I do not understand hw a grad school degree necessarily solves the problem of getting a job in an arts performance major. Or qualifies one for a professional school. Sounds like a plan B to me. Yes a student with any bachelor’s degree will be eligible for many jobs but not necessarily in the field majored in.
My point is that Plan B can be that grad school degree in something very different to an undergrad BFA. But during undergrad I think it’s very reasonable to focus on finding out if Plan A will succeed and lead to a career in something your kid is passionate about.
Hedging or exploring too many other things during that undergrad degree could end up ensuring that Plan A won’t work out, given the time commitment involved in a BFA performance major. Nevertheless that might still be the right choice for some (especially if they realize in college that they don’t have enough talent to succeed), while for others I don’t think four years of college is too long to focus on one thing (people are encouraged all the time to do that in “academic” subjects they are passionate about).
“Colleges now want students to declare a major on their applications when in the past “undecided” was much more common.”
Not true at many colleges where applying undecided is perfectly fine.
Being fine is different than being encouraged to state a major. Also different whern students need to apply for a specific major and their entire school admission is to this single choice. I do see benefits of not being clueless about why college and what to pursue. Ideally more than one option could be listed- such as when my son took the sequences for math and physics before deciding on one of them.