Why do you have to audition to major in playing an instrument?

Because on a degree level course you need to already know some of the basics. For an instrument that means already knowing how to play it.

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They ask for a lot more than the basics. The audition requirements for undergrad programs are daunting. You practically have to be ready to give a fully polished recital program. Even high school instrument programs will frequently not let in beginners. It's a horrible system that discourages a lot of people who would become huge music lovers but can't afford private lessons.

Why would you want to hold musicians to a lower standard than other disciplines? If you want to study biology, you need 3 good A-levels in science subjects, if you want to do English you need a good A-level in English plus 2 related ones. If you want to study an instrument, then you need to already know how to play the instrument. Degree schemes do not, and should not, teach the basics. That's what all that prior education is for.

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In the U.S. you do not need any prior biology courses to study biology at the college level. You could go into an English program as a functional illiterate. I mean you'll probably flunk but the door isn't closed. And as for prior education, even high schools and middle schools will not let kids into an orchestral program unless they *already know how to play*. Basically if you can't afford private lessons you can't study music via the public education system.

That's silly then: they should raise the standards for the other subjects too.

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You don't have to be a music major to take lessons through the school or play in the ensembles.

But for a music major, you have to show that you're committed to your instrument, because it is VERY hard to make a career out of playing an instrument.

For example, here's a little flow chart on the audition process for major symphony orchestras

http://www.metorchestramusicians.org/blog/2014/4/16/auditioning-for-the-met-orchestra

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My own experience is that to play in the ensembles you had to audition. And most public schools do not offer private lessons.

Not everyone who majors in a field even wants to make a career of it. You could just love the subject matter and want to study it. AKA English majors, Art majors.

It's not silly and they don't need to lower the standards for beginners in biology. An intelligent, literate person with no background in biology can usually catch up to a biology program in college.

I think it's more like an illiterate person applying to college to be an English major. There's just too much ground to be covered there. Same with a musical instrument.