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Dagmar Turner, a patient at King’s College Hospital in London, played the violin while surgeons removed a tumour from her brain three years ago. The unusual approach was taken to ensure areas of the patient’s brain responsible for delicate hand movement and coordination – crucial components when playing violin – were not inadvertently damaged during the millimetre-precise procedure. She played George Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ in the operating theatre. Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, Consultant Neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital and Dagmar share a love of music. The brain tumour specialist holds a degree in music and is an accomplished pianist. He deeply understood the importance of music to his patient’s quality of life, and their meeting demonstrated pioneering work, how much surgical care relies on teamwork and provided a whole new meaning to musical theatre.