Challenges of Becoming a Professional Musician :

―Analysis of Interviews from Aspiring Young Adults―

Abstract

  This qualitative study focused on the challenges for young adults who aspire to become professional musicians. Eight young musicians participated in the interview survey, and the difficulties and the conflicts that they had been experienced after finishing music education. Six challenges were extracted from the interviews : lack of detail knowledge of how to become professional performers, unstable will to become a professional, difficulties in establishing identity as a musician, a conflict between income and satisfaction from music, how to overcome negative evaluation, and difficulties in prospecting their future as musicians. Even the participants who were almost able to make a living by music had difficulties in holding a promising vision as professional musicians. It was suggested that it was difficult for aspiring young adults to be professional musicians to have clear career design.