Take note: Professionals by day, musicians by night

String bass player Jeremy Nicholas logged 15,000 miles on his car last year traveling between rehearsals and concerts he played with orchestras in Fort Collins, Greeley, Cheyenne and Colorado Springs.

Nicholas, 27, lives in Denver and pieces together a living as a freelance musician. His dream is to make a full-time salary with benefits playing for a large orchestra like the Denver-based Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Two weeks ago, he auditioned for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, which pays about $40,000 a year with benefits.

“I can almost say I make a living as a freelance musician,” Nicholas said. “But it’s kind…