<p>My comments are not based on a knowledge of theater, but as the parent of a classical musician son and a daughter who has a nonconventional career in companion animal care.</p>
<p>Perhaps your dad doesn’t want you to fall into “the starving artist syndrome”, and his unsupportive ways are his means of dealing with it. He may also see a four year degree in a performance arts discipline as a “waste” or one with slim chance of success. Perhaps he has no conception of what it means to be driven by a Muse.</p>
<p>I realized early on that you can’t dictate the goals, aspirations, and dreams of others. My son has an extraordinary talent, and we as parents were always supportive of his desire to “make it” as a performing musician. Yet, we, like most parents, had no means of measuring that talent across a broad spectrum. We had to rely on professional assessments, and honors, accolades, and opportuntities that came about as the result of his talent.</p>
<p>No doubt he wants the best for you, wants you to succeed, but for any number of reasons (his own upbringing and experiences, his need for security, a sense of “practicality” versus “pipe dreams”) can’t see your path as valid, or maybe just too “iffy”.</p>
<p>Unless he can accept that all are not cast in the same mold, this will be a stumbling block. As long as YOU are aware of the level of competition, are confident in both your ability and potential, and realize the odds of acheiving what many perceive as normal financial and job security, you’re the one that has to live with it.</p>
<p>Assuage his fears. Tell him you know the odds. Outline some of your thoughts and goals, and what drives you as a performer. And let him know that a BFA or BA is still a four year degree, and will position you for grad school in an unrelated discipline down the road should you choose, or allow you to apply to the same jobs as would any liberal arts degree holder. Make him confident that you’re not going into this with blinders on. There’s a thread here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html</a> with a number of observations from both parents with kids in music performance and other arts disciplines, as well as some parents with performance related degrees of their own. It may provide some insights to both you and your dad.</p>
<p>The best of luck to you.</p>