Pause for one year

[limpegg]

Hi you pianists out there,

This is my first post here, so don't be too strict with me, and excuse my bad English
I play the piano for almost 13 years now, but the first 10-11 years were just like I had to do it because of my parents, I was at a very low level, no progress, never practised a lot.
But someday there was just something in my brain that told me to start and I was very motivated. Right now I'm playing 1-2.5 hours a day , at the moment I'm playing the pathetique, the grieg a-minor concerto, a bach fugue, Chopin etude 25 10 and the Jazz Fantasie of the Turkish march by Fazil Say.
I must say, that my progress is not very fast. It takes very long time to master a piece. But that's alright, I have a lot to do besides playing piano.

In the last time, I thaught of doing a working holiday in Japan for one year. That would be after my civil service, in about one year.
I would really like to do this and make this experience, but playing piano is very important to me. I don't think I could manage it easily to rent a piano over there, or go to a school and ask if I could play... So what do you think, is it bad to do a one year pause? Would I gain back my skill fast after beginning again?
I don't know what to do. the best ting would be to rent an E-Piano in Japan. But that'll be very hard...

What would you do if you were in my place? Did someone make similar experiences?

Thanks for your answers

Marvin

[shingo]

Could you not take a keyboard with you, or purchase one whilst you are there. Obviously this won't be as good as a piano, but it will be a great deal better than nothing at all. At least this way you can keep yourself limbered up.

[Bob]

I'd buy a decent electric piano that's portable.  You can use that and will always have it to practice on afterward.  A decent one should be enough to keep you in shape until you get back on an acoustic again.

[0range]

You can find a Yamaha p90 online for about $700USD, that's your best bet.

[limpegg]

Doesn't anyone have experiences with that? Or does anyone know what the prices for an E-piano for rent are in Japan?

[thalberg]

For the past 12 months, I've practiced about 10 minutes every other day and my playing has held up much, much better than I thought it would.  (I practiced LONG HOURS for many years before this, but now I 'm quitting the profession.)

I also have an Israeli friend who had to take 2 years off to serve in the army, and when he came out of the army he immediately won 4th place in a major international piano competition.

Just some perspective.

But practice if at all possible.