Roger Frisch of Plymouth, Minn., lay on the operating table with his hands clutching his violin to his chin. While surgeons operated on Frisch’s brain, Frisch began to play the chords he’s known for more than 30 years.

It seemed like a scene from a science fiction movie. But every note he played told the surgeons whether the electronic pulses they were sending to his brain worked to ease his body’s tremors.

In June 2009, doctors diagnosed Frisch with essential tremors, a condition that occurs when sections of the brain that control movement start sending abnormal signals.

Nearly 10 million Americans suffer from essential tremors, according to theInternational Essential Tremor Foundation.

The condition most often affects hand movements, and simple tasks such as drinking a glass of water or eating become difficult. But for Frisch, a concert master with the Minnesota Orchestra, his right hand shook uncontrollably only when he held his bow up to his violin.

Frisch hid his tremors for two years, he said. However, the shaking became apparent when he held out long notes in concerts.

“I was playing these solos and could no longer draw a straight movement with the bow,” said Frisch. “This was potentially the end of my career.”

Read the entire article here : Musician Plays Violin as Surgeons Operate on His Brain

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