2023 was quite a quiet year for Flutewise activities and I thought you might be interested to know one of the main reasons. Me! I’ve been having enormous problems with my joints and a few weeks ago I had a shoulder replacement. I’m so enormously happy and grateful I’ve had this done. I was in a huge amount of pain and was gradually losing the use of my arm. Now my life has been transformed. Surgeons are so very, very clever.
Before my operation I saw a spinal surgeon as there is a problem with my neck. He devastated me by saying my flute playing days were over. This statement was like a red rag to a bull! No way could I imagine life without being able to play my flute, it’s as important to eating or breathing to me. So I began researching a solution.
The 3D kit sent from Maarten Vessler, flutelab.com
I had heard of a flute maker in Amsterdam, Maarten Vessler, who makes and adapts flutes for people with problems. I got in touch with him and he sent me a kit of 3D printed head joints to try out the angles. This was a brilliant idea as I could concentrate on the feel of the instrument rather than be distracted by the sound.
I also had a Zoom consultation with the wonderful Lea Pearson in Columbus, Ohio, who is a great expert on everything to do with the body and flute playing.
Maarten Vessler offered 2 shapes of head joints, a vertical one and a ‘swan neck’. I quickly realised I was much more comfortable with the swan neck. And huge excitement, Just Flutes actually had one in stock! Some lovely friends arranged to drive me up to Just Flutes, but the day before we were due to go I had a message from Just Flutes to say the head joint had been sold. I was a bit upset as you can imagine.
A couple of weeks later Maarten let me know he had made me a head joint and it was on it’s way to Just Flutes.
On the morning of my operation Jonathan Myall (from Just Flutes) drove down to my house with the head joint. That was quite magic, giving me a great incentive to recover from this major surgery and get playing again. I couldn’t do anything for about 4 days as my arm and hand were completely numb and I had to keep the arm in a sling all day and all night. My physiotherapist gave me permission to play for 3-5 minutes at a time, the disappointment was the head joint wouldn’t fit into my main flute so I had to try it on a old student model.
Me with Jonathan Myall with my new headjoint on the morning of my operation
Three weeks after surgery my husband drove me up to Just Flutes so Ian McLauchlan could fit the new head joint into my flute. It’s wonderful to be able to play with no discomfort. I’m enjoying exploring what the new head joint can do, but I do miss my original one. Who knows I might get back to it one day.
I’m really grateful to all the people who have supported me to make this happen (my surgeon, Maarten Vessler, Lea Pearson, Jonathan Myall and Ian McLauchlan) and I’m looking forward to getting back to Flutewise activities in 2024. I’ve always been concerned about posture and the size/weight of the flute with young people, that’s why I developed The Fife Book. Although my problems with my joints have not been caused with playing the flute, I do know many problems can be caused by poor posture and inappropriate use. I would urge everyone to check their posture and hand positions and for all flute teachers to make body awareness a top priority in lessons. Being in pain is awful and not being able to play is worse! Happy (pain free) flute playing.
