Meet Vonda and hear her story...

 

 

I am about to turn 51, so I thought this would be a fun way to mark age 50 before it's over! I'm a professional harpist and an avid tennis player. I've lived in Franklin for less than 2 years, having moved here for my husband's job. My professional life is mostly in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, so in pre-covid life, I was traveling quite a bit. I have two adult daughters and will celebrate 30 years of marriage this summer.

 

Music, math, and tennis have been constant interests in my life, in varying degrees and forms throughout the years. I was able to continue all three through college, where I double-majored in harp performance and accounting and played on the tennis team. Each has kept me in balance through the different phases of life!

 

Music was always a part of my life. My mom was a church organist and piano teacher, and my dad worked full-time in computers but was also a part-time church music director and wedding singer. I copied my older brother and started piano at age 4, only to announce at age 6 that I wanted to play the harp! I had watched enough Lawrence Welk and public television performances to see the beautiful instrument and knew it was for me. My parents stalled at first, but I started with a rental instrument and fell in love. I played in youth orchestras and performed on a Minneapolis TV talent program called Discoverama at age 8. There were a few high school years where I quit harp and focused on piano, but I ended up going back to it and got a degree in harp performance. I started playing principal harp with the Augusta Symphony soon after that, and along with that orchestra, I also play with the NC Symphony now. I’ve taught many students, played tons of weddings, and have lots of stories and memories from years of fun performances. I look forward to the many still to come!

 

Math was my passion throughout my school years, as I found it very satisfying to come up with correct answers – unlike English subjects where things could be very subjective! As I got closer to attending college, I couldn’t figure out what career would suit me best using math and landed on accounting – which my brother was also studying in college. I ended up loving it and earned my CPA license soon after college. Although I haven’t worked full-time in accounting since I had my first child, I have gone back from time to time and worked part-time tax seasons. I still really enjoy the work!

 

I have played tennis since I was 10, following my brother on my bike to the middle school courts to play, and hitting against my garage door. I grew up in Minnesota, so when the snows came, we put away the rackets and picked up our ice skates. But as soon as the slush was gone and the nets were back up, I was back out on the court. I played high school and college tennis, and since then have played league tennis wherever we have lived. Tennis teams have been the thread connecting me to friends that I still have in every city I’ve lived in, and I still, play with them any time I’m in town.

 

Even though my brother is no longer living, I feel like much of his influence and things he loved continue to live in me, the pesky little sister that always copied him. I can see him laughing right now and shaking his head. He opened my eyes to these wonderful worlds, and for that, I will always be grateful.

 

We asked her if she had anything to say to others about aging and this is what she had to say, "I feel like there is always more to learn, areas to improve, new skills to add, and ways to expand your world no matter your age. I like to think I'm still getting better at things I've been doing most of my life, even if it's in different ways. Life is fun when you challenge yourself! And give yourself lots of grace."