TY - JOUR T1 - <span hwp:id="article-title-1" class="article-title">European Doctors Orchestra</span><span hwp:id="article-title-2" class="sub-article-title">The first continental concert, in bucharest, june 2005</span><span hwp:id="article-title-3" class="sub-article-title">Past, present and future</span> JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 726 LP - 726 VL - 55 IS - 518 AU - Abi Berger AU - Michael Lasserson Y1 - 2005/09/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/55/518/726.abstract N2 - The first continental concert, in bucharest, june 2005There are two things that guarantee the cat will make a swift exit: the sight of the vacuum cleaner, or me getting my violin out of its case. For most of the last 20 years or so, the vacuum cleaner has posed by far the biggest threat as the violin has barely seen the light of day. But, early in 2005, all that changed.I had attended the European Doctors Orchestra (EDO) inaugural concert in November 2004, in Blackheath, London, more out of curiosity than anything else. Involuntary foot-tapping began early on, and it wasn't long before a smile became fixed on my face. It matched the smile on the faces of most of those who were playing. This thing was infectious. The overwhelming impact on me was that I came out determined to find the courage to play my violin again.Apart from a vague attempt at maintaining my musical interests when starting medical school, my own playing dwindled sharply to nothing once I started clinical training. A few desultory efforts over the course of the next two decades resulted in little else but a vague yearning and a huge dose of anxiety whenever I came close to playing again. I knew I missed the excitement of playing in an orchestra, but I had never quite found the right sort of group. I didn't want to take on a huge commitment or take music making too seriously; I wanted music to be fun.At first glance, the EDO seemed to have all the ingredients I was looking for. They invite anyone who has reached grade 6 or more to register for an intense 3 days of rehearsal followed by a concert. This happens twice a year, once in London and once ‘somewhere else in Europe’. Not only are there … ER -