<p>And there is always the military…
[The</a> U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” - The U.S. Army Orchestra Bio - 6/21/11](<a href=“http://www.usarmyband.com/strings/the_us_army_orchestra.html]The”>http://www.usarmyband.com/strings/the_us_army_orchestra.html)
[United</a> States military bands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_bands]United”>United States military bands - Wikipedia)
[U.S</a>. Army Field Band](<a href=“http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/a/fieldband.htm]U.S”>http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/a/fieldband.htm)</p>
<p>Apply to a range of schools that includes conservatory/music schools as well as colleges/universities, and decide in April of senior year.</p>
<p>If money is an issue, know that conservatories don’t do much financial aid (some merit though). If it isn’t an issue, than you will have choices that April that are free from that particular constraint.</p>
<p>I don’t know why you are so fixed on the position in an orchestra. There are all kinds of ensembles, conductorless orchestras and other groups that you can play in. You can be entrepreneurial and start your own.</p>
<p>I know many musicians who work full-time in jobs marginally related to music, or even not related, who spend most of their time off practicing, rehearsing or performing. Other performers and artists too.</p>
<p>So I would echo others to say you might want to be more flexible.</p>
<p>Go ahead and do the music (if that is still what you want to do in April). You will have a bachelor’s degree and can postpone further decisions until you graduate, which is a few years away. You never know what you might get into, musically or otherwise, in the interim.</p>
<p>Maybe try to relax about the more distant future,and cover all your options up until the moment when you actually have to decide about music versus academics (and even then once on campus, of course you can continue with music at whatever level unfolds).</p>
<p>If you feel you HAVE to play 6-10 hours a day, then you will do it. If you don’t feel that, then get your rational mind to conform to what your heart is really telling you. (You’re making this far more complicated than it is.)</p>
<p>Malcolm Gladwell says his researches led him to the conclusion that it takes approximately 10,000 hours to master just about anything (and he uses musical instruments, and musical composition, i.e. Mozart as examples.) He may be underestimating, but for argument’s sake, say he is correct. To truly master the string bass, assuming you have the talent to begin with, starting now, if you put in 8 hours a day 365 days a year - with NO exceptions - it will take you about four years to get there. Your problem of course is that, relative to those who started much younger, you are “behind”, so you may need 10 hours a day to catch up. Are you up to it? If yes, you have your answer. If no, you also have your answer. Not difficult to figure out.</p>
<p>I suppose my answer is, for right now, I cannot live the lifestyle of the average (not as in so-so, but as in the vast majority) musician. I will have to see where this might take me, as I might be more scared of the other alternatives than of music! ;)</p>
<p>I agree with compmom-- apply to a range of schools and programs, and evaluate the options. personally, I don’t think you have to base your college major on what you plan to do for a career. Even if you go to a conservatory, and then decide not to pursue music professionally, you will have learned valuable skills of dedication, persistence and focus that will serve you throughout your life. But, given your strong scholastic bent, you will likely pick a program, even if it is a conservatory, that has a strong academic component to it as well, so you will get a good education for whatever you pursue post-grad.</p>
<p>btw, your being in the top 10% of your class is more important than your GPA per se.</p>
<p>also, I am saying this as the parent of a student who is pursuing a BFA in acting…She had a diverse application list: several auditioned BFA programs and a range of BA programs with good theatre departments. This way, there were no “what ifs” come spring of senior year…</p>