V.com weekend vote: What would be the scariest part of skydiving naked, playing a violin?
Imagine your worst performance-nerve nightmare: You have to go out on stage to play a rather difficult piece, but NO! You actually have to jump from a airplane with your fiddle - and, you're naked!
Australian violinist Glen Donnelly made world news for doing just that in New South Wales last Sunday: he jumped out of an airplane at 15,000 feet, naked, holding his violin and bow. Once the parachute opened, he played "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams as he descended to earth.
Somehow, this seems to be the week's biggest violin news, but let's have some fun with it. What do you think would be the scariest aspect of this stunt?
For Donnelly, this was actually a 30th-birthday gift to himself. Below, he explains his motivations: to raise awareness about body issues, and to raise money for related charities. He said he's suffered from an obsession with his own body's defects since the age of 16, and that manifested in a condition called "body dysmorphic disorder."
"On the other side of fear is freedom," he said, following his jump. "When that parachute opened, I could just be free to play the violin." Below, Donnelly talks about his reasons for doing the dive, and there is some footage (censored!) of his stunt!
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I can see a quirky individual jumping out of a plane with a parachute and playing a concerto representing a flying bird on the trip down, but to opt to do the stunt naked gives it a perverted twist in my old fashioned notion of propriety.
Viewing the uncensored photos and video, it must have been really cold up there. :-)
Lol well I have the censored one up for this family website! ;)
He should be playing it backwards seeing as he is descending
David Burgess
September 2, 2017 at 12:20 AM ยท Viewing the uncensored photos and video, it must have been really cold up there. :-)
There was shrinkage! Everybody should know that. Shrinkage I tell you, SHRINKAGE!!
I was impressed by how fast the wind sheer shredded the bow hairs. Also, I'm a little surprised he was able to play anything at all!
Maybe we should call this rendition "The Stark Descending"
My vote isn't up there. I'd be terrified of dropping the violin when the chute opened.
I think it would improve my Staccato "VOLANTE"...........
Simply: D-U-M-B !!!
"The Stark Descending" is brilliant! Thank you, Michael!
Slow news day.
If he was a jazz player, he could have played,
"I've got a feeling I'm falling"
I'd worry about the landing.
Well you only live once, I admire his elan! WOW!
This is just a thought I've never had. Hey!! I think I'll get naked in public, Even better, Hey!!, I could get naked and go up in a plane and jump out of it.Yes yes, this would be really fun to do!!, get naked and jump from a plane!!!!
Hmmmm. How could I possibly top that? I KNOW,I'LL PLAY THE VIOLIN!!!!" YES, while naked falling from the airplane. I mean, how bad could that really be?
And maybe, just maybe, I'll get the gazoo effect happening!! Just the right amount of air through my posterior and I'll get it buzzing. Might tickle a little though.Could be great accompaniment!!!! All depending on the squeeze factor.
Pardon me Laurie, I'm trying to keep this as clean as possible. Delete if you must.
I admire the discordant kind of thinking this probably involves. It sure shows something.It shows how different we think.
In "hindsight" *ahem*, violin was probably a much better choice than tuba.
"Mr. Wiggley's Big Day"
Has a catchy sound to it. Would probably make a great title for a children's book. On another subject, that is. Sort of takes the focus off of the other stuff too.
Oh Gosh, now I'm picturing the art work for that book. We need to make Mr. Wiggley look happy and pleasant.
As an old-time skydiver who actually has jumped naked (and built free-fall formations in the process), I put down "playing The Lark Ascending" as the scariest part. However, just getting the violin and bow to the ground in one piece would take some doing. We once had a novelty competition where one of the tasks was to exit the airplane with a glass of water and try to get as much of it to the ground as possible. That was tricky enough, holding the glass to my cheek while trying to remain stable as I opened my parachute (no tandem here).
As for the naked part, the trick is establishing a proper airflow. And not only is it a great way to cool off on a hot day, it makes for an interesting view if there are women along on the load.
I do love "The Stark Descending" - that about sums it up.
I posted without logging on here and my comment is being held. You may kindly delete that one if you want to. I was kinda thinking out loud there.:)
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September 1, 2017 at 08:39 PM · I think I'd fear losing my violin during the free-fall.