Wichita Area: Summer 2018 Music and Arts Events

Enjoying the bluegrass music of the Steel Wheels at the Bartlett Arboretum in Bel Plaine, KS.

Sunday, my husband and I attended an outdoor concert at Bartlett Arboretum where we heard the bluegrass music of the Steel Wheels. If you haven’t heard this group, go to Amazon Prime Music and listen. They are seriously amazing. Not only was the music amazing, but the location was beautiful. You are surrounded by trees that seem to touch the sky. And another amazing part is that the tickets were only $10 a person, and kids 10 and under are free. They have many concerts throughout the summer. Continue reading “Wichita Area: Summer 2018 Music and Arts Events”

Secret Pain of a Musician

Midway through playing piano at Mass tonight, my eyes were stinging with tears. The pain in my wrist was back. The sharp, searing pain of tendonitis, followed by the constant burn. It is a familiar pain and discomfort. One that I have fought for the past 15 years, and is the result of injury caused by something that brings me so much joy – playing piano.

My story is unfortunately not unique. In college I read a study where over 75% of the musicians they interviewed had an injury that interfered with their playing. My pain started in the early years of high school and was fairly mild. My hands would bother me off and on, but it wasn’t ever an issue and it never interfered with other activities. Continue reading “Secret Pain of a Musician”