Performance injuries are every musician’s greatest fear. Our playing is so intrinsic to our being that just thinking about having to stop playing due to an injury can cause nightmares. Even worse is the sense that when you are injured, your colleagues, although they will express their sympathy, take a step or two back from you, as if it were contagious. This fear breeds all sorts of superstitions and misinformation. Even worse, it can prevent some players from seeking the help they need.
Below is the recent experience of a student of mine at the University of Delaware. Our journey through her injury to her recovery began for me when I walked up to her at the end of an orchestra rehearsal and discovered her in tears from pain and frustration. I had intended to tell her that her sound wasn’t coming through when it needed to, and instead realized that she hadn’t been playing at all because she couldn’t. The pain was that severe.
We are very fortunate to have a first-rate athletic training education program at Delaware, and the trainers work with any student who is having physical difficulty. The excellent care and attention she received made it possible for her to recover quickly and to return, carefully and gradually, to the harp. The long-term effects? As you will read, she has greater knowledge and awareness of the physiology of playing and a more profound connection to the harp.
These are her words:
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