I'll be honest with you, if you can be successful in another job please go do that instead of music. If the calling to do music as a career is so strong that you cannot resist it then all the best your stubbornness will find you a way.
You're 14 and by your statement, you could work a little harder at it. You love music and want a career in it. why don't you give the extra work a chance, and see where you are and if you can see yourself pursuing this? You have a few years to make a decision, and you can give it your best effort now. My perspective: I loved music when I was your age, but went for something I was good at, but was not the love of classical music. I have regretted giving up without trying to climb the mountain. As DC has told you, it will not be easy, but if you love it.. Only you can answer for yourself whether the love will outshine in pain.No one will tell you it will be easy. you will hear 'don't do it, or do it'.. but you need to make this personal choice. What I think you need to do is quit worrying and work harder until the point where you need to decide. [/I will work harder. I had to decide this year because in Portugal we have to choose the area we want to study. I've chosen music. Thank you for your answer!
(but I love music. Is your experience bad?
My husband and I both dropped out of music school and then spent 3 years working as casino dealers. One night we came to work and both of us lost our jobs--just like that. The next day a lady called and told us we had won 5,000$ in music equipment from a raffle ticket I had filled out in a guitar store 6 months prior to that. (really...no sh*t!) So we were both outfitted with a brand new set up... and then the following day my husbands bass student came over and said..."My buddy just opened a fine dining place in Coral Springs and they want a jazz combo 4 nights a week.." (again...no sh*t!)and that is how I went from casino dealer to working jazz pianist/vocalist in just 48 hours.remember I told you sometimes jobs just materialize out of thin air? they do. now you can say this way all just a coincidence... and maybe you're right... but we played that gig for over 3 years.so what I am trying to tell you young sir... if it's meant to be... it will be. THAT has been my experience.
Great experience!
remember I told you sometimes jobs just materialize out of thin air? they do. ...so what I am trying to tell you young sir... if it's meant to be... it will be.
when you are my age you will have many grand musical experience stories to tell, too.
Hum I see. I really love music and I think that if I worked a little bit harder I could be something (but don't all people think that). The problem is that I am a really good student (all A without effort). I could be anything. I like science, don't really like math (but I am really good at it), I like history but on top of those thing I love music. Is your experience bad?
Why not do music along side another professional job which will make your financial future much more secure. I am a professional musician after taking the path of an engineer. The calling for music was very strong for me and I couldn't ignore it. My experience is a good one but it is filled with a lot of challenges initially. Financially following music as a career is very difficult to start out with for most musicians and there are many who do live pay check to pay check making ends meet. But if music has such a huge pull that it must cause you to forget about all other careers then it doesn't matter about the money (but it does matter when you look at the bills that need paying).I am very realistic when it comes to discussing music as a career with my students also. Those who want to take music as a career I really do feel the need to test their mettle, and often many are not mature enough to see far enough into their future, to see the opportunity cost of choosing music as a career and being able to weigh it up over another career choice. Some come from rich families so it really doesn't matter for them because they will always have financial support from their parents, but others come from lower socio-economic brackets and they really do need to consider their situation a little more carefully. Music is a wonderful profession to take don't get me wrong. I know a doctor of medicine who tutors high school subjects in his spare time because he always wanted to be a school teacher. You can actually have two jobs, if you want to have many students a week then do go music full time but if a handful each week would satisfy your needs then perhaps music can work alongside another job! Thoughts of performing full time is a real fantasy if you are not willing to