Euphonium Accidents

[JTJ]

About 10 years ago I was playing a concert in a large arts center auditorium. The almost new Yamaha Neo euphonium was in an open case behind a curtain in a very dark area. I went to pick it up, tripped somehow, and took a knee onto the valves. The valve set was pushed back out of alignment to some horrible amount, all tubing connecting the valves was bent. It was unplayable and cost $2500 to fix. I sold it to cover the cost of repair and bought another euphonium.

[John Morgan]

About 10 years ago I was playing a concert in a large arts center auditorium. The almost new Yamaha Neo euphonium was in an open case behind a curtain in a very dark area. I went to pick it up, tripped somehow, and took a knee onto the valves. The valve set was pushed back out of alignment to some horrible amount, all tubing connecting the valves was bent. It was unplayable and cost $2500 to fix. I sold it to cover the cost of repair and bought another euphonium.

Ouch!! That had to hurt, both emotionally and financially. I play in a symphony where the back stage is always very dark after the concert when you go to put your horn up, also during the concert. I know exactly what you are talking about. I feel like I need to invest in one of those flashlights that you can strap to your head like the miner's lights.

[dsurkin]

Does this count? 1981, moving a 130 pound Yamaha speaker cabinet up the concrete stairs leading from the basement (of the house I had then) - I had the speaker cabinet on my hand truck, and I slipped.

The hand truck was steel. No damage. The Yamaha was built like a tank. No damage. I, on the other hand...

[MichaelSchott]

Cringeworthy story. I returned home following a rehearsal and was taking my horn in it’s soft case down the basement steps to my studio when I slipped due to the snow on my boots. I squeezed the case between my body and arm to keep from falling and later realized I squeezed the entire center section toward the middle of the horn. Thankfully the amazing Kevin Power redid the solders on the tubing and it was as good as new.

[Micah.Dominic.Parsons-OFFLINE]

Hello everyone,

It is absolutely incredible how these things happen when we least expect them and no matter how careful we are.

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

[mbrooke]

I have been fortunate to never have anything major happen. I have two small dents that happened during community band rehearsals. For the first, someone showed up late and was trying to squeeze in front of me to get to their chair. They knocked over my music stand. While I manged to block it, the hevay folder hit and left a small dent. Another time, the gut that sits next to me didn't put his mouthpiece in all the way and it flew out when he lifted his horn. Fortunately it just grazed my horn. We did have a trombone player that actually balanced his horn by sitting is bell down on his chair during break. Of course, someone knocked it over and then stepped on the slide when they were trying to catch it. The lesson is always put your horn in a case and out of the way if it is not with you! And carry a bat to keep people away!

Mike

[Micah.Dominic.Parsons-OFFLINE]

Hello everyone,

I have seen many accidents happen but I think the most accidents that I have seen have occured in transit when using gig bags or even hard cases.

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons