Do you know how high the barrier is for musicians aiming for top-tier orchestras? Some people live like robots just for a single position. Ironically, the very skills they spend their lives honing are being gradually replaced by AI. Take a real-life story: a musician spent an entire year preparing for a Boston Symphony Orchestra audition, which offered a six-figure salary. He sacrificed his normal life, surviving on protein powder, sleeping only three hours a day, and avoiding coffee to keep his nerves steady. These musicians even have a trick—eating bananas before an audition to absorb potassium, which stabilizes their muscles. Their physical control is athlete-level; when they're tired, they practice in their minds. This person was so busy he had to schedule short meetings with his wife just to discuss household finances. He sacrificed everything for that 10-minute audition. In the end, under pressure, his mind went blank for a second. He knew instantly it was over—a year of effort wasted. AI is now revolutionizing the music industry. We used to spend hundreds of thousands hiring orchestras for film scores; now, AI can generate it directly. The scariest part isn't just the displacement of jobs, but the replacement of core capabilities. Professional orchestras value consistency and perfection—never missing a note. But consistency is precisely where AI starts. AI never gets nervous, never gets distracted, and never blacks out. While human performers struggle with the human element of error, AI delivers the optimal solution every time. That's why I'm studying computer science at Harvard. The world no longer needs these 'perfect executioners.' It needs rule-makers. Orchestras will have to change their criteria—they shouldn't be looking for someone who doesn't make mistakes, but for someone who can infuse music with humanity, someone who can convey the raw emotion that AI cannot mimic.
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