Ways to combine music and linguistics/foreign language?

It seems to me, and apparently to a lot of people, that music is a language. It has structure, grammar, emotional and literal content, and is transferred from the musician like a speaker or writer to the listener or recipient or reader. Many folks have comented on the mathematical patterns that music usually contains. Many folks have noticed that language has a musical quality, and a well-constructed, persuasive, compelling set of prose usually has a similar effect on the receiver that a musical composition and performance does. I say "a lot of people", but I mean that in the most conservative way. I would say "most people" in my experience. Now this information is something you've probably heard quite often. But now I'll say that I personally have a very similar reaction to power prose, words with a melodic texture, and music. And it's certainly not a subtle connection that language has varying tonal qualities that impart distinct meaning. Listening to an opera is an obvious example. Some languages, notably Mandarin, have very specific requirements for tonal variations that impart specific meanings. In fact, when it wasn't deemed Politically Incorrect, many folks would comment on the unique tonal qualities of specific languages. Folks exaggerating these qualities might not be encouraged, but upon listening, most of the audience could identify. Folks have often commented on the "melodic" qualities of Spanish and Italian. I've been told by friends from other countries that English sounds very "Germanic" (which is certainly is), and that it sounds to a Spanish speaker like "dogs barking", and that some actually find this pleasing for some reason. Now, instead of being offended, I can say that I like dogs :-) . But we know that there are some musical pieces that are specifically intended to mimic the cadence and rhythm of various sounds from nature, including animal sounds. And most of us are familiar with the idea that animals make musical sounds for many of the same reasons humans have made musical sounds. So my message is that music and language should definitely be complementary and should use much of the same mental structures and abilities. So go for it.

It's great that you're already aware of some of your strong interests! You'll find quite a few career opportunities with learning foreign languages or linguistics - you could become a foreign language teacher, teach literature or find lots of jobs working abroad or in the U.S. Government, depending on what type of language you speak. Within piano, you could also find jobs teaching, working in the creative arts (producing or writing music) or even performance. Combining the two is hard but at the same time, I would encourage not just thinking of your interests in terms of a job but pursuing multiple passions at the same time. I have a friend who works in business consulting at IBM and simultaneously plays piano and records new music every week - combining two interests could be the best case scenario but there are lots of ways to live a lifestyle where you can get a job in one and still continue to pursue the other on the side. Talking to people who have anecdotal experiences here can be very useful. Wishing you luck!