A Pedagogical Study and Set of Recommendations Based Upon the Experiences of Three Trumpet Players Who Recovered from Bell's Palsy: Before, During, and After

Abstract

Bell’s palsy is a temporary idiopathic facial paralysis that affects up to one in sixty people in their lifetime. Trumpet players who have been diagnosed with the condition may go through a lengthy recovery process that may involve not being able to practice or perform on their instrument for weeks to years. The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about the experiences of professional trumpet players who have recovered from Bell’s palsy by closely examining three cases through semi-structured interviews. The information gathered from these cases is synthesized with existing literature and other published stories of recovery. It is hoped that the themes identified will aid trumpet players and teachers who encounter Bell’s palsy, as well as inform the direction of further research on the topic.