i imagine that would be pretty damn hard, i only took one year before i decided on something else. 1st of be able to read music, be able to play piano, vocals and whatever your instrument is. be confident and be able to do it front of people. what killed me was learning to read music which i never did and having to sing note for note without any prior vocal training. im freaking guitarist. i cant sing accapella. i dunno its hard you got to be determined and already know a good amount before you start.

All the other answers are just great, here is my most meager contribution: A undergrad degree and masters, along with the doctorate are just decorations picked up along the way while learning to play the horn well enough for symphony use. But they are worthless unless you have an incredible amount of talent. Take the 4th horn in Chicago and he/or she is maybe the best horn player you have ever heard. Same with Cleveland, New York or any major symphony. It ain’t like it use to be, there use to be more full time symphonies, more jobs. There also use to be fewer Music Schools/Universities/Conservatories cranking out great players. The total effect is that a position in a major symphony is the rarest of jewels, hard to find. Now on top of that, you might be the best player at a tryout but your tone doesn’t fit in with the “concept” of the orchestra. (Orchestras do have different sound concepts). Then, there is the really UGLY stuff about your political affiliations. You should not expect this but there are factions that will make sure if you are not ProUnion enough, you will not be hired. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. Other symphonies may have a totally opposite stance. So there you have a small part of the problems involved in what you seek. As my teacher, who performed with several majors, told me, “rots of ruck”. I known several pro players that went the military route. They played in service bands while taking lessons from some of the “greats”. One went on to be the principal in the National Opera and the National Ballet.

i dont know all of the details, but if you play a musical instrument or sing, work hard and do your best to become best in your class. if their is a talent show use that opportunity to get yourself seen and noticed! if people really see some talent, you may eventually get a schollarship for music at a good collage!! that is what i am trying for as an alto saxophone player!