Funding for further study

[thompson_321]

I want to be a concert pianist. I have studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, but had to leave because I couldn't afford to stay. I desperately want to carry on studying at another conservatoire of the highest level, such as the Guildhall, or Curtis Institute. I know how tough it is to be at an international standard, let alone have an international career. But I need the funding, and at 30, it is hard to find it. If anyone can suggest where to look for funding, I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks

[richard black]

Mate, told you already - get a job!

[thalbergmad]

There ain't any.

Thal

[invictious]

As above. Welcome to the musical career.

Then you will be wondering how to pay your bills, feed yourself AND pay rent. Yet, you have have to get practicing very soon because your recital is coming up and you cannot afford to screw up.

Sigh.

[pianist1976]

Hi, russda_man! I'm glad you are back to the forum (although with a different nickname) and you reconsidered your very ugly words about the people who talk to strangers in the Net No hard feelings

Replying to your question, russda, as it's said in Business, you can obtain your first financial funds from the Three F's: Family, Friends, Fools. If this fail, you can try a scholarship. But if this one also fails, then you have no other option, as others said above, to look for a job. That's not easy at all in this difficult crisis time but it must be tried. And don't reject the idea of working in something artistically unrelated such as serving cups in a pub or a half time job in an office.

And replying to another question you did in another thread, I think that after you get your diploma (I think this must not be avoided) it's not obligatory to continue the studies in a very top music institution/school/conservatory, etc. The important thing here is the teacher, not the name of the institution. And you can find very good teachers who are not famous and will teach you privately for a fraction of the cost of one year on a super conservatory/school (where you can be taught by one of the best teachers in the world but you also run the risk of been taught by a not so good teacher, or a terrible one, all that glitters is not gold).

And talking about making an "international career", you must think on creating a "Plan B" or "Career B". Why? Because you seem to be looking only to have an international concert pianist career (I see in your posts that it looks like a fixed idea). It's very good to dream but realistically and statistically it's very difficult to reach. I'm not saying you can't, I don't even know you nor how do you play the piano. But even if you are an outstanding talent, the success in such a high aim depends of thousands of factors. I know some people who could be a top concert pianist but they aren't, they weren't lucky enough. But there's no problem, the musical career have hundreds of possibilities to be focused only on been a concert pianist. You must be prepared to be a teacher/accompanist, etc while giving casual concerts or you may finish very frustrated.

[avguste]

I think you should first indicate your current repertoire.

Funding for studies is basically scholarship.

As far as a career, there are many important steps one needs:

-training
-build repertoire
-website
-business cards
and much more

pianist1976 is right in saying that an international career is very hard to achieve.  However contrary to him I believe your "fixated" idea of being a concert pianist is a good thing.

However, before I go any further, it would be great to know more about you, your repertoire and if possible see some videos or hear some Mp3s