<p>Attending summer music festivals gave both of my kids a realistic view of the competition. I recommend this as a way for aspiring musicians to get a real feel for the professional world.</p>
<p>One child elected to go into neuroscience, graduated college this spring and is planning med school after completing a post-bac research position with NIH (she starts this job in September). She is at a music festival this summer (kept playing all through college with lessons, chamber groups and won a scholarship to the festival) and has no regrets about keeping music as an avocation.</p>
<p>Our second child was also more realistic after assessing the competition at the music festivals (he too is at a festival as I write). He is earning his piano technician license on the side and leaning more in an academic direction. He is a rising college junior at an LAC with a strong music program and plans to go into academic music. Although a good musician, he sees community orchestras, private students and some chamber work as all he will be able to compete in. He’s tuned some pianos (apprenticing under a tech) and hopes that this work will help. Working in science or a more “lucrative” occupation would not work for him. He knows he will be middle class at best. His dream is to teach theory or history at an LAC after grad school.</p>
<p>My thoughts are-be realistic, don’t borrow money for an undergraduate music degree and live cheap. However, do engage in work that is personally satisfying.</p>