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Overcoming Aphasia: The Journey of Graham Hall
In this episode of 'On the Tip of My Tongue,' hosts Rob Edwards and Jonathan Hirons discuss aphasia with Graham Hall, an orchestral percussionist who suffered a stroke a decade ago. Graham shares his experiences dealing with aphasia, its impact on his career, and the challenges of regaining his speech and musical abilities. Despite losing the joy in playing music, Graham found fulfilment in music arrangement and preparation. The discussion touches on brain injury recovery, neuroplasticity, and the importance of continuous practice. Graham's story aims to raise awareness about aphasia and encourages support for individuals with brain injuries.
00:00 Introduction and Personal Story
00:34 Welcome to the Podcast
00:52 Understanding Aphasia
01:45 Graham Hall's Stroke Experience
03:20 Challenges in Music Post-Stroke
06:00 Reconnecting with Music
10:07 Living with Aphasia
14:31 Raising Awareness and Support
27:58 The Role of Family and Friends
29:55 Creative Coping Mechanisms
33:06 Conclusion and Resources

Before my stroke (2014) I used parody to comment/mock the situation in my musical life.
So I've been using that to describe my new life with aphasia. The lyrics are "contrafactum" (the substitution of text for another without change to the music) and comment on how I cope with brain damage and aphasia. The irony is that despite having musical anhedonia I'm still a musician!

https://grahamhall.bandcamp.com

Amongst other books , Graham recommends Musicophilia

[ https://www.oliversacks.com/oliver-sacks-books/musicophilia-oliver-sacks/]

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This podcast is funded by https://www.bas.org.uk

To watch Jonathan’s film: https://tipofmytonguefilm.com
http://x.com/buffaloloungeuk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhirons/
The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia website
http://aphasiatavistocktrust.org