What is it that makes someone want to be a professional musician? There was no singular moment when I decided that a career in music was what I wanted. Musicians have a need to play—they have a desire to communicate with others and within themselves through music.

My friends feel similarly. Violinist Samantha Bennett, who is attending New England Conservatory this fall, says, “I’m a musician because music is my life. Music is what I love doing.”

During this next year, many of my friends and I will be going through the application process, experiencing the exciting and grueling period of auditions. But before we get there, I’d like to share with those who are just beginning their musical journey what I’ve learned in the past years about getting ready for this moment.

ON HIS WAY: Gabriel Cabezas. GabrielCabezas1.tif

I’ve had three teachers, and each has impacted me in both musical and personal ways. Without them, I would be a much different musician and a much different person. For my teachers, music isn’t just a job, it’s life. The idea of doing something that you love and that relates to every aspect of your life in some way has made sense to me always. My teachers’ beliefs have supported and complemented my own family’s values, and I’ve connected with them strongly from an early age. I think this explains why the relationship between a musician and a teacher is so important not only during the prep stages, but throughout higher education and beyond.

There is much to learn and practice throughout the prep years. Learning solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire is essential to forming a historical framework of style, musicality, technique, and beauty. It will also be necessary for the application to a conservatory or university, and definitely for a career in classical music. Don’t be afraid to explore amazing contemporary works, but always remember the importance of classic repertoire. Take time to understand a piece’s historical context; this will make it more palpable and real, I promise! Most conservatories and universities list the required repertoire for auditions, so you can start preparing in advance with specific goals in mind.

Music theory, history, composition: these can enhance your understanding of music. Besides the traditional curriculum, orchestra can prepare you for a professional life as an orchestral musician, and the increased popularity of chamber music makes experience in these programs valuable to a musician’s growth. These programs can also be important socially. Undoubtedly, later in your professional life, you will see and possibly even work with these same players again.

Education enhances your understanding of the world and teaches things that you’ll need to know outside of music. School provides a place to make friends and feel anchored with the world outside of music. Some of my home-schooled friends tell me that they have more flexibility when it comes to making time for practice and academic homework than their counterparts, like me, who attend “regular” high school. I feel it’s a matter of choice; all of us thrive in different environments.

There are many master classes offered through festivals, pre-conservatory programs, and other organizations. They offer a great opportunity for you to work with a potential future teacher, to get a feeling for a particular conservatory or university, to interact with other musicians considering the same teacher or institution. Each master class will provide a diverse set of new perspectives and musical possibilities. Adaptability is a “must” in these classes. I try to keep an open mind and imagine myself working under the direction of the [master class] teacher. Even after a short period of time, I can tell if we “click,” and that’s a vital consideration in choosing a teacher.

I have [participated in] competitions since the age of eight. I’ve won some and lost some. You should never expect to win. However, it’s great if you do. Competitions don’t have to be won to be a good experience. They’re a great chance to see and hear other musicians and to learn from their playing, and to get objectively critiqued by someone other than your teacher. Competitions help me work hard, but sometimes I have to take a step back and realize that my life won’t end if I don’t win. In terms of importance, competitions definitely take a backseat to actual performances, where you are expected to perform at a professional level.

Performances can be nerve-racking for some, but they’re essential to becoming a professional musician because that’s what you do when you are one. Hope I didn’t lose anyone there. In all seriousness, it’s extremely important to have a lot of performance experience before your audition and application process starts. Auditions will seem [easy] in comparison. Communicating through music with those listening and watching during auditions will let them sense your ability to express, perform, and even learn under pressure.

Many of us, through competitions we’ve attended or through our own search, become involved with organizations that promote music appreciation and education. As part of these organizations, we are able to communicate with children, young adults, parents, teachers, and administrators, orally and musically. These groups provide a forum for us to explain what we feel in music, how we think music affects us as a world community, and why we believe the study and appreciation of music is important. These entities also provide guidance and support during our application process for higher education.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll know that the perfect balance rarely, if ever, happens. I try my hardest and hope for the best. There are choices and adjustments that have to [be made] to achieve some sort of balance.

“There have been quite a few sacrifices made,” says my friend Matt Wright, a flutist starting his freshman year at Juilliard next year. “To be honest, I could be a really great student if I had the time and willpower to focus on school—music is quite draining! However, it’s paid off.”

Some days we struggle with academic homework because we need to prepare for a recital; some days we may have to skip a school activity or a party because of a scheduled performance. Other days, we may have to miss a performance or master class because of a school exam. In the end, as my friends confirm, we [can] achieve what we ultimately want. It’s important not to completely deny yourself an activity, whether it’s social, academic, or musical, as you may miss an experience or feeling that you may need to express later, musically or otherwise.

As long as we communicate in all sectors, even in different percentages, we feel balanced. During our prep years, it may appear that we concentrate on music more than on social or academic opportunities. This, of course, may be due to the amount of time we spend practicing and preparing for performances, competitions, and master classes. But as we go along, these areas seem to fuse more and more, each supplementing the others.

The prep work is all about communication. Through this process we reveal ourselves as musicians at heart, establish a strong link with our teachers and families, learn repertoire through classes and performances, interact with others through music, and make contacts and secure relationships with future teachers, institutions, and organizations.

Ultimately, it helps us to establish careers as communicators through music.

The whole experience of preparing to be a musician can be as strenuous as any other profession, if not more. The application process can be taxing, but, without the prep work, it would have been impossible for anyone even to make it to the application. The road gets rougher from here.

—Gabriel Cabezas

Cellist Gabriel Cabezas, 15, is the winner of the 2006 Sphinx Competition and has appeared on the National Public Radio program From the Top. This is the first of three first-person articles following Cabezas on his journey to a conservatory. Learn more about the author at gabrielcabezas.com.