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Ron, I definitely concur with your advise to continue playing the piano. Although music is a hobby rather than a profession, I directed church choirs for 15 years until this year. I am currently the Minister of Music for the Sixth Cavalry Division Chapel at Ft. Meade, MD. (Yes, we often have to assure people that it is Cavalry Chapel, not Calvary!) What is ironic is that I started directing about the same time the earliest symptoms of PD appeared (which were misdiagnosed as arthritis). The earliest impact of PD was on my guitar playing. I found it more and more difficult to play and had almost given it up by the time I was diagnosed with PD. Thanks to my medication I have been able to play to this day. I am even learning to play the keyboard. During the first 15 minutes of our service we have a Worship Team of singers and musicians that leads the congregation in praise and worship songs. We just started this this year. Since we had a couple of excellent guitarists but no drummer I became the rhythm section. I figured I could shake a tambourine with the best of them! I am learning to play the keyboard, not so much for performing but for an aid to composing music. This is another interesting development. About three years ago I started composing music and have now composed about 40 songs, including an Easter Cantata. Other than four years of high school band I have had no formal musical training. I don't know if this sudden outpouring of musical creativity is due to the PD or the medication or is entirely coincidental. Perhaps there are others who have had similar experiences. A copy of my cantata is on my home page (see end). The music is in MIDI format and requires a sound card and MIDI driver to play on the computer. The narration is ASCII text. If any choir wants to perform it I will provide a camera-ready copy along with a letter granting permission to make so many copies. All I request in return is a voluntary suggested contribution of 50 cents per copy to cover my expenses and a copy of any recording (audio or video) made of the performance. Bruce 54/8 Sinemet CR 25/250 1.5 tabs 4X Pramipexole 1.5mg 3X Neuro: Dr Reich, Johns Hopkins ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bruce G. Warr "Experience is what enables us to recognize Healthcare Informatics Lab a mistake the next time we make it." Information Systems Dept. University of Maryland Baltimore County http://umbc.edu/~warr/ (V) (410)455-3206 (F) (410)455-1073 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~