Starting a performing career

[pianist16]

I have this question: I am trying to start a performing career. I have what it takes (believe me!), I've done the schools, the competitions, etc., but for some reason can't get my career off the ground. Last schooling was 3 yrs. of DMA work at University of Colorado, but didn't graduate because of money shortage   , and because it was too academic. My call is to be a performer. After that I lived for 4 years in Seattle playing in a church, for ballet classes, and doing some teaching. Still-no breakthrough! Well, last I moved to Chicago hoping to finally realize my dream. Is this possible? I am 36 now, I don't have  tons of money to put up a fancy promo package, but I just wouldn't quit! Is Chicago the right place to be? What do I do? Help!!!

[chromatickler]

When you say you have what it takes, surely that implies ample SPEED & FURY. I recommend a free membership at Da SDC

 

[Alde]

You must read The Ivory Trade: Music and the Business of Music at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition by Joseph Horowitz.  This is a wonderful book on the state of piano performance.
With regards to a career, just play and perform as much as you can.  Most pianists that graduate from music schools do not reach fame and fortune.   A career is what you make of it.  And what you are doing know is fine - playing for ballet, accompanying, teaching, playing at churches.  Don't expect to make a lot of money.  You are a musician after all, and the satisfaction comes from making music.
Set up recitals yourself, don't bother with agencies.  Make the phone calls to symphonies and organizations that have concert series.  Some pianists that win huge competitions get a great headstart.  You on the other hand don't.  So play and perform, and someday you might get that break.

[rachlisztchopin]

not to mention a massive repertoire list and a very special talent (can you play the OC or compose amazing music you can play or even play with your feet?)  

[m]

Well, unless you are a young prodigy, to make a career as a performer you need three things:
1) Money
2) Connections
3) Know how to play piano

The first is out of question, as it seems that you don't have THAT kind of money. Let's leave the third on you.
So, what we have is CONNECTIONS. You are in Chicago.... Let's see.....
The very first thing I'd contact Arlo Deibler--Artistic Director of Burr Ridge Beautiful Sound--Steinway dealer. If I am not mistaken, Arlo deals with Chicago Steinway society.
Other people, whom would be a good idea to meet in Chicago are Dmitry Paperno (retired from De Paul), Etery Andjaparidze (current head of De Paul piano department), Vladimir Leetchkis, Tony-Mary Montgomery (Dean of Northwest), Steven Robinson (President of WFMT--one of the biggest classical music radiostations in US).
All of them are very nice people. Find contacts with them, try to arrange to play for them. If they like you, I am sure they will be able to tell you much more about possibilities in Chicago. There are some fine concert halls, and opportunities for performing there, so..... Good luck!

[lostinidlewonder]

You do not have to be famous to start performing or win major competions. There is nothing but a few hundred dollars of your own stopping you from hiring a venue and holding your own concerts. Self promotion, and continue to hit those same places yearly.  Approach local papers and give tickets to all the major newspapers for people to attend your peformance so they can do a write up later on. Invite important people to your concert, give away a good deal the tickets. From that you will generate a few more tickets to be bought.

Aim for social clubs, rotary clubs, pensioner clubs etc sell tickets at dicounted prices. You have to give away a lot of tickets to start out with, if you have something that is worth watching again the next time you return you will have a lot of people waiting for you. It is a matter of giving the audience something they didn't know they needed. If you answer that in your own way you'll have a good idea of what to do.

If you can't get together a few hundred to back yourself up then you have to go for sponsorship. That is hit and miss and takes a long time, if you have time to approach many many companies go for it, but its a waste. You should save money and put it where your mouth is. Stick your neck out and try and sell your concert.

It costs nothing to go to a newspaper to do a article on it. If you approach them and say you have a story to give and have something interesting to say about your concert that you are going to have, then they will do an article on it for free, even maybe photographs, and there you have free advertising. Many local papers will be happy to do this, i wouldn't suggest doing this in big cities because people are simply too busy to go out of their way. You have to hit smaller cities, but even in bigger cities, if you target the social groups you can easily fill your hall. Even give free tickets to ensure many seats are filled. The more people the better, because it is really all about generating word of mouth and revealing yourself as an artist to the public.

[shasta]

Maybe you'd be interested in applying for the Van Cliburn competition --- the amateur branch of it.  You are of the appropriate age group (>35) and are most likely eligible.  Check out www.cliburn.org and see what you think.  If your application is accepted and you get to compete, this would be a great way to get some PR, experience, and make connections.

[lostinidlewonder]

Winning competions is all hit and miss. It is not a definate path of sucess to take, especially if you really want to make a career out of peformance. Pianist16 seems serious to be a peformer, so to try and win competitions is just futile because you know u want to peform. Lots of competitors in competitions dont expect anything, they enter and just hope to win. U can't base a career on hope, you have to do it, and the only way to make grounds is diong it yourself. Competitions will give you a push start here and there, but you have to win, and you don't want to leave your career in the hands of a few judges. I like to think we have more control over things.

[chopin2256]

Hey, I sent you a message to your email account at yahoo.  Just wanted to make sure you got it.

[Daniel_piano]

not to mention a massive repertoire list and a very special talent (can you play the OC or compose amazing music you can play

Almost all piano performers never studied composition or are able to compose so I don't understand why "composing amazinf music" should be important for a piano performer career
They completely different routes with completely different requirements and studies
I know quite a few piano composers but they never perform their own pieces themselves
I know quite a few piano performers that play new piano composition, bu they didn't written those pieces they play themselves
Let's not confuse these two completely different music matters
Pianist16 doesn't need to be able to compose anything

Now if he is not able to play a any piece by Stokausen or Boulez or is not able to play the OC that's all the better for him, since these are the kind of music that make people abandon their seats in the theater and never come back
It's true that in the 70's and 60's a piece was considered a success only is at least 80% of the audience left the theater disgusted, but they were sad years for the music and they were the years that disconnected people with the musical world

Daniel

[Daniel_piano]

I have this question: I am trying to start a performing career. I have what it takes (believe me!), I've done the schools, the competitions, etc., but for some reason can't get my career off the ground. Last schooling was 3 yrs. of DMA work at University of Colorado, but didn't graduate because of money shortage   , and because it was too academic. My call is to be a performer. After that I lived for 4 years in Seattle playing in a church, for ballet classes, and doing some teaching. Still-no breakthrough! Well, last I moved to Chicago hoping to finally realize my dream. Is this possible? I am 36 now, I don't have  tons of money to put up a fancy promo package, but I just wouldn't quit! Is Chicago the right place to be? What do I do? Help!!!

Why don't you try to contact some piano performer or their agents?
You could also try to find more information you can about how famous piano performers got into the performing world
It was a school or conservaotory task back then but today is different
Many started by winning competitions and being contacted by sponsors, so despite what you've been told winning competitions is always a good way to make yourself known and approach a performing career

Don't forget a thing though
The famous piano performers are few and always the same, but besides these few well known there a lot of less famous (but good the same or even more) piano performers that perform in all the place of the world
Some of the less known are even some of the best I've heard
So, don't be fooled to think that your merits can be recognized only if you become world famous
You can still be a piano performer who make his living doing what he loves to do without the need to be super-famous
You will always find someone that need exactly what you have to offer
It's a universal law that never fail
Have faith
Only lack of faith can put you under a bridge and destroy all your dreams

Daniel

[pianist16]

Thank you all for your responses! A lot of good advice...

Marik, I am will be returning to Seattle, because Chicago is deffinitely not "my kind of town". Any suggestions about places to go, people to talk to? Would really appreciate it.