<p>Artfulmom and Cocino, welcome! </p>
<p>I am addressing you both, because I see some similarities in your posts - namely the somewhat late decision to pursue music. There are some wonderful threads on this board. New posters are always encouraged to start by reading Bassdad's missive. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html</a></p>
<p>[Edit - cross-posted with violadad. See, I told you!]</p>
<p>First, I want to say that there is more than one path to success, so please don't feel that there is only one right way. The flip side of that is that there are multiple paths to failure, and there are no guarantees one way or another!</p>
<p>The number of music majors who "make it" as performers is really pretty small in comparison to the number who start out that direction. Common denominators are things like passion, dedication, practice, talent. Other things that seem to be fairly common (though not universal) are an early start, strong support network, great teachers, and a no-holds-barred approach to getting what they need to succeed. A single-mindedness, if you will. (Yes, you need an instrument, too.)</p>
<p>If you are thinking of a career as a full-time performer, I want you to understand that you are facing an uphill battle. A wise sage once said, if you can imagine yourself doing anything at all besides music, do that. If you are first chair at your all-state, that might possibly put you in the top 100 or so people in the country. But perhaps there is only 1 or 2 openings at Juilliard and the handful of similar conservatories this year. And when those dozen graduate, they will all be competing for a handful of orchestra openings - along with a hundred others who graduated earlier. Sobering.</p>
<p>There are many people who major in music who go on to do other things. Music, in my opinion, is as good as many other liberal arts degrees - where the student spends four years studying something he/she loves, then goes on to grad school for something more practical. I have a D who is probably following this path. (I have an S who is aiming higher.) I have no desire to discourage anyone from studying music who wants to. It's only 4 years of your life. There's grad school, or you can change your major, or double...</p>
<p>In many high schools, music is considered an EC, or an easy A in the schedule. Every years there are a handful of kids who think a music major might be an easier degree than other things out there. Or there are parents who think because their kid got an A in band, and Bs and Cs in everything else, that music is the obvious path. College music is not like HS music. Along with the in-depth theory, music history, sight-singing, etc, my D is required to practice an hour a day PER CREDIT on her instrument(s). For her, that means 3 hours a day of violin practice, and 1 hour a day of piano. Music courses are hard.</p>
<p>There are many colleges who offer double majors, music minors, or welcome non-majors into their music programs. These are usually not going to be conservatory-level programs. Many schools have music departments, who are eager to keep their teachers employed, and have varying levels of ability. There is something for almost everyone, as long as they are realistic that a degree from one of these schools is probably not going to lead to a big 10 symphony job.</p>
<p>Quite often, late-starting musicians find that an undergrad program with a great teacher will allow them to aim higher for grad school, or transfer during undergrad. A violin student at my D's non-conservatory college transferred to Oberlin this year, for example. My S's roommate last year transferred to Juilliard from Georgia State. I don't know the back stories - whether they didn't get accepted the first time around, or whether they needed a couple years to "catch up."</p>
<p>In otherwords, you probably can't go head to head with talented kids who've been studying for 10 or 15 years - and practicing, until you've been studying a bit longer yourself.</p>
<p>These are generalities - I don't know either of you except what you've posted, and I don't mean to be negative or discouraging. As I said, I've got an S pursuing conservatory-level, and a D at a non-con, so I have some experience with both. Ironically, my D has played her instrument longer. Both my kids are talented, smart, and have excellent ears. Both practice. My S has a level of intensity that D can't approach. He's also had some luck - great teachers, a lot of support and enthusiasm from the outside, lots of strokes. </p>
<p>We still don't know if he'll ever be employed, though. :) No guarantees.</p>