I have to agree with Trevor. You need to be absolutely sure that you enjoy
singing and all the stuff that goes with classical music (the theory, the
history, languages, diction, the opera stuff, etc) to really get anything out of
the degree. Many of the people in this country who graduate with performance
degrees often end up teaching anyway (although teaching at a college does
generally require a masters and often a doctorate). If you are very interested
in opera and classical music and feel that you have a strong dedication for it,
go for the degree. You'll learn a great deal in a challenging environment that
you wouldn't get from studying on your own. But the classical singing business
is very competitive and most people need to go on to get their master's (not
only just to learn more, but to wait while their voice develops to its
potential). I definately don't think its too early to draw out skeletal plans
for your life. They may change. . . but it helps to look and plan for what
you'll be doing after undergrad school. If you are into jazz or musical theatre
or even pop music, there are plenty of fine schools that are designed to meet
the specifications of those genres. If you aren't sure that you want to do
music at all, I would suggest you get a degree in something else that interests
you. A degree means a lot in the business world. If you have any more
questions, please feel free to ask or email me personally. I, along with Trevor
(we actually graduated from the same college---HI Trevor!!), just graduated from
college with a BM and am looking at continuing into grad school. In the mean
time, good luck!
Mandi
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