledin, perhaps to learn of its value, only to be met with a rude awakening.
My son is on the spectrum too, and he tried using a harp some years ago. the girl who taught him said he could be good at it. Affording it is the trick, though!
Thanks Hb2003 - did you see my response to CJasmine earlier today on the SUCCEED post? I have been going back to UCLHospital since September. (I didn't go in at all during the first lockdown.) But after careful consideration and discussions with the Volunteer Managers, I agreed to go back and receive the up to date training re Covid. But I am not allowed at the moment to use my portable keyboard. Instead, I use a Bluetooth speaker and play requests from patients via Spotify on my mobile phone. At the moment there are very few visitors, only in special circumstances, so voluntary workers are a Godsend.I wish I had the time of day to write up and post some of my encounters with the staff and patients. I do make notes and promise to try harder as soem of the stories are really inspiring. Some very funny too.
By the way, I worked in two schools with autistic children -a ten year period and I retired three years ago. But still, keep in touch with the staff. Since you are now a "follower" you won't miss any of my posts ha ha.
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