Breath therapy

A demonstration of what can be accomplished with breathing exercises (respiratory therapy) and electronic wind instruments.

See the Explanation page and download the sheet music at our Download page!

Introducing

My name is Evelien and I am 18 years of age.

Till the age of 7 I was healthy and went to a regular school. Then I became ill. It started with nausea, I couldn't eat in the mornings and I often had hiccups. I also had frequent headaches. Then they found out that I had a brain tumor and also a haemangioma in my right cheek. Since then I have had a lot of operations. The most extensive operation was 8 years ago, on the brain stem. The tumor in the brainstem turned out to be a haemangioma also. Due to this operation I can't swallow and I am fed through a tube in my stomach. My cough reflex is gone as well and I am not able to cough up my mucus. Because of this I have a tracheostomy and am on a ventilator during the night. During the day time I use an electric wheelchair. I have reduced sensation in my hands and feet because of a polyneuropathy.

Through school I started therapy to improve my breathing. That is where I met Ruud van der Wel. I enjoyed playing the electric wind instrument a lot but my fingers kept slipping and were in the wrong place all the time. Then we discovered that if I look in a mirror I do manage to press the right tones. Because I have the least sensation in my left hand I only play with my right hand. This way I can't play all the tones but there are enough songs left to play. When I play a tune Ruud accompanies me on the guitar, good fun!

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Hear Evelien play a nursery rime. Evelien uses a miror. The WX5 is mounted on a low home-made microphone stand. She uses a peace of wood to fix(ate) unused keys and the transposebuttons on the back of the instrument are covered.

In April 2005 we had a Special guest. Ebred Reijnen from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra jammed with us. Hear our Chamber Concerto in G major for violin, WX5 and guitar. Hear our Chamber Concerto for violin, WX5, guitar and Eveliens dog "Noortje".

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