Want to take piano more seriously, where to start?

[reubik]

I have played piano for a number of years now, and always just had it as a background hobby but never too seriously however I have decided I am now going to get serious and dedicate quite a bit of time to it.
However I have no idea actually how to practise, how to start building my technique or any exercises to do or whatever. I never took exams or really practised scales or arpeggios etc.
In terms of current standard I think I'm about ABRSM Grade 7-8(?), recent pieces I played were Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no.3 and Scriabin Impromptu op.12 no.2.
So my questions are, how should I structure my practise? What sort of things should I be doing to build technique? How do I approach a new piece? And finally what is a realistic goal I can set myself, if I put in say 2 (or more, especially over the summer) hours a day practise? I would definitely like a goal to work towards.
I have started taking lessons recently and my teacher is really helping on terms of interpretation and things along those lines but I haven't really had time to ask all of this I guess so I thought I would come here for help.
Thanks guys

[chopinlover01]

Check out Bernard's posts on the 7x20 rule- essentially, for a difficult spot in any piece of music, you can break it down into sections, learn the sections effectively within seven 20 minute sessions, and learn the piece that way. If it doesn't work, your sections are either too large, or the piece has a technical challenge you are incapable of surmounting at the particular point.
Aside from that, I can suggest repertoire, but I'll let the more qualified people answer your other questions.

[amytsuda]

Scriabin Impromptu op.12 no.2, that's so beautiful! Please share the video with us! What pieces did your teacher assign you on now? I find that is a good indication of areas of technical needs. I kind of self-taught myself, so when I finally got a piano teacher 1.5 years ago, I had struggles with octave scales with my small hands and tiny weak pinkies. The teacher gave me Liszt, Chopin and Scriabin pieces with tons of bombarding octaves. Now my new teacher noticed that I can't do clean trills and runs with my left hand, he gave me Mozart K310 which I thought would be easy but my left hand keeps screwing me up. 

[reubik]

Yeah I really love that Scriabin, unfortunately both my means of recording and pianos at my university are horrendous so I can't really take a video, although I'm giving a performance of it at the end of June which I could possibly get someone to record.
My teacher assigned me the 'Cloches de Geneve' from the Annes de pelrinage by Liszt next, I'm getting stuck in but it's very difficult. I'll certainly look up this 7x20 thing and try applying it here!

My technique sucks though is the problem, I've just started playing some scales going for the maximum speed I can play them smoothly and evenly (hands seperate atm). I do this for like 20 mins at the start of a practise, is that the right thing to be doing? Should I do more?
Also is it too early for me to be perhaps starting to look at some chopin etudes? Or czerny exercises  or something of the like? Because I hear these are the best for building technique.
The things I have the most problems with I'd say are fast scale runs and arpeggios, I really struggle to play them evenly. I'm pretty decent at jumps and octaves (at least I think) due to being blessed with freakishly large hands haha

[chopinlover01]

Czerny and scales certainly won't hurt you. Chopin Etudes are probably a bit far off right now to consider- they're not just technical exercises, they're concert pieces that work on technical problems. If you must do a Chopin study, the two slow ones would be alright (10/3 and 10/6), as would 25/2.

[amytsuda]

'Cloches de Geneve'! That was one of pieces my teacher gave me last year along with "Obermann". It is difficult, when I go back and forth between the octaves and middle arpeggios, my poor pinkies collapse on octaves....I envy our giant hands! My teacher said they are like Czerny and perfect of technical exercises. So you may ask your teacher what exercises go with the piece.