Posted by Sean Chisham on March 05, 1999 at 10:13:25:
In Reply to: Majoring in Music posted by S.P. on March 04, 1999 at 21:09:57:
The entertainment industry, in general, can be extremely difficult to get your foot in the door. Think of the thousands of music majors who spend 4-7 years honed in on one task for 8 hours plus each day, along with the countless others who have already been playing professionally for many years. Now imagine them all wanting to take a crack at an opening in Oregon. You show up, after a frantic 6 weeks of trying to bring your skills to their highest level. You look out over the cattle call and see a couple hundred faces, some of which you have been listening to on your portable cd player on the way to the audition. The person who wins, most likely, has been eating, breathing, and sleeping music for a majority of their life. The audition they put on is probably typical of their everyday performance routine.
If you are thinking of not majoring in music in college, then you may be having doubts as to your viability as a professional musician. Those thoughts are ok. If you haven't got an active uncontrollable hunger for performing and music, then following through and winning an audition will be very difficult. It is nearly impossible to force oneself to practice and focus on something over the span of several years. It has to be something you enjoy greatly and want to continue tirelessly regardless of initial audition results.
The point is that being very successful in any undertaking involves a total commitment of time, resources, desire, and spirit along with a good deal of dumb luck. If you do major in something other than music, than your uphill voyage just became a bit steeper because of the distractions of time and mental resources associated with completing the other undertaking.
On the otherhand, unless you are already a recognized prodigy, your musical future is uncertain. It really sucks to finish 4-7 years of college with over $50,000 in student loans bearing down on you and still not be gainfully employed as a musician or having a non-music resume strong enough to get a decent paying job. Be flexible.
You gotta love the process. :)
sean