USC allows double performance degrees. We spoke to a student in BM Violin/BM Choral who graduated last year. He told us he chose USC because it was the only school on his list that would allow him to do that. Some other school allow double BA degrees, but not BM.
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if itās only for an idea of how one may make a living later - rather than the student cannot imagine not pursuing both an instrument and voice at the deepest possible level - than I think there might be many more options open to that student than seem immediately obvious.
It is definitely more a matter of her parents being concerned about her making a living. She is focused on violin first and foremost. We have had several kids double major (math/chemE, physics/math, French/Russian, atmospheric science/math/(and a German minor). When I say we know nothing about music, we know nothing about music other than what we have learned alongside her (so we have an 8th grade education!!! 
)
The answers to my question make it obvious to me that I have a lot more to learn!
One of my kids is a professional freelance musician. The kid is self supporting. Lots of different jobsā¦private lesson instruction, teaches CC courses, does mastering and recording, plays in several small ensembles, does private gigs, and has a small part time bookkeeping job (probably seasonalā¦during tax season). But this musician is making a living.
In both undergrad and grad, kid had courses that addressed being a self employed musician. Also took a personal finance course in college that the kid says was one of the best courses taken.
Itās always a work in progress, and changing, but the kid is happy, doing what he loves, etc.
My second kid is in a profession that will net a LOT more income annually. I have to say, kid one has a great quality of life, perhaps better than kid two who earns way way way more money.
Do what you love, and love what you do.
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Iirc, Katrina Lenk, who won a Tony for her role on Broadway in The Bandās Visit, majored in viola. She clearly can sing! She went to Northwestern.
Could be worth looking at how their program is set up.
Having known Katrina, I can tell you she completed her first two years on viola but after that was almost entirely in the music theater program. I wouldnāt say you can really do both at Northwestern. She basically did 2 years of one and then 2 years of the other.
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That makes sense - I had not heard that before. Might be a good idea for anyone interested to reach out to Mary-Liz OāNeill at Conservatory admissions (she is wonderful). There are double-majors with dance or theatre (both performance-based), so maybe there have been changes to the policy since then.
You have already received good advice on how to possibly study both voice and an instrument. There are multiple ways to do this.
Iāll address the overall role of a parent for a young budding musician. Here are a few comments.
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For voice, she is really young. Most kids canāt seriously āstudyā voice until high school as the voice is in the body and takes time to mature. So it is really, really early to have any idea of what kind of voice will develop. In saying that, my D started with violin and added voice in late elementary school with her violin teacher (just singing Disney songs) bc she loved to sing. It was not until Sophomore year in high school that she got a serious voice teacher. That was about the right time (Freshman or Sophomore year). So, yes, your kid can love to sing, be musically inclined, be able to sing in tune etc. But you really wonāt be able to know what type of voice will develop until high school (classical solo or choir workā¦or more of a MT or jazz or pop voice). Then you can think more seriously about voice in college.
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As a parent, there are things you can control and not control. If you are not a musical parent (like me), you do need to lean on teachers (and trust their advice). If you are a āplannerā as a parent, this can be hard. My unsolicited advice is to educate yourself and then offer your kid a wide variety of opportunities (too many is ok) and then see what she picks or gravitates too. In Middle School, my D thought she would be a performer and basketball player (she grew early and topped out at 5ā5ā so we knew she was in trouble!). I finally told her she had to choose for 9th grade as it was just too much running around. I did point out her lack of practice for basketball compared to music. She did drop the sport. It sounds so simpleā¦but some kids want to do it all. And, that will become an issue in high schoolā¦or definitely college. Many kids enter college doing double degrees, double something or otherā¦and that falls away quickly in Freshman or Sophomore year. Or you have to concentrate on one and make the other area a minor or a few classes. That is NOT a problem. You are still getting a BM or BA (you donāt need 2 BMs). My advice to parents of ambitious students is to sayā¦sureā¦go for itā¦but be aware you may have to choose one if time gets tightā¦and then let them do that (or get a teacherās advice which always seems better than a parentās). You NEVER want to be the one to choose (particularly in an area that you donāt know well)ā¦or they will never let you forget your mistake! So, offer up opportunities and see what she does.
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When you get a music degree, there is NO JOB waiting at the end of the line. You just need to sit with that (and put up with people sayingā¦what sheās going to do with THAT degreeā¦my best answer becameā¦I have no idea so I guess weāll all have to wait and see). She will get a Bachelorās degree. I have a BA (liberal arts degree) so I wasnāt so bothered by an opaque line to a job. But it does really bother some parents. I think that if you focus on some of the āother skillsā like discipline, good communication skills, hard working, ability to hit time lines, ability to hustle for gigs, sheāll be fine in gigging or deciding to do entry level work in a corporate or non-profit environment. Many smaller institutions that work with the arts are not so concerned with a ābusinessā or āarts administrationā degreeā¦but they are looking for people with a background in the arts. So a BM would open doors. I see this a lot in music performance. You just need to let go and have faith your kid wonāt want to live in your basementā¦so theyāll find employment!
Wellā¦thatās probably more than enough. I just wanted to share those thoughts.
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@Mom2aphysicsgeek a lot can change in high school. Kids can get into sports, theater, math, music etc. and tend to focus in the last year or two.
I think it is pretty early to even research this as yet. I would wait until you know what you need to research! The important thing is for your daughter to have opportunities to explore and develop interests, which you are doing.
You canāt predict life, including how she will make a living. A BM opens doors to many non-music jobs, or can lead to grad school, or to performance as a career (often with grad school). The musicians I know work hard, travel a lot and donāt make a ton of money, but orchestral musicians do better. I donāt know much about vocal performance.
I hope you have read the Double Degree Dilemma essay in the Read Me section on this music major forum. It is about different ways to study music. One other option not mentioned, which others here have suggested, is to do a BA in music and continue lessons and performance as extracurriculars for either or both.
A BM is 2/3-3/4 classes in music. A BA is 1/4-1/3 classes in music, often with funded lessons and performance might be for credit in some cases. BMās generally have auditions. For a BA application many do a music supplement with recording/video, resume and letters of recommendation related to music- if the colleges accept supplements. Other options are double major, major/minor, and double degree.
For financial aid, you want to make sure she applies as a freshman. Others can comment on how doing a lot of dual enrollment gen eds might affect that status.
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There are a number of schools where they allow students to have a primary and secondary instrument(of which one could be voice).
My son is a string performance major and has started singing with an acapella group to increase his musicality; he now said he may audition for one of the choirs next year. There are many more voice performance majors than string majors where he is at school. You can DM me if youād like.