Everything Stops When I Play

Composer Gavin Higgins considers how his Tourette syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder have informed his music.

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20240526

As part of the BBC's Mental Wellbeing season throughout May, the composer Gavin Higgins considers how his Tourette Syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder has informed his music.

At school in the 1990s, Gavin developed a tic that made his face repeatedly contort. At the same time, he would have intrusive thoughts that urged him to phone his family members every morning and make sure they were all still alive. Teachers and even doctors told him he was just attention seeking, but finally he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The doctor who made the diagnosis asked him about playing the French horn in his local brass band, and how that affected him, bringing about the revelation that when Gavin played, everything else stopped.

Thirty years later, Gavin is embracing the neurological conditions that he kept hidden for much of the intervening years. This programme follows him through a month of his busy life as a composer, meeting musicians with Tourette's and OCD, and exploring the relationship between the conditions and creativity, as well as debunking some commonly held misconceptions along the way. Gavin also meets clinicians and a music therapist to find out why music seems to ease the symptoms, and whether there's a link between neurodiversity and creativity. Ultimately he finds out more about himself, and how his Tourette's and OCD have played a part in his award-winning composing career.

Gavin Higgins' Horn Concerto is performed by Ben Goldscheider, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Jaime Martín.

Featuring contributions from:

Wilamena Dyer – National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain percussionist, and founder of TicTastic!

Adam Lewis – BAFTA award-winning TV and film composer, producer and song-writer

Stephen Bryant – violinist and leader of the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Dr Gazal Jones – Senior Clinical Psychologist specialising in anxiety disorders and OCD

Dr Jeremy Stern – Consultant Neurologist specialising in Tourette syndrome and movement disorders

Lizz Lipscombe – Music Therapist & violinist

Jess Thom – artist, writer, activist & co-founder of Touretteshero

Producer: Sam Hickling

The composer Gavin Higgins considers how Tourette syndrome and OCD has informed his music.

Episodes

Series	First Broadcast	Comments
	20240526	As part of the BBC's Mental Wellbeing season throughout May, the composer Gavin Higgins considers how his Tourette Syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder has informed his music. At school in the 1990s, Gavin developed a tic that made his face repeatedly contort. At the same time, he would have intrusive thoughts that urged him to phone his family members every morning and make sure they were all still alive. Teachers and even doctors told him he was just attention seeking, but finally he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The doctor who made the diagnosis asked him about playing the French horn in his local brass band, and how that affected him, bringing about the revelation that when Gavin played, everything else stopped. Thirty years later, Gavin is embracing the neurological conditions that he kept hidden for much of the intervening years. This programme follows him through a month of his busy life as a composer, meeting musicians with Tourette's and OCD, and exploring the relationship between the conditions and creativity, as well as debunking some commonly held misconceptions along the way. Gavin also meets clinicians and a music therapist to find out why music seems to ease the symptoms, and whether there's a link between neurodiversity and creativity. Ultimately he finds out more about himself, and how his Tourette's and OCD have played a part in his award-winning composing career. Gavin Higgins' Horn Concerto is performed by Ben Goldscheider, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Jaime Martín. Featuring contributions from: Wilamena Dyer – National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain percussionist, and founder of TicTastic! Adam Lewis – BAFTA award-winning TV and film composer, producer and song-writer Stephen Bryant – violinist and leader of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Dr Gazal Jones – Senior Clinical Psychologist specialising in anxiety disorders and OCD Dr Jeremy Stern – Consultant Neurologist specialising in Tourette syndrome and movement disorders Lizz Lipscombe – Music Therapist & violinist Jess Thom – artist, writer, activist & co-founder of Touretteshero Producer: Sam Hickling The composer Gavin Higgins considers how Tourette syndrome and OCD has informed his music.