For years now, my piano teacher has been nagging me to quit hockey, lacrosse and netball, as 'i am a musician' and apparently you can't be a sports person and a musician. I have never really agreed, as i couldnt imagine life without either. My teacher is worried that I will damage my fingers, as i have many times- though not seriously.
I have always been serious about music, I am taught piano, violin, organ and cello, and play guitar and clarinet as well.
I dont know what I should do in regards to quitting sport, as I enjoy it, though it has started to affect my music, I always seem to have swollen and bruised fingers when it comes to concerts exams competitions and church (i'm the organist)!! At school I seem to be fighting a loosing battle, with both the sport and music departments, to deconflict their activities teams and ensembles. Both departments think that I am not serious about either subject as apparently if I was then I would give up one for the other.
I cant really percieve how the different teachers can think that i am not dedicated in both sport and music, (spesh music) as I didn't think that you could get a diploma and 2 grade 8's and a 7 over 4 instruments with out dedication.
I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and wether they have overcome it.
Or am I being stupid, and should I just give up sports where you are more injury prone if I am serious about music!?
-thanks
Izzy

You obviously enjoy both sport and music and therefore shouldn't feel pressurised into giving up - also I am sure the sport must benefit your overall health and fitness which must help your music playing. I thought it very sad to see the young pianist in the Young Musician contest not enjoying outdoor games with his contempories for fear of damaging his fingers - you need a balance in life - well it's just a personal opinion.

get a balance in your life and you will be fine...

Some of my musicians friend take sport and music

but sometimes the music teacher tells them off too maybe coz it disturbs the practise session

i mean all subject departments always want you to be on *their side, commit only to one.

Like my art, i sometimes get told off for not attending after school sessions for art (optional), but its because i go to music!

i mean its my choice and the world is not 100% art (im my case). The art teachers tell me 'sometimes you hav to give up the music classes blah blah blah' .
and i get so fed up that i just turn my head to music.

i love music more so i stick to music.

Indeed you shouldn't give up either; in fact short of giving up all of one or all of the other you could give up parts of one e.g. one sport or one instrument if you were really short of time (not that I'm saying you should give up anything now just as a preference to completely giving up one or the other if pressed for time). The sports are good excersise, you don't want to become a couch (well piano stool!) potato and will keep you healthy. As for music if you're enjoying it don't give up; just do your best to compromise on those days that things clash.

QUOTE (liebe_klavier @ Nov 16 2004, 04:58 PM)

get a balance in your life and you will be fine...

I agree. I play the piano (grade 8 next week), harp and cello and next year I'm going to start the violin. I also do a lot of rowing and waterpolo, and ocassionally badminton lol. I do rowing actually on the river about 3 times a week, and train for it about 2 or 3 times a week. to be honest its the GCSEs I'm finding hard to fit in.

ha ha ha! I remember certain musicians at my school who were frequently excused from P.E lessons due to impending exams/concerts ect.....!!! (so as not to damage their fingers!!!)

I remember being very jelous as I hated sport at school!

I don't think you should compromise either..just enjoy!

I had to give up all my sports once I became serious about music because there were sports practices on Saturday mornings when I had orchestra- I've always regretted it! I think it's important for people to be well-rounded- I think you should do whatever you like and don't listen to people telling you you aren't committed enough, you obviously are!

thanks! thats good to hear from other students.

I have always had a balance of music and sport...
Krl:
Not all sport can damage your music chances. I have certainly never damaged my hands dancing!
But yes, I agree with you about it being a bad thing that the young pianist does not enjoy sport recreation with his peers. Just a thought.. How does he cope with PE at school??

I really dont think its fair what happens in some schools between departments. I used to play hockey, netball and rounders on the school teams, but when i started joining the orchestra and choirs etc, i couldnt go to both because they clashed! i chose music over sport, but id love to play sport again. However, the music department is down trodden in our school, the headmaster barely even aknowledges we exist. We are not allowed to miss lessons for rehersals, everything must be done out of school time. But the sports department can take people out of lessons whenever they want to go and play football! Its just not fair!

hey im in exacly the same position my piano teacher wants me 2 quit all sports but my pe teacher wants me 2 play in the school teams i'm 12 and i dont no what 2 do in de future i play the piano guitar and sax. I also play in the school hockey team the netball team the athletics teams the rounders team n i want 2 do sports mainly but ive been told ive got to quit just so i can concentrate on music

katet:
yeah at my school the music dep is undermined/down trodden/ignored!, i think its sad, as musicians are just as important as sports people,imagine a world without music!
it would suck!!

This is a big issue, isn't it!

I imagine that lots of people with good coordination and a sense of rhythm enjoy both music and sports...son does, and yes, there are conflicts. My philosophy is that there may come a time when he has to choose between music or sport, so all the more reason to be physically active while still young. So many musicians suffer stress injuries that a high level of physical fitness and undersanding of how your body works can only be a good thing...right?

I'd love to hear about sports which are not finger-threatening and which are not so team/competitive oriented that you can't take a single session off.

Son's experience so far....swimming: great fit with music, but not many fun activities. Basketball: egads, constant risk of hand injury PLUS risk of hurting others with classical-guitarist-length fingernails. Soccer: coaches tend to be fanatics, hand injury risk...

Any satisfied muso-sportniks out there?

I used to balance sport and music very nicely... given up sport now though, too much like hard work (although music is like that too lol)... I used to do jazz dance, then I did gymnastics, then netball, then horse-riding... i did each for about 3 years and then moved on, to get a bit of a taster of everything!!! Last year I did a three-month Tae Kwondo course - it's great for taking out frustration!!

