Re: How did you afford your first harp??

[Julietta Anne Rabens]

While finishing up my doctorate in music I bought
my LH 85CG. Months prior to this my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and was forced into early retirement. She was still making payments on a Yamaha upright piano. She had to reduce her monthly expenses, so I took over the piano payments assuming it cancelled out the option of buying a harp. I had been practicing on the university’s instrument. It worked out for the best.

I worked at least
half-time throughout my graduate studies, attended a land-grant
university with minimal tuition, and typically took out student loans to only
cover the tuition during the years I didn’t have an assistanceship. Towards the end of my graduate training, I took out
larger loan amounts offered while continuing to work the same hours. I made this choice for two years and maxed out one credit card which I paid off over time to buy my pedal harp. I knew it was “now or never” because my financial future was uncertain after graduate school. It was a tremendous risk for me financially, but I had made a decision to place my professional efforts as composer and performer in the area of harp, so the risk was necessary to achieve that goal. It hasn’t been easy since, but I am grateful I took the risk, because the harp speaks to me on the deepest level.