HELP!!! Should I become a pianist?

[Triton]

My teacher says that i should choose whether I become a pianist or not...
I'm 16 years old now, 17 in the end of November. It's so hard to choose!!!

Personally, I don't think I am good enough, but many people say that I am good and should try to become one...

Do I have to get through all that schools and whatever it is to become a pianist?
What do you think?

Thanks for answers
Triton

[allthumbs]

Greetings

I'm not a professional pianist, so I can't give you any perspective from that point of view. However, as someone who was 17 once (a long time ago). I did experience the turmoil in trying to determine one's path in life.

I think that at your age, it's a little difficult to make such a choice. I would suggest that if you love the piano, keep working towards being the best you can be.

I would think that a goal of being a concert pianist would entail a fairly rigorous practice regimen that you may not be prepared to undertake at this time.

So you have to ask yourself, "Am I prepared to make that sacrifice?"

I would suggest that you speak to someone who is a concert pianist. (I'm sure one the concert pianists in the forum can give you much better advice than I.)

Good luck!


Cheers

allthumbs

[pianohopper]

I am guessing the consensus is to make a profession of performance, you must have a Masters in Piano Performance.  Perhaps a Bachelors'  would pass, I am not sure.  It would seem that, if you can play your stuff well, Bachelors' and Masters aren't that important.  I mean, some people with Masters might not play nearly as well as those with Bachelors. 


The question should not be:  Am I good enough?  But rather:  Am I willing to devote my life to this?  An average concert pianist, in my estimate, practices at least 8 hours a day.  I know that Song-Yuan Tang, a Chinese pianist who won a scholarship to Eastman School of Music this past year, practices 12 hours a day.  (He is playing such works as Reminiscences de Don Juan, the first movement of the Rach3, etc...) 

Another issue is:  Would you be doing this for yourself, or for your teacher?  If you do not love piano with a passion, it will be impossible to succeed at piano as a career. 

Also, there are many, many great pianists who are not concert artists, but instead make their living off of teaching.  The mainstream circuit of professional music has only a limited amount of space for the top concert artists. 

I think you have to also have a combination of luck and extremely good contacts to succeed too --- look at how Lang Lang got his breakthrough, filling in for Andre Watts at the Ravinia Festival.  Obviously, if you know somebody high up in an orchestra, they could set you up with an audition, and who knows where you can go from there. 


P.S.  Many people may tell you that you should become a concert pianist.  I think more than anything it is a compliment.  Most of the people who say this have no idea what it takes to do this as a career.  Whereas if a renowned teacher or performer tells you this, take it with more weight. 

[Appenato]

aren't you already a pianist by the mere fact that you can play piano? what exactly defines a pianist? someone who plays extravagantly difficult/good pieces?

anyway... tri... i'm sure there's several people out there that don't think they're good enough to pursue a career in professionally playing/being a concert artist. However, I've heard you play from a few months ago when you posted a link to your playing. It was very good. You have the potential, so I'd say if at all possible, pursue your passion. If you've been dedicated thus far... why not run with it because you can now?

Yes, it does seem as if the top-notch schools are the ones that churn out the concert artists, but perhaps that's because they have connections. You could start out at a reasonably good school for the first year and see about transfering later. I'd say if you have a good teacher at a school that may not be considered top-notch but  can guide your studies in a way that builds upon your gift, then you're in a good place and off to a good start at least.

whichever way you decide to go, career in music or not, you've still got your music anyway. and if it brings you satisfaction, that's good. if you wish to bring others satisfaction through it, great. I'm sure that's already the case, so either way, you'll be satisfying yourself or others. good luck.

[leahcim]

aren't you already a pianist by the mere fact that you can play piano? what exactly defines a pianist? someone who plays extravagantly difficult/good pieces?

I think his teacher means he should decide w.r.t a career or not, and if so the step to take next.

Nice though the philosophical "If you have a swimsuit, then you're a beauty contestant" statements are.

I'd say, go for it, unless there's something else you wanted to do. It's not like the world isn't full of graduates that are doing other things than the subject they got their degree in - you can always do something else if it doesn't work out.

As for devoting your life to it, the hours of practise etc - The average shelf-stacker in a supermarket, sewer worker, computer programmer or doctor spends 8+ hours a day doing that - if anything it's getting off easy compared with many things. There's no great cross to bear for choosing it over any other career or job - unless you hate practising / playing the piano.

[bernhard]

The decision ultimately may not be yours to make (irrespective of talent).

Above all you must decide if you like “performing” – which is what a professional pianist do. And performing is a completely different layer added to piano skills (Rubinsteind, for instance loved performing – Horowitz was not so keen on it and Godowsky positively hated it – As a consequence, Rubinstein was a supremely happy man, and Rubinstein and Godowsky were very neurotic and unhappy).

Then you must decide about the lifestyle (constant travelling, very stressful lifestyle, etc.)

It seems to me that you cannot take this decision based solely on your pianistic skills, and that you should ask your teacher to help you experience some of the negative (that is,  if like me you don’t like them) aspects of your future profession by arranging some recitals for you, or by enrolling you to perform in music festivals – possibly in different towns.

To give you an analogy, I always loved scuba-diving. But over the years the hassle of purchasing/maintaining the equipment, carrying it into place, organising the trip, renting the boat, getting there, etc. completely overshadowed any pleasure I was deriving for it. (Now I will only do it if someone else organises everything).

Lostinidlewonder has written some superb posts on exactly these aspects of a piano career (maybe he can give you the threads – Otherwise, just click on his name and look for his past contributions – or do a search).

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[prodigy1220]

My teacher says that i should choose whether I become a pianist or not...
I'm 16 years old now, 17 in the end of November. It's so hard to choose!!!

Personally, I don't think I am good enough, but many people say that I am good and should try to become one...

Do I have to get through all that schools and whatever it is to become a pianist?
What do you think?   

BECOME A PIANST IF U LIKE THE PIANO IF YOU DON"t THEN FORGET IT

Thanks for answers
Triton