<p>I've heard from a few people that if one isn't exactly sure that they want to be a Music major, then they shouldn't be a Music major. For a while, I thought that that was what I wanted to do. I had (and still have) membership in private orchestras, private lessons, etc. Recently, however, I've been becoming lax on my practicing, and I've been feeling that if I can't make myself practice now, then I couldn't very well do so for the rest of my life. I've been told that I'm good, but I've always been very hard on myself when it comes to performances. I play the Horn, so it's not like I'm in the uber-competitive violin performance "bracket," but I've had doubts about my earlier focus.
I still find it fun to play. . .am I just being lazy? Has anyone else had experience with this? I just feel that if I can be happier doing something that would also pay much greater dividends post-college, then I should go down that path instead of my once-set major. Any advice would be appreciated.</p>
<p>The conventional advice is that if you would be happy doing anything other than music, then you should go do that instead. In other words, do not be a professional musician unless there really is no other type of employment that would make you happy.</p>
<p>You need to be more than good to make it as a professional musician, you have to be one of the best. If practice is not something that you look forward to doing, that is not a good sign. You also have to do a lot of self-promotion, networking and always be looking for the next gig. If you are unwilling to do any of those things, there will be others who are doing them and they are the ones who will be getting what few decent gigs that there are. You also need some luck, particularly when starting out. Finally, you need to have a strong work ethic - showing up early so as to be ready to play at the start of every rehearsal and show or concert, never missing a gig that you have accepted, knowing your part cold, being ready to substitute for someone else at a moment's notice and knowing others who will sub for you when necessary. If that does not sound like what you want to do, then look for a different job and play music on the side for fun. That's not being lazy, just being realistic.</p>
<p>(EDIT - sorry, I misread your post and thought you were a violinist instead of a hornist. What I wrote still applies though. The amount of competition for horn is much less, but the number of jobs open are dramatically down as well. It all works out proportionally usually.)</p>
<p>Assuming that the ultimate goal for you is to be a performing violinist with an orchestra, it is important, at this stage where one is considering a career, to take a very sober look the reality of the situation.</p>
<p>Many symphony orchestras are in difficult financial times. This includes even the all-time top orchestras - groups that people would think would be able to offer full 40 week subscription seasons are going bankrupt. Only a small handful of orchestras now play a full season and pay a liveable wage, and that number is declining fast. </p>
<p>Each and every year, thousands (yes thousands, no exaggeration) of extremely talented violinists graduate from the top conservatories and universities in this country alone. These are all players who have been playing since they were 7 and who have been practicing hours a day every single day for as long as two decades. They each play at incredibly advanced technical levels and unbelievably refined musicality, and have studied with the most renowned pedagogues on the instrument. Remember, this is just the number of the competition that graduates in any single given year, and is still way less than the total number of players that is in the audition pool.</p>
<p>The amount of violin jobs that become available in a given year in orchestras that pay a comfortable living wage? Maybe a dozen or two? And that's a generous estimate. (Also remember that, although the competition is bigger, violin is still one of the more handful positions out there. Be glad you're not a tubist or a harpist, where you might only find 2 or 3 open jobs per year.) For more sobering hard cold facts, see this page:
The</a> Facts about Orchestra Salari
This was data from 5 years ago. I suspect the numbers are even more dire today.</p>
<p>After graduating from college, you will most likely be forced to audition for petty jobs in parts of the country you'd never thought you go to, all while paying off your student loans. It might take years before you land a gig that pays any sort of salary at all, simply because of the fact no matter how good you are, there will always be others just as good or better. Not to mention the large amounts of politics that exist in the industry. The process is a tough one mentally, physically, and of course monetarily. If getting married and starting a family while you are young and in your 20's or early 30's is important to you, you can count it out.</p>
<p>Read about what Juilliard grads are doing 10 years later:
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/arts/music/12waki.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/arts/music/12waki.html</a></p>
<p>To quote an acquaintance of mine:
"When you are young, the notion of being a 'professional classical musician' sounds noble and intriguing.</p>
<p>However, after a few years, when your friends have moved on and bought their own homes, have retirement plans in place, have disposable income, medical benefits, and treat themselves to the better things in life, the 'professional classical musician' monicker loses its luster very quickly.</p>
<p>A struggling musician is not a pretty sight."</p>
<p>Actually, the OP is a horn player, but stephmin's post is sound and practical advice.</p>
<p>There are career choices in music besides performance. And the list of career paths in general is endless.</p>
<p>The basic question is what drives you. What do you want to do with the rest of your life? How do you want to live? Do you need/want a secure job, high financial reward?
Do you want to help build a business, manage money, care for those with health needs, or animals, or design buildings?</p>
<p>Lots of kids don't know. Lots of adults don't know, and many change careers, seek a different path.</p>
<p>Do not consider music, especially performance, if you are unsure, and question your determination.</p>
<p>Take a look here <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html</a>. It might provide some insights.</p>
<p>(crossposted with stephmin)</p>
<p>Thanks all, that's pretty much been the direction that I've been leaning.</p>
<p>RaoulDuke - I agree with all that's been posted, but I want to add a couple more thoughts.</p>
<p>First, if you leave music, it's hard to come back. So be sure you want to leave.</p>
<p>If you know what you really want to do, and it's not music, don't waste your time on a performance degree - it is a demanding program.</p>
<p>But if what you want to do has something to do with music (such as teaching, or arts admin, or music therapy, or....) consider your options before you set your horn aside. There are minors, BA degrees, or simply extra-curricular opportunities to be had.</p>
<p>Playing horn can be the means to an end, rather than an end itself. That is, you can get scholarship money to come play horn at schools that need horn players, even if you have no intention of majoring in it. Because horn is one of the rarer instruments to play well, there is often money available to non-majors.</p>
<p>You are a combination of two of my kids. My D is a violinist who is majoring in performance with no real interest or drive to be a performer; she is doing it for the scholarship money, at a school where double majoring is not a problem. A degree in music might one day be an advantage for her, should she decide to teach privately, or move into a music-related non-performance job.</p>
<p>My S, on the other hand, is a horn player, but extremely serious and focused. Had he been willing to attend a "lesser" music program within a university setting, there would have been money thrown at him because good horn players were in high demand. He was actively recruited by some. </p>
<p>Even so, given his focused education, drive, and talent, he has a hill to climb in terms of landing a permanent job at a decent income. Even at his level, the competition is stiff. You are wise to recognize in advance that that is not the life you see for yourself.</p>
<p>Run like the wind, RD. Majoring in music performance is not for the faint of heart. It has to consume your whole being, so that you can think of absolutely nothing else. Otherwise, there are plenty of other less risky majors/ventures in life. You've been give excellent advice thus far.</p>