Hi,
I am currently a senior in high school. A little while ago, I got a rather severe injury on the index finger on my left hand. Unfortunately, the injury did not heal correctly. I can still play and have made some very competitive honor groups since, but it has somewhat affected my playing (I am a double bassist) and it has caused a lot of pain. I am looking at getting it reset, but the procedure could take me out of playing for over a month.
I am applying to some very competitive schools (namely IU, CIM, Eastman and Peabody), and I am wondering when (or if) I should get the procedure done if I can still play/function. If I get it done now, I will miss out on being in any honor orchestras (All-State, All-County, and a multi-state honor orchestra) in my state due to audition dates. If I wait for after college auditions, I am worried that that will be too much time away from playing right before college.
Does anyone have a similar experience or any advice?
I would do the procedure now. How important is it that you make All State etc at this point. Particularly if you were all state last year? When are your collegiate auditions? Aren’t you cutting it close to get back to playing prior to audition?
My D’16 pianist, was planning on applying/auditioning to two schools as a music major, injured her index finger in August and has been playing consistently for marching band (synth) and working on audition music. She saw a hand specialist last week. Her news…the playing that she has been doing in Aug/Sept/Oct so that she doesn’t “disappoint” her band director has now quashed her chances to audition for one/possibly both schools. The 2nd school has a late audition date of 1/15 that she may be able to make but it is unlikely. She is on strict orders to not play for 6 weeks or risk permanent issues.
Take the time to heal now. You can always explain under the special circumstances of most apps that you had an injury that prevented your auditioning.
As an occupational therapist, I agree with @labegg. Just because you can play now, doesn’t mean you should play now. You are running the risk of re injury or damaging the other joints that are compensating. See a specialist and come up with a game plan.
I agree with those above. All-state is not important; your career is. Make sure you are working with a hand specialist who has dealt with musicians.
Thank you for your advice. I had no really good advice before now (my private teacher wasn’t sure what to do and neither where my parents)
I second and third what the others have said, don’t take a hand injury lightly, a lot of musicians get felled by those kind of things. My son at one point broke his arm, and he was fortunate that the orthopedist was familiar with musicians (his wife was a violinist), and he helped my son with how he recovered and then built up the arm strength again. If it means missing the all state.