Age limit

[xamy]

I have been playing the piano for 8 years now and am more or less at grade 8 level. I am 19 and I was wondering how much more I could improve in the coming years. Is there a certain age limit above which you cannot really improve by much more? By improving, I mean technically, not musically if you see what I mean. I dream of playing some of the Chopin etudes and the 3rd sonata. Or Schumann's Kreisleriana and Phatasiestuecke. Will I ever be able to? It seems to take ages to get to that sort of level.

[sharon_f]

Absolutely, provided you have the desire, a good teacher, the right approach to practice and that you work hard. 

I am 53 and started playing the piano again about a year and a half ago after not playing for 35 years. I started with a Bach French Suite (which is at the level I was at when I stopped playing), a Scarlatti sonata and the Chopin C# minor Waltz. I just finished the Beethoven Op. 26 and some Brahms and am working on Chopin Op. 25, Nos 1 & 12, as well as a Bach P&F and some Ginastera.