Why arent their competitions for older people????

[lisztisforkids]

It seems that almost every major competitioin has a age limit to where you are not allowed to particapate anymore (30 is average it seems like). So... Why??? I know that propelling young talent is important.. But lets face it.. people like me wont be able to compete in major competions until I am  to old to do so. And I want to be a concert pianist. If I only started playing at age 5 instead of 13.  Its not fair.

[xvimbi]

One does not have to go through major competitions in order to make it in the concert scene. In fact, most concert pianists never did, and many of those who won never really became famous. Competitions are just one way to get into the field. Hang in there!

[ted]

Competition is completely irrelevant to me personally and always has been, but I think your question is very interesting indeed in its social implication. I don't know why older people are excluded and in fact I didn't realise they were. I look forward to hearing possible reasons. Are older people excluded from all those posh music schools too ? Come to think of it, I cannot recall seeing an advertisement saying, "Forthcoming recital by brilliant old pianist." Yet logic tells me that at least a proportion of the "brilliant young pianists" from forty years ago must now be brilliant old pianists

[thalbergmad]

Very well put ted.

I have always thought that pianists that are very young are interesting to the concert going public and pianists that are very old too. In between, there appears to be a long fallow period. One is neither old or young enough.

[gorbee natcase]

They don't have weel chair access, and old people have bladder problems Don't want that in the middle of Rach3 (ooooooo I have to go to the bathroom)

[randmc]

Are there age restrictions on the Liszt or, recently, the Chopin competitions?

[practicingnow]

Unfortunately, winning competitions is necessary nowadays if you want to get concerts.
You must amass a bio in order to get dates in festivals, series', and orchestra dates.  They want to see that you have won this and that, and got reviewed by him and her, before you are allowed through the front door.
This is a fact, unfortunately.  The people that run these events don't give a damn about how well you play - that is the truth - they just want to know that you will put asses in seats.  That is the bottom line.  They have to sell tickets.  Don't even think that because you can honestly play better than Kissin or Hamelin or Pollini, that it makes a difference.  It does not.  They've never heard of you - nobody has ever heard of you - and you're not going to fill their hall.  That's all they care about, not how well you play.
Sad but true.

[allthumbs]

They don't have weel chair access, and old people have bladder problems Don't want that in the middle of Rach3 (ooooooo I have to go to the bathroom)

Hey, you're pretty funny...for a kid! One day you'll be the older generation and the younger generation will be saying the same about you. Hahahaha


Cheers

allthumbs

[leahcim]

One day you'll be the older generation and the younger generation will be saying the same about you.

To be fair, I suspect he's got more to worry about w.r.t the IQ drop than what folk will be saying

[arensky]

They don't have weel chair access, and old people have bladder problems Don't want that in the middle of Rach3 (ooooooo I have to go to the bathroom)

LMAO!!! 

[arensky]

Unfortunately, winning competitions is necessary nowadays if you want to get concerts.
You must amass a bio in order to get dates in festivals, series', and orchestra dates.  They want to see that you have won this and that, and got reviewed by him and her, before you are allowed through the front door.
This is a fact, unfortunately.  The people that run these events don't give a *** about how well you play - that is the truth - they just want to know that you will put asses in seats.  That is the bottom line.  They have to sell tickets.  Don't even think that because you can honestly play better than Kissin or Hamelin or Pollini, that it makes a difference.  It does not.  They've never heard of you - nobody has ever heard of you - and you're not going to fill their hall.  That's all they care about, not how well you play.
Sad but true.

I don't think it's that bleak. There is always another way. I am on the verge of getting management soley based on my playing and haven't won a thing since the 1980's. I guess I am a compelling performer, or so I have been told. It's regional management, and we'll see if it pans out, and if it doesn't I'll just continue as I have been. The point is the playing, not the competition. And that is inevitably what will put the asses in the seats, good playing. The bureaucrats will come and go, and they only have power if we let them...

What if they gave a concert and nobody came? That's what's starting to happen..the rotten system is suffocating itself. Maybe we can replace it with a new rotten system! 

Seriously, you play or you don't. Your view is well founded, but I say **** the system! It's not all it's cracked up to be. Where there's a will there's a way....

[orlandopiano]

There are numerous amateur competitions, including one sponsored by The Van Cliburn Foundation that are open to competitors over 30-ish. A Dentist friend of mine competed in the Van Cliburn one a few years ago and he is in his 50s.

Don't let the "amateur" name fool you. There are some incredible musicians who compete in these things, and they play the same virtuoso repertoire that you'd hear at any other competition. The only difference is, they chose careers in a field other than music.

https://www.cliburn.org/page/18

[ako]

Yes, the Van Cliburn amateur would be fun for over 35 pianists. My teacher suggested that be one of my goals for as an adult student. It's not designed to launch a professional career though, but it should be great fun to hear all those wonderful talented people with the same interests as you.

[arensky]

One does not have to go through major competitions in order to make it in the concert scene. In fact, most concert pianists never did, and many of those who won never really became famous. Competitions are just one way to get into the field. Hang in there!

I don't know about "most", but you are right xvimbi! The "winners" often lose evantually and those who refuse to fight often "win" in the end. Keep your eyes on the real prize, MUSIC...it may not pay a lot (it can if you manage it right, famous or not) but if it's what you want, do it. Maybe we only live once; follow your dream, and beware of those people who have given up on their dreams; they will influence you to do the same, misery loves company. So you fail; what have you lost? So you win; what have you won? The real prize is having the music, no competition needed for that...

So you have to sell lawn mowers at Home Depot for awhile, that's OK, because you will have the music.

BTW I mean REALLY having the music, being able to play well; there will always be a need and a place for this skill, maybe a church on Sunday morning, maybe community theatre or a hotel dining room or lobby;or just sitting alone at the piano after work from 20 minute to 2 hours, like my father did almost everyday when he got home from work....

[rohansahai]

One does not have to go through major competitions in order to make it in the concert scene. In fact, most concert pianists never did, and many of those who won never really became famous. Competitions are just one way to get into the field. Hang in there!

There was a time when that was true ...but I can't think of many recent pianists (perhaps other than Kissin) who became famous without a competition victory....Ashkenazy, Cliburn, Sokolov, Pletnev, Argerich, Zimerman, Pollini, Gavrilov.........