Having given you some of my thoughts about the pros and cons of playing in an orchestra, there are still many questions a person must ask himself before embarking on this career path. If your primary motivation to play in an orchestra is stardom, prepare for a big disappointment. Many orchestras below the top tier pay salaries far below a comfortable living wage for the community that they are in and in order to work in these cities you will need to teach, freelance, or work in a job outside of music. Playing in an orchestra is very demanding physically and mentally. Speaking of putting the instrument away - even though music will be A central part of your life, by no means should it be THE central part.
Music is a great friend, but it can be a terrible master.
Remember that the most important person on the stage is usually long deceased - the composer. All rights reserved.