The experienced mountain biker who has raced alongside elite athletes in regional competitions is also one of Dunedin's top musicians.
He performs weekly with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, the Subject2Change jazz, Latin and fusion sextet, theatre productions, a number of small ensembles around the city, and occasionally the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
His music career almost came to an end in early November last year when he fell from his mountain bike while riding in the Wakari area and hit a bank head-first. He suffered a fracture/dislocation of the C6 and C7 vertebrae in his neck, a chipped T11 vertebra in his back, and spent two months in the Burwood spinal unit in Christchurch, where he had operations to stabilise his neck.
‘‘I'm really lucky to be here, not to have broken my neck completely, and to not be in a wheelchair,'' Mr Cornish said.
‘‘I'm very lucky the accident didn't leave me in a worse place.''
Since the crash he has relearned how to do basic things such as walk and go to the toilet, and more recently, he has recovered enough to be able to play saxophone, flute and clarinet again.
Mr Cornish's neck injury, damaged the nerves in his arms, and he no longer has the dexterity needed to play his instrument of choice, the oboe.
‘‘Oboe is still off the cards, unfortunately. It's frustrating.
‘‘I'm still putting it aside mentally. It's hard to think that it may not happen.''
Mr Cornish said he remained hopeful he would regain the movement needed in his fingers. In the meantime, he was revelling in his return to itinerant woodwind teaching around Dunedin schools this week.
‘‘It's great to be back teaching.''
Staff at Logan Park High School were delighted to see him back and held a surprise morning tea for him yesterday.
