A LEADING figure in the Irish traditional music world is reminding all musicians of the need to look after their health.
Belfast’s recent Fleadh Cheoil na hEíreann has resulted in a surge of interest in learning musical instruments.
Belfast Tradfest artistic director Donal O’Connor told this newspaper there is a need to protect against physical injuries and be mindful of mental wellbeing.
The message is that you have to look after yourself when playing an instrument.
“You have to warm up, stretch, mind your posture and positioning,” he said. "And we want to bring more focus to the wellbeing and healthcare side of playing traditional music going forward.
“There are more and more people playing and more and more people learning so it has to be considered.”
Former lawyer Anne Macmillan got a retraining grant when she retired from the Bank of Ireland. With that she retrained as a yoga instructor.
Anne Macmillan
“I have been practising yoga myself for more than 25 years,” she said.
“I found that I enjoyed teaching and passing on the benefits to other people.”
Anne guided musicians through yoga sessions at Belfast Tradfest at the end of July.
“I played the recorder and trombone as a child, learned the tin whistle at 56, and I have played the flute now for about 10 years. I have friends who are musicians. We all suffer from flute shoulder or fiddle chin, or whatever it is.
“As musicians, amateur or professional, we are always holding our bodies in unnatural positions.
“The only way to deal with that is to be flexible and strong.”
