Is there any chance I could become a professional pianist?

[grandstaff]

Hello everyone,

I am fifteen years old and I've been playing for nine years. I am currently learning Chopin's Nocturne in F Minor, op. 55 no. 1, Schumann's Scenes from Childhood, and I've been working on some Hanon and Czerny excercizes. Some previous things I've learned are Mozart's sonata K545 (that was a few years back), some Bach preludes, Chopin's Mazurka in D (I forget the opus number), a few Chopin preludes ( #2, #4, #7, #20), and a few other short works/bits and pieces of things. I practice usually 2-4 hours a day, but sometimes even more if I have the time.

My question is: My dream is to become a professional pianist, and I was wondering if that would be possible. I hear all about people who dropped out of high school to go to special conservatories (which would never happen to me), and I was wondering, if I work as hard as I possibly can (which I would), would it be possible for me to get into a music school in college and play for a living?

[thalbergmad]

We get many questions like this here and the answer is always that it is impossible for anyone on this forum to have the remotest idea, unless they had been your tutor for the last 9 years.

What I would say is that there are numerous people of your age that can already play the Rachmaninov Concertos, all the Liszt and Chopin Etudes, the major Beethoven Sonatas and gawd knows what impossible transcriptions and even some of them will not make it.

By all means ask advice, but from people who know you.

Thal

[ahinton]

We get many questions like this here and the answer is always that it is impossible for anyone on this forum to have the remotest idea, unless they had been your tutor for the last 9 years.

What I would say is that there are numerous people of your age that can already play the Rachmaninov Concertos, all the Liszt and Chopin Etudes, the major Beethoven Sonatas and gawd knows what impossible transcriptions and even some of them will not make it.

By all means ask advice, but from people who know you.

Wise and sensible words indeed - to which I might add that the term "professional pianist" can mean all manner of things, including accompanist, répétiteur/rehearsal pianist and other things besides "top flight soloist", so much will also depend upon the specific nature of your aspirations as a "professional pianist" (which said, it is usually the case that the finest "top flight soloists" are those who excel in all of these departments as well as being great chamber music players).

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Wise and sensible words indeed

I must be losing my touch.

Thal

[ahinton]

I must be losing my touch.

Or gaining it. Actually, no - if you had that touch in the first place, then so be it.

Best,

Alistair

[mike_lang]

Wise and sensible words indeed - to which I might add that the term "professional pianist" can mean all manner of things, including accompanist, répétiteur/rehearsal pianist and other things besides "top flight soloist", so much will also depend upon the specific nature of your aspirations as a "professional pianist" (which said, it is usually the case that the finest "top flight soloists" are those who excel in all of these departments as well as being great chamber music players).

Best,

Alistair

Well said!

[keyboardclass]

Concur with all the above.  But the real question is - How poor are you happy to be?

[49410enrique]

yes you can provided you have enough natural talent AND you want it more/work hardand get access to the right instruction.  

i'll prolly thorw this up on another post but it's appropriate here, i'm sure lots of people told this young lady she won't  play the piano. apparently she didn't hear them or refused to listen.

look closely, she doesn't have any 'fingers' oh her RH

or this guy, no arms, begins around 1:20

[keyboardclass]

...but to be honest I don't think you need to give your right arm for success.

[philb]

If you are referring to a soloist, I wouldn't say it's impossible. The real question is how hard are you willing to work at it. Do you have the determination to focus to commit to it 100%? With the amount of dedication it takes, it's not something you can just decide to do on the spur of the moment. It takes hours and hours and hours of hard and strenuous work.

Also, a person doesn't need to be a child prodigy who plays rachmaninoff concertos, gaspard, liszt etudes, Major Beethoven sonatas, etc. to be a soloist. Volodos became serious about music well into his 20's. A Concert pianist named Alpin Hong said that he was going to medical school when he decided he wanted to become a musician. You don't need to be a prodigy to become a soloist, you need the motivation and dedication to become one.

[ted]

Thal and Alistair have put their combined fingers on it, so to speak. We just don't know. How could we ? How could we possibly answer that question ? There is an old chap who plays popular tunes in our local shopping mall. He is a professional pianist in the best sense of the words and damn good at what he does. Music is big and the world is bigger. It depends on what you want and how relevant the rest of humanity sees your playing, and how your playing connects with people. In that sense, Gladys Mills and Russ Conway were much greater professional pianists than Hamelin or Horowitz. Give it a try, broaden a bit, and you'll soon find out one way or the other.

[pastlifepianist]

You don't need to be a prodigy to become a soloist, you need the motivation and dedication to become one.

As my teachers used to tell me, talent is 1%, hard work is 99%! 

[thalbergmad]

As my teachers used to tell me, talent is 1%, hard work is 99%! 

Indeed, but if you have not got the 1% then the 99% is pointless.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

In that sense, Gladys Mills and Russ Conway were much greater professional pianists than Hamelin or Horowitz.

It was exposure to those two that sparked my interest in piano at the tender age of 3.

I am pleased that they get a mention on this forum.

Thal

[oxy60]

Thal and Alistair have put their combined fingers on it, so to speak. We just don't know. How could we ? How could we possibly answer that question ? There is an old chap who plays popular tunes in our local shopping mall. He is a professional pianist in the best sense of the words and damn good at what he does. 

