I used to consider myself lucky in terms of my education and early career. I managed to secure jobs, gain admission to prestigious schools, and was hired for various singing and conducting gigs. However, I also faced rejection. Part of my success was due to hard work, and part of it was being in the right place at the right time. After studying at Eastman, I moved back to Vermont where I was a big fish in a small pond, talented and well-known despite my youth. Consequently, people sought me out more than I sought them. I attended workshops where clinicians discussed auditions and rejection, stating that one successful casting call for every 100 rejections was a good ratio. While I understood this concept intellectually, it wasn't my lived experience. Therefore, while I sympathized with my students who faced rejection, I couldn't empathize.

When I went to grad school in my 40s, I found myself in an area where the demand for my skills exceeded the supply. I quickly began to find good work. After moving to Washington DC, I had the opportunity to direct music for some great shows and build a studio of talented singers. Concurrently, I began to explore new opportunities and applied for university jobs, which led to a series of rejection letters. This experience gave me a new perspective on the rejection my students had been facing for years.

We live in a time where world-class institutions are graduating performing artists of the highest caliber. The level of talent produced by our education system is staggering, leading to hundreds of qualified individuals auditioning for every professional part. Those who are rejected are amazing; they just don't meet the exact criteria sought by casting directors.

When it comes to colleges, universities, and music schools, I understand their need to run a successful business. They want talented students and will promote their success stories. However, for every success, there are many heartbreaks.

Here's a somewhat controversial point: if your dream is to be a partner in a major law firm and you don't achieve that, you're still a lawyer with a marketable skill. Unfortunately, a degree in musical theater leaves you with fewer options. I'm not trying to discourage people from pursuing their dreams. Instead, I'm suggesting that you consider what your dream truly is. Is it to be a professional singer, or is it to sing regularly?

I've worked with a singer and professional actor in Washington DC who has won several awards and is always in a show. I assumed she was doing this full-time, but I discovered she was a government contractor. She clarified, "I love singing, I love acting, I have a degree in it, but honestly, I hate worrying about money."

I believe that many young people love playing sports, and some are very talented. I would be interested in studying how many high school baseball players aspire to play in the major leagues. If you were in high school right now, consider this. How many of your classmates play sports and actively discuss pursuing that sport as a career? Now, consider the students you participate in the high school musical with. How many of them are considering it? In my experience, many students in the arts hope to make it a career. In high school, it's still an extracurricular activity, just like baseball. However, something about the arts makes people feel they need to pursue it as a career. My advice is, you don't have to.