Has anybody ever played a gig or an audition while sick?

[Rick Denney]

Who hasn't?

Adrenalin is wonderful stuff. It doesn't last, but it will often get you through a gig.

I've been sick with something about every four or five weeks since October. There was a salmonella infection. Then the southern California flu (same place where I picked up the salmonella). Then severe flu during the Army conference, complete with high fever. And I'm still plugged up from a cold or flu that I've had for 8 days now.

I played a concert at the end of the salmonella episode, when I was weak and dehydrated. I played a Christmas concert with the SC flu. I played in the reading sessions at the Army Conference (foolish, you say? no argument), and I'm headed for rehearsal tonight. The only time I have a problem during an actual performance is when the symptom is diahrrea, which is not to be denied. But after the gig, the bed had better be close.

Rick "ready for this winter to be over" Denney

[sloan]

Yes, I've played a gig while sick.

The concert was on Wednesday, and I had a 101F fever. so, I played.

On Saturday, I was scheduled to play another concert, but this one required a 45 minute drive and my temp was 102F.

so, I cabbed to the ER, and was admitted.

The next day, I "coded".

about a week later, I woke up. [with many morphine-induced dream memories!]

Eventually, all the tubes and needles were disconnected, and I was sent home....a month later I was able to start playing again, after being cleared by the lung specialist.

Listen to your body.

[Tabor]

Pneumonia last year for an extended period of time. It was tough. I was the lone tuba for the concert band and a quintet in the same concert.

I actually fell down when I tried to stand up during a rehearsal for the concert. I just couldn't get a deep breath. For the concert, I took out the old tuba stand, re-evaluated some of my dynamics, phrasing and so on, and made it through without any real problems.

[imperialbari]

The railway band of Korsør plays a New Years concert the second Sunday of January every year at a social center for the elderly.

In 2000 my 19 years older section mate, Ove, and I both were down with high fever flu. I said: I’m the younger and stronger one, I will do the job.

Since then I have had around 50 pneumonias. And I don’t play for real any more.

My love for music hardly can be disputed.

Still my toughly learned experience says: If you are sick, then stay in your bed. No matter how bad a musician you are, a worse substitute can be bought for money.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

[LoyalTubist]

I did one audition 24 hours after proctology surgery and got the position. If you really put your mind to something, and forget what's hurting you, you can do anything.