I've just remembered... Benjamin Grover, the 11-year-old piano finalist at last year's BBC Young Musician of the Year, wasn't allowed to play sport in case he damaged his hands. Which I suppose is logical, but I think it's a bit unfair.

After all, my 15-year-old brother plays cello, trumpet, drums, cricket and rugby, and he's never had any problems.

We both trampoline as well... my brother broke his arm once but he could still play the trumpet one-handed!!

Comment added 15/12/04:
My brother now has his leg in a plaster cast after an accident playing rugby, but today he took his Trinity Performance Certificate on the cello... so it is DEFINITELY possible to combine music and sport, and some of the injuries as well!!!

Well sport is good for you!...

QUOTE (cheeble @ Nov 20 2004, 03:45 PM)

Comment added 15/12/04: My brother now has his leg in a plaster cast after an accident playing rugby, but today he took his Trinity Performance Certificate on the cello... so it is DEFINITELY possible to combine music and sport, and some of the injuries as well!!!

owch!! poor him, i hope he gets better soon and equally hope he did really well in the trinity exam...................!!
I decided not to quit anything, and make the most of everything i could do, and other than a broken finger (on my bowing hand, so it was okayish!!) everything has been okay!!

I think that sports and music both are of equal importance. There is no such saying that a musician can't be a good sportsman.

Most of the musicians spend long hours cope up in their house practising or composing music. So, by doing some excercise or through sport, they can mantain their health, as everyone knows the importance of sports and the benefit we can gain through it.

Musicians a few centuries ago often died of diseases. This is because they don't understand the importance of sports and excercises to a musician:
a) helps mantain a healthy lifestyle.
stimulate inspiration.
c) get to socialize with other people, therefore get a better look
at how people think of their music.

However, we who learn music should carefully choose which sport we want to involve in. I would suggest SWIMMING and JOGGING. Both activities are very safe and you won't tend to get serious injuries which may effect your playing of your instruments.

So, enjoy music and sport at the same time!!

Best regards,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plays piano. Sitting for grade 8 theory next March.Got any exam tips? Drop by and leave your tips at my topic I DON'T GET THE GRADE 8 THEORY FORMAT

I have the same problem.

I love horse riding, but I also love playing piano and guitar...
My music teacher has told me that the two do not go together, her anger has also increased after I broke my finger and could not do my piano exam.

Luckly I am a singer first so a broken finger does not matter so much, but I do feel the pressure to give up something I love sometimes, but I'll keep on doing both!

xxx :)

I to had the same problem but it was my swimming teacher she had been nagging me that i was not evening my opconitys and that i should think about quiting violin. but i got some advice from my best mate and she sadi i should tell wat i think amd i did and it worked hope this helps becky

QUOTE (cheeble @ Nov 20 2004, 03:45 PM)

We both trampoline as well...

Me too! Unfortunately, I had a wonky landing two weeks ago after a somersault and had to wear a neck collar thing. It really prevented me from playing the flute. It's better now, luckily! I was already panicking about practising for my flute exam which is coming up frighteningly soon...

QUOTE (all ears @ Nov 20 2004, 01:43 AM)

I imagine that lots of people with good coordination and a sense of rhythm enjoy both music and sports... (...) I'd love to hear about sports which are not finger-threatening and which are not so team/competitive oriented that you can't take a single session off. (...) Any satisfied muso-sportniks out there?

Dance! The ultimate sport-music combo.

A lot of concert pianists were forced to abandoned sports by their parents and teachers because they were afraid of finger injuries.

I don't think so. If you just lock yourself in your house all day long that means you won't spend enough calories to use up all that food. My cello teacher is, very very fat, because he never does sports.

Sports and music can go along. Music can help to make it more exciting and have more tension. Like, playing a rapid melody in your mind while running.

I guess we have to take risks in injuries. Well, everything we do have risks, don't they???

Gosh, this is an old thread. I've avoided playing sport for as long as I can remember but I have to say that supporting West Bromwich Albion is an excellent way to prepare oneself for any of the setbacks, disasters and disappointments you might encounter when learning an instrument (e.g. attempting to play the dreaded third octave on the flute!).

Note - In case any forum members haven't heard of West Brom, they're a football team (of sorts), currently at the bottom of the English Premier League, who specialise in losing matches at the last minute.

nope - i quit football for music - i couldnt do both - i was good at music and rubbish at football though,

i think that it is very important to do both sport and music. I'm a dancer and I couldn't give it up but I couldn't give up my piano ether. Just do what you want to do don't let anyone else decide for you.

Involvement in Sports activities help in developing neuro musicular co ordination and obviously this will help your music too. Go side by side but with commitment. You will be successful in music too. Good Luck

Back in the dim and distant past I remember that as a teenager I wanted to learn karate. I was friends with my piano teacher's son who also wanted to go. I can still remember the concerned look on my piano teacher's face when he used to give us both a lift to the karate lessons!

I gave karate up pretty quickly but all credit to my teacher and parents for not forbidding me from going, though they did say "mind your hands" a lot.

While I may have had a slightly different perspective if I had indeed broken something irreparably I agree with the opinions expressed stressing the need for a balance between music and everything else (e.g. sport).

QUOTE

In case any forum members haven't heard of West Brom, they're

LOL yep - I grew up not far from West Brom and 'ow's me team dun was a regular part of Saturdays ...

M