I'm convinced my instrument (the oboe) chose me. I just wish it had been a few decades earlier, though!

How it finally happened involved a series of very weird coincidences. A bit long for a Forum post but maybe I'll get to tell it over a beer after some Forum event some day... Maybe it could only happen when it did.

I think you just know when you've found your instrument (if you have just one).

Have you ever been not quite listening to a piece of music and one of the instruments, not necessarily the loudest, just jumps out and grabs your ear and brings you back? And then it happens again. And Again. The same one. That's probably it...

Aged 7 we learned recorder at school which was great fun until the music teacher left.

Aged 11 learned tenor horn through the local brass band. The instrument and lessons were free. I wanted to play flute while my mum wanted me to learn clarinet but the free lessons and instrument were the deciding factor as there just wasn't the money to do otherwise.

Aged 13 I took up the French horn as well through school and managed to get a free instrument and lessons. I loved it so the tenor horn eventually fell by the wayside. I left school and started a music course and hated it so much that I gave up playing. I tried several times to take it back up again but something always got in the way.

Aged almost 41 I decided to learn to play the violin. One son played cello and the other had just ditched violin in favour of the viola. Most of my husbands family play strings and it was the only way I could join in. I just wish I'd had the courage to try learning it sooner.