Nick van Bloss

Nick van Bloss (born 1967) is an English classical pianist and author who has Tourette syndrome. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London.

Van Bloss was born and grew up in London and, at the age of seven, suddenly developed severe motor and vocal tics. Far from being a "passing phase" the tics did not subside, but rather became more aggressive. He was taken from doctor to doctor in hopes of an explanation for his uncontrollable movements, but the medical profession failed to find any medical explanation. It was suggested that his behaviour was "attention seeking".

Van Bloss found school life a harrowing experience as he entered secondary school in London, where he was bullied and mimicked for having explosive tics; his life became a misery. He also faced a difficult situation at home: his brother was a heroin addict who committed suicide when Nick was 15. During this time, he never felt he could confide in his parents, telling them how the bullying terrified him, because he felt that their dealing with his brother's heroin problem was already a trial great enough for them.

Van Bloss began piano lessons at the relatively late age of eleven. Although his brother had been a budding pianist, van Bloss himself had never felt drawn to the piano; moreover, his parents had got rid of the family piano when his brother began his drug habit. However, once he began his study of the instrument, van Bloss took to it and progressed quickly. He entered the Royal College of Music in London at the age of fifteen to study as a Junior and then, at seventeen, to attend full-time.

At the College, van Bloss excelled, but was held back by his tics and his condition, which still was undiagnosed. He studied with Yonty Solomon and won numerous prizes. In a master-class held at the Royal College of Music in 1987, the Russian pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva described van Bloss as "already a pianist". However, his relationship with the College was unhappy. He was in constant conflict with College authorities, who, he felt, appreciated neither his talent nor the difficulties that accompanied living under his condition.

After years of enduring a condition for which he had no name, Nick was finally correctly diagnosed with Tourette syndrome when he was twenty-one. Although Nick felt jubilant in finally having a name for his condition (after a fourteen-year wait), he was resentful that the medical profession had not detected the tell-tale signs of Tourette syndrome.

...
Wikipedia