Talent required for conservatories

[CDS814]

I was wondering at what age it is most common to attend one of the major conservatories, ie strait out of high school etc. Also, what skill level/talent is required to get in. When can you tell that you will be good enough, such as if you can play so well at such an age you're good enough. Thanks.

[eddie92099]

In the UK, it is common to attend at 18 (straight out of high school). As a very rough guess, I would say that you would need to be scoring very highly in grade 8 ABRSM by the time you are 15,
Ed

[liszmaninopin]

What is ABRSM?  Here is the closest thing to a grade I have ever gotten.  It is called the "National Piano Playing Auditions."  There are 40 categories your playing is graded in, and three levels, a "c" which means "special commendation," nothing, which means acceptable, and an "a," which means "needs attention."  I got 38 out of 40 c's, and the others were neutral, no A's.  Actually, my teacher told me that I got the highest score out of 155 students who took the auditions in our area.  If anybody here has knowledge of these tests, might that be enough to get into a conservatory?

[CDS814]

I am not familiar with the levels described on this forum. If you would not mind describing what exactly a level 8 piece is i would be much obliged. Thank you.

[eddie92099]

Here are the requirements for grade 8:
https://www.abrsm.org/?page=exams/gradedMusicExams/practical/piano/piano0304_G8.html
Ed

[Clare]

I don't think you have to be super talented to get in but you do have to be serious.
Here in Australia, it is good to have passed grade 8 as well, which has pretty much the same requirements as the UK version.
You usually don't have to play scales at an audition but if you have to and you can play similar motion scales at 120, 4 to a beat, and arpeggios and 7ths at 96, 4 to a beat, then you'd be cool.
If you can play a reasonably hard sonata all the way through properly by someone like Beethoven or Mozart, you'd have a really good chance of getting in.
I passed the auditions of two conservatoriums by playing Chopin Waltz in A flat, op. 64 no. 3 and the last movement of Beethoven's piano sonata op. 10 no. 1. Those pieces were a lot less hard than some of the pieces I heard people play, but I studied them really hard so they ended up sounding very assured and polished and stuff.
Also, I am 25 years old and did a whole other degree at university before trying out for music, so you don't have to be a school leaver to go for it! In fact, it might make the teachers more interested in you.
I think that if there are interviews accompanying the auditions, that is where you can really sell yourself and make you stand out from everyone else. Tell them what you want to do with your music.
That's all I can think of for now. Auditions are scary but if I can get into a conservatorium, I reckon anyone serious about it can. I'd spend a year organising for it if I were you.

[eddie92099]

With all due respect, I think there are much higher standards in some of the European and American conservatoires than in Australia. You will not get into one of these places unless you have a serious chance of making a living from performing,
Ed

[Clare]

eddie, it is true that there isn't a world-famous place to go to here in my town of Melbourne. There are, however, a couple of very good schools in Australia with a reputation which are almost impossible to get into, just like in other bits of the world. But it's true thery're probably not in the top five or ten.
I didn't read the question properly and didn't notice it was about getting into the top conservatoriums. But I don't see why you couldn't start at a lower level one and then transfer.

[eddie92099]

I don't think you have to be super talented to get in but you do have to be serious.

It was just you saying the above that provoked me to reply. To make a living out of actually performing on the piano I should think most people would have to be "super talented", and top conservatoires are not going to take people who have no chance of achieving their goals,
Ed

[Clare]

M-hm.

[dreamaurora]

I guess I will provide my opinion in this one. With all due respect to excellent education that Australian conservatories provide, they simply cant be compared with the major conservatories in USA or Europe. Just compare the audition requirements and the selection procedure and you will get what I mean.

However, do note that there is this misconception that you have to get into a top conservatory such as Julliard or RCM etc or you have to be "super talented" to make it into performing. We are living in this very real world in which only the top few pianists ( e.g. Kissin ) can fully survive on performing alone. Ask yourself why do you learn piano ? Do you do it for the fame and glory ? Or do you do it for the love of music ? A lot of piano students that I meet seem to be deluded by this idea that they can make a living off a successful performing career. But even the most seasoned pianists will tell that performing line is very tough and a pianist should be as versatile as he/she can, and you DO NOT have to get into a top conservatory to be a successful musician, though it helps if you can.

Truth is , these top conservatories take in only the best of the best , who have the necessary talent and dedication to be notable musicians. I am currently in a local conservatory in my local city, sure the standard is much lower compared to say Juiliard, but I am assured that I will be properly equipped to start a decent music career, and if my ability allows, I will try for a more renowned conservatory. It is often wiser to take a smaller step at a time rather than a big step and stumble halfway. And it is often tempting to try to go beyond what our abilities realistically allow, because of the lure of the recognition and glamour. But I tell myself, hey, I'm not in Juiliard, it's not big deal, and perhaps, I couldn't even compare to the lousiest student in Juiliard, but I decide to make music my life and do my best wherever I am, all things will work out for you if you have the determination and abilities.

[Clare]

dreamaurora, you just said everything I was trying to say before. Phew!

[Noah]

top conservatoires are not going to take people who have no chance of achieving their goals,
Ed

I don't agree. Sometimes (often?) conservatoires accept students for other non-musical reasons (financial,...)

[chopiabin]

I have hear a lot of pieces described as "grade 8" or grade 8 plus". Do they change the list of pieces every year? If so, is there any way to access past lists? And why are most of the pieces really boring?

Chop (It seems to me that it should be acceptable for a candidate to perform a piece of his choice if approved by the examiner)

[eddie92099]

I don't agree. Sometimes (often?) conservatoires accept students for other non-musical reasons (financial,...)

That is an unfortunate fault of the system which actually goes directly against what is stated in the prospectus,
Ed

[Noah]

That is an unfortunate fault of the system which actually goes directly against what is stated in the prospectus,
Ed

Yes but it happens (a lot).