Sports and Harp

[unknown-user]

The decision is yours, Johanna, so follow your heart. But if I may offer one piece of advice, please hear me out. The chances of your success with harp are likely to be much greater than those with your sports. Few people are lucky enough to have a successful career in sports. However, you always have opportunities (most lucrative) as a harpist! Even then, do you want either of these to be a part of your life 5 or 10 years down the road?
Anyway, as you know, there is always a risk of serious injury with any sport. If you do get injured, your life of sports is probably over with. If your hand/arm/finger(s) get injured so may your harp life. And another thing to think about: If your sports teams does well, will you have to surrender even more time to sports instead of harp? Are you willing to do that?
If you were to choose harp, and audition for those orchestras, you have more time with harp, and the greatly important experience of being an orchestral harpist.
I do agree with you that it is hard to choose between your loves. I can’t speak for you- I only have my own opinions. Think about the opportunities, risks, and everything involved with each. Just follow your gut feeling- it’s never wrong! (But don’t give anything up, you’ll end up regretting it sooner or later!)
Hope this helps. You’re welcome to email me with questions, comments, or angry gestures! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Good luck!

[unknown-user]

Suzanne is right?there is no right or wrong answer to your question
other than to follow your heart. But let me throw out a few more things to consider.
While it is difficult to consider the long-range ramifications of the
decisions you make today, it is important to think about. It is a fact of life, especially for women, that highly competitive sports basically end at the high school level. A few will make it to college level and even fewer to the professional level, but even then any sports career can only last as long as your body can hold out. Barring injury, you can play the harp?and make a living at it if you choose?for the rest of your life. Score one for the harp.
However, also consider this, the next few years of your life will
probably be the last years that you will have the opportunity to play
volleyball at a highly competitive level. There will always be
recreational leagues, but you will likely never have the opportunity to play at the level you are playing now after high school or college. Many of us in the music world look down upon sports as an inferior pursuit that merely exercises the body. However, this couldn?t be farther from the truth. The work ethic, self-esteem, poise, teamwork skills, and memories you gain through playing sports will serve you for the rest of your life. Score one for volleyball.
Don?t give up the harp or volleyball if you don?t want to?you can do
both, no matter what you might hear otherwise. True, you might not be
able to devote the time to make it to the Olympic volleyball team in or make you Carnegie Hall debut at age 18, but with the right work ethic, you can still do both at a high level. Talk to you volleyball coach, your harp teacher, and your orchestra conductor. Explain your situation and your desire to pursue both of your loves without hurting the team or the orchestra. You might be surprised how understanding they will be with a student who has given a lot thought to her situation and is willing to work hard to find a compromise. Good luck!!

[unknown-user]

As a teenager actively involved in several activities, I was
wondering if there are any others who face direct conflict between
harp and a sport.

[unknown-user]

Hi Johanna,
I know that situation, as I do ballet professionaly, and I know that at some
point in time I will have to choose one as a priority. (i’m definately going to
keep doing harp-it’s going to be my second career, at least, I hope,) and I
think that maybe you can also sort of have a priorty, and then do your “second
love” after that career is over. Of, course, then there is the decision which is
your “first love”, but unfortunately I can’t help you there!
Katrina

[Evangeline Williams]

Johanna,
Someone wrote about this being the best opportunity right now for volleyball.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Quit Volleyball!!!

It ruined my thumbs.

It’s a short-term fun thing to do, it doesn’t begin to have the benefits of orchestra playing experience. If you crave a net game, play badminton.

[zach-hatcher]

totally although I dont think ballet is rely considered a sport unless you do ballet, or have been kicked by a male dancer. The two teachers fight over me constantly….uggg

Zach

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Ballet is much tougher than sports.

[zach-hatcher]

totally

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