But Sherbourne teenager Debbie Rothwell intends to earn hers by playing in string quartets.
The 15-year-old violinist has been chosen ahead of more than 500 others to join the National Youth Orchestra.
Her success was made all the sweeter for having failed to get in at her first attempt.
Debbie said: "I'm really pleased because this is fulfilling an ambition I have had for a number of years.
"Last year I didn't get in, so this time I was slightly more nervous about it."
Playing with the orchestra will involve intensive residential courses during school holidays, followed by concerts at St Paul's Cathedral and the Proms.
Debbie picked up the violin at the age of six and passed her grade eight at 11, so she might have been expected to follow a career as a professional musician.
But the King's High School student hopes to study engineering at university, although she will not be leaving her violin in its case.
Debbie said: "It would be quite useful to be at university working in quartets to earn money."
Coming from a musical family - her sister Lydia, 13, plays the trumpet and cello, her father John the violin and her mother Nicola is an accompanist at music exams – might make it all seem sickeningly easy.
But Debbie confesses to having felt a little inadequate when she first played with the orchestra in trials.
She said: "It was quite overawing. All these people were playing really loud, playing their hearts out with so much emotion and I felt like I was just playing along with them. Last time I felt like they were all better than me but this time I will actually be in the orchestra and I'm quite excited. I've got in so I must be all right after all."
Debbie Rothwell will be performing Benjamin Britten's War Requiem in the National Youth Orchestra at Birmingham Symphony Hall on January 7.

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