) Things are changing... Not sure how ready i am.

[ASBpiano]

Hey everyone,
First of all, just thought i'd say i'm 13 years old and have been playing piano for 7 years.  Ok well, i've always played and enjoyed it and decent to pretty good teachers.  Now two years ago, i moved on to a more advanced level with a much more advanced teacher.  I went from playing 45 minutes a day to 1 and a half.  Its been two years and things are good.  I had some recitals, played a Liszt consolation nearly perfect.  Now, i moved up even higher.  I've always gotten private lessons from this teacher but just a few weeks ago i signed up for the New England Conservatory and i'll be getting lessons from her through the NEC.  This means i'll have workshops and more advanced recitals, and i don't know if i'm ready for this pressure.  I love piano, its one of the most important things to me, but i haven't found a way to make practicing and performing completely fun.  I have to really push myself to stay seated at the piano after 1 hour, and most of the time i don't look forward to recitals and get REALLY nervous before (they usually turn out fine though...)  

So i just don't know if i'm ready.  What should i do to make piano fun.  I try really hard but i just haven't completely figured it out yet.  And please don't think i don't try.  

Thanks a lot!  
-Ari

BTW, i'm getting a rebuilt 1929 Mason & Hamlin model A in a month or so, so that should boost my enthusiasm and make practicing much more fun, but i dont know how long that'll last.  

[amp]

Ari-

You must know, for most of us practicing is not fun all the time, it can be rewarding, but also very frustrating and discouraging. (I mean practicing to work towards a recital, not sightreading material for fun). That doesn't mean you should give up. For some those symptoms are little, for others they happen often. Think about it this way. You have a goal and practicing is a means to get to it. The ultimate goal of a recital or playing a piece well....is worth it.

I don't know what is going on, but nerves can play a huge part in what is wrong. I think what you're feeling is normal, in that it is hard to make transitions and you are nervous about the change and higher demands. It will pass. But, again I don't know exactly and oviously can't be conclusive.

Have you disscused this with you teacher? Does she think you are ready? If she is confident then that should help you to be.

[debussy_lover]

The best way to keep piano-playing fun is to do only what you love. Some people just don't enjoy performing, whereas others live for it. Either way is correct, and it really depends on each person's character. Not everyone is a concert pianist, nor should they be.

I've seen many students pushed to do exams and recitals even though they weren't ready. Needless to say, it sometimes turned out to be REALLY stressful for the poor kids.  

It's my opinion that playing the piano should always be enjoyable, especially if you are simply playing for the love of music. Once you become a professional, things get more complicated.  

For now, you're 13! Talk with your teacher and tell them how you feel.  Teachers often encourage their students to keep an open mind and do things that they might not like. That's fine for the most part, but sometimes students need to speak up about their needs.  

That being said, almost everybody gets nerves before a concert. Public performance pretty much = stage fright. Any professional musician will tell you that you have to learn to use the nervous energy to your advantage. If you decide to keep performing, you might want to learn some techniques to channel your nerves in a productive way.

Good luck!

[ASBpiano]

Thanks for the replies!  

I dont relaly know what i want.  I feel really good after performances, but i'm just really afraid that having to do workshops and perform in front of pretty much anybody who wants at NEC will be too much pressure.  And my teacher is nice, but very strict.  She knows whats right and what students need  :-/  She only accepts students who are willing to try hard and listen, and obviously she thinks i've VERY capable if shes taken my under her wing as one of her elite students, let alone taught through the NEC.   I guess i'll keep on trying hard and see how i like it  

[whistle86]

ooo.. i  take piano lessons at New California Conservatory. haha. yeah, mai teacher is really strict.. and can be nice at times. like.. she doesnt like people who dont practise cuz it  wastes her time teacher them.. ; she might even kick them out if they dont practise very much.  :-/    yeah. but, i m just doing mai best practising piano daily..  
there was a time i really hated piano that i wanted to quit piano cuz it was relaly geting into me and all, but when mai piano teacher commented on me ofthe way i played , i felt like i wanted to practise more 'n' more. hahahaha yeah.    

-giselle

[kevink]

You're 13!!!!  First off, you are exceptional if you are playing a Liszt Consolation at that age, plus, if you are nervous for performances but they still come off all right, you have what many spend their lives coveting!  My advice is this: do whatever it takes to keep your enthusiasm about the music.  Often times very talented people are put in the company of other very talented people, which gives them a narrow perspective on their abilities if they compare themselves to others.  The fact is, you are extraordinarily gifted if you are in that program playing that literature at that age.  There is plenty of time to feel pressured later in life, trust me!!  If you feel after being in that environment for a few months that you are having more and more anxiety that is inhibiting your ability to be enthusiastic about studying, it might be time to change.  Not because you are a bad player by any means, but because you needn't push yourself beyond your comfort level at your age.  Give it some time, then re-evaluate.  Talk to your parents and your teacher...  And make sure you enjoy that piano!

[sram]

^^ sound advice.

also, i perform quite a bit and practice around 4 hours a day, but let me admit right now i have rarely practiced beyond one hour at a time.
you have to respect your concentration...i find after an hour, i don't work anymore, i'm just having fun playing...waste of time and energy.
(nothing wrong with playing for fun , but that is not practicing, which is what i'm talking about here).

i remember when i was memorizing the Goyescas, after 30 minutes sometimes, i could scream!..so i would stop and come back later on.

as for performing ... well , nerves might always be some demon you will have to tame.
i have played for years, and still, i get those knots in my gut... but i've come to treat them like i would a bad headache. Transcend it and get on with it..it goes away after a few minutes anyway.

you're only 13 dude, take your time indeed, but i would advise you to do some performing still, but choose your venues...don't throw yourselves to the wolves just yet.

get used to perform, small community stuff, non competitive events etc...learn about yourself as you go ...you'll discover tricks that boost your performing capabilities.