First anyone, including the posters here, must decide if they are going to live off of the music. There are people out there who do live from their music earnings. Some even do it playing classical. However there are many economic factors that enter into whether or not that is possible. For example, if you live in Los Angeles, are a member of the musician's union and are REALLY good, you can live well from those earnings. Ditto for New York. Good luck!

[cjp_piano]

What exactly do you mean by "professional pianist?" Do you mean concertize as a classical pianist playing solo recitals and concerti with orchestras? As others have said, there are other ways of being a professional pianist: accompanist, vocal coach, weddings and parties, recording artist, dueling piano bar, being a part of a chamber group, being in a rock band/alternative band, the list goes on.

But the answer is YES, you can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it. Get advice from a piano teacher and others who know you.

[latrobe]

Hi!

Having heard the Adolfo Barabino interview last night

then if you are serious https://www.pianomasterclass.info/ would be a good start. I have heard a number of his students transform in a matter of just days. At the end of

he has interesting observations about people misled by chasing the prizes of competitions merely to be promoted for a year and then forgotten. He is an incredibly wise, sensitive and kind person with a good deal to give to all who come to him . . .

Best wishes

David P

[avguste]

This is a tough question to answer without hearing you play.
Generally speaking anyone can be successful, but to be specific, it would be great to hear you play.

Hello everyone,

I am fifteen years old and I've been playing for nine years. I am currently learning Chopin's Nocturne in F Minor, op. 55 no. 1, Schumann's Scenes from Childhood, and I've been working on some Hanon and Czerny excercizes. Some previous things I've learned are Mozart's sonata K545 (that was a few years back), some Bach preludes, Chopin's Mazurka in D (I forget the opus number), a few Chopin preludes ( #2, #4, #7, #20), and a few other short works/bits and pieces of things. I practice usually 2-4 hours a day, but sometimes even more if I have the time.

My question is: My dream is to become a professional pianist, and I was wondering if that would be possible. I hear all about people who dropped out of high school to go to special conservatories (which would never happen to me), and I was wondering, if I work as hard as I possibly can (which I would), would it be possible for me to get into a music school in college and play for a living?

[ted]

It was exposure to those two that sparked my interest in piano at the tender age of 3.

I am pleased that they get a mention on this forum.

Thal

Oh, I hadn't noticed your post, but excusable because of the bloody plethora of household duties consequent to my wife having a month's holiday in Dagupan. Yes, the recall of my father playing in that way during drunken, but wonderfully joyous parties when I was a little chap stays with me. I can hear it in my mind so clearly.

Why shouldn't those players stand tall ? What is piano music for if not to propagate joy ? Gladys Mills, Winifred Atwell, Knuckles O'Toole (actually Dick Hyman), Russ Conway, Johnny Maddox (he's still alive, and plays beautifully in his eighties - search for him on youtube). Could Hamelin, Horowitz, Rubinstein and the rest play like that, capture the hearts of the common people ? No, of course not, not a hope.

That's what I like about Pianostreet - broadmindedness.

[nyiregyhazi]

Why shouldn't those players stand tall ? What is piano music for if not to propagate joy ? Gladys Mills, Winifred Atwell, Knuckles O'Toole (actually Dick Hyman), Russ Conway, Johnny Maddox (he's still alive, and plays beautifully in his eighties - search for him on youtube). Could Hamelin, Horowitz, Rubinstein and the rest play like that, capture the hearts of the common people ? No, of course not, not a hope.

Of course Hamelin could. He has recorded a number of pieces in such styles and could doubtless improvise in the style too.

[ted]

I didn't know that. I stand corrected then. I'd really enjoy hearing those, are any on youtube or CD ?

[nyiregyhazi]

I didn't know that. I stand corrected then. I'd really enjoy hearing those, are any on youtube or CD ?

[cjp_piano]

This is very cool! It's not improvised though, is that what you meant?

[nyiregyhazi]

This is very cool! It's not improvised though, is that what you meant?

No. I didn't say it was improvised. But there's little doubt that Hamelin is capable of improvising in that style.

In fairness though, Doucet plays it a hell of a lot better than Hamelin:

[pianoplunker]

Hello everyone,

I am fifteen years old and I've been playing for nine years. I am currently learning Chopin's Nocturne in F Minor, op. 55 no. 1, Schumann's Scenes from Childhood, and I've been working on some Hanon and Czerny excercizes. Some previous things I've learned are Mozart's sonata K545 (that was a few years back), some Bach preludes, Chopin's Mazurka in D (I forget the opus number), a few Chopin preludes ( #2, #4, #7, #20), and a few other short works/bits and pieces of things. I practice usually 2-4 hours a day, but sometimes even more if I have the time.

My question is: My dream is to become a professional pianist, and I was wondering if that would be possible. I hear all about people who dropped out of high school to go to special conservatories (which would never happen to me), and I was wondering, if I work as hard as I possibly can (which I would), would it be possible for me to get into a music school in college and play for a living?

Learn how to sight read - very important skill 

[pianoplayjl]

It is very hard to become a concert pianist-it takes endless hours of practice and analyzing music and technique. This is not impossible however as some pianists like Volodos didn't take the piano seriously until like your age. Just keep trying and solve the problems that come to you everyday-it never stops. And remember, there is no perfect pianist as every pianist has a technical/musical strong point and a weak point.

JL