2024 has been a bit of a mixed year for me, playing wise although I have enjoyed a couple of new opportunities, I have been restricted in my playing by a series of relatively minor health issues. Way back in January I had just about recovered from a dose of Covid, But was suffering with a very lose front tooth, not only was this extremely uncomfortable it made playing extremely difficult. Over January and February I had several visits to the dentist and eventually ended up with the tooth being extracted and replaced with a plate! The false tooth looked fine, and after a while I sort of got used to eating with it, although I can't say that I was happy with it, I just, sort of, got used to it. What I couldn't get used to was playing with it! I tried playing without it but very quickly realised that a lot of teeth aren't too important for playing but the front ones definitely are essential. Trying to play with the plate in sucked a lot of the joy out of it, I found that it impacted my articulation (expected) intonation (not so much) and power (most surprising!) I have long been used to the idea that I can modify the tone by changing the shape of the inside of my mouth, but this was extreme!
After a few months I was able to see an implant specialist, by that point I was reconciled to playing a lot of money, and even having to take time away from playing simply in order to have some sort of future as a brass player. I soon discovered that my specialist is a trombone player and instantly understood my problems, even better he was able to offer a potential solution. I had been told before that bridge work probably wasn't an option, now I was told it was, this would mean that I would have some "gubbins" in my mouth, but a lot less than the plate, it would cost a lot less than the expected implant, and perhaps more important it would not mean taking time off playing.
I still had to work on my embouchure, and articulation took a bit of getting used to, but my tome, my power and my intonation were back. I had just about got back into practise when I went to a week long Summer school and came away with tendonitis. Once again I had to take time off from playing while my right hand and wrist recovered, at least I had some exercises to do to speed my recovery, once again I had to get back into practise, and then just in time for Christmas I fell down some stairs and brock a rib! All in all I think I was in decent playing form for less than half the year, maybe as much as a third, but it was hard work. Now I'm on another enforced break and will have an uphill journey getting my chops back in time for my first gig of the year in January!
I'm looking forward to 2025 being full of music, with lots of playing, lots of conducting, some new arrangements, and hopefully some new compositions ~ once again I also plan to go to more concerts I'm not playing in.
