<p>You are being very thorough for a 9th grader, and you sure do seem motivated. However, as a parent of 3 who have fairly recently gone through high school (one a musician and one a dancer), I would also advise you to stay open to many possibilities (for the next two years, anyway) and enjoy high school in its many facets.</p>
<p>Continuing piano and oboe, and adding singing, might be very time-consuming at your age. I would say to do those things only if you yourself feel a strong desire and drive to do them. Also, some piano teachers now are teaching piano with an emphasis on theory and/or composition, and that kind of piano teacher might be fun for you.</p>
<p>I think it is great that you have played piano, cello and oboe: this variety gives you a nice “holistic” experience in music. Now that you have chosen the oboe, it is a great time to work hard at it, and focus on one.</p>
<p>Our daughter did a lot of auditions at good conservatories last year. She is a composer, so I don’t know what instrumentalists do in terms of exams or interviews involving music theory. However, I will say that our daughter a lot of 3 hour theory exams, and did really well, and she was not one of those kids who spend years of Saturdays at the local conservatory, studying theory.</p>
<p>She spent the first two years of high school doing a lot of things, one year soccer, two years lots of theater, some volunteer teaching of drama, and worked on both clarinet and her new passion, classical guitar. I figured she would be an English or drama major in college.</p>
<p>But then she started writing music all of a sudden, things like string quartets and clarinet trios, when she was a junior. For her, she had found her means of expression. Before that, she thought everyone heard music in their heads, and it really did take the right (piano) teacher to inspire her to take this more seriously. This was an unexpected adn wonderufl direction. You may have similar surprises ahead, who knows?</p>
<p>She took music theory at school, an inferior course, believe me. Then, for the last two years of high school, she took theory at a conservatory prep school. She was strongly driven to do this, and would have crawled to the classes! The last year, we also paid for a private theory lesson, too. (again, she is a composer, not primarily an instrumentalist)</p>
<p>My main point here is not to worry too much in early high school, and, as many have said, just do what you are drawn to doing, what you love. Don’t follow too many “shoulds.” Explore. Certainly, work hard at the oboe since you are developing a love for it.</p>
<p>But many things can change. Your interests may be different as you develop, or they may deepen. Don’t stress trying to predict or control your own evolution, let it happen- but work hard at those interests that do blossom.</p>
<p>Oh-and for those interested in double degrees, Bard’s fairly new conservatory actually requires a double degree, and the program is 5 years. Our daughter did not like being told what was good for her (!) but the program would be good for many, as is Oberlin’s double degree program, as mentioned. Tufts also has one with NEC, 5 years.</p>