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What a good question. Everyone should check the fine print of their insurance policies for natural disaster coverage.
If you want to become a good professional harpist, then you need to change plans and spend the next year studying intensively with a strong teacher, then entering a music program after a couple of years of preparation. Many people have done this, but it only works in the right circumstances, and with lots of intensive practice, until you are 30.
Sometimes they have had five students recently. In Salzedo’s time, it was as many as 12 or more, with two teachers in the early years, Florence Wightman, and Lucile Lawrence.
Harpists either play the principal part only, or do a little combining where necessary, and only if they have to. We do not want to put second harpists out of work! New York City Ballet always uses two harpists. You should, as well. A harp adds more color than another violin. The two harps are necessary to have the full harmony and patterns Tchaikovsky wrote.
There is also a slight difference in the quality of the wood used. The more expensive the harp, the longer it is aged.
Some 30s have a big sound, suitable for orchestra. My friend says to her they are all tight. The ones I have known have all been very different from each other. I think 23s are more consistent, have a well-rounded, warm, pear-shaped tone.I’m not remembering the exact title, but Amadeus published an excellent history by Jean Mongredien on French music in the period of 1790-1840 or so, and every harpist should read it.
Another aspect of expectations: Thinking that your life will resemble that of someone else. I suspect most young people play a sort of “follow-the-leader” when it comes to choosing schools, teachers, competitions, auditions, etc. It is a way of measuring one’s self and one’s possibilities. I think it is misleading though. Each of us is different, with different needs and abilities. The same exact path will not fit and work for the next person in the same way. So, just because you admire someone’s achievements, don’t assume following in their footsteps will produce the same results for you. More likely, you would achieve those results via another route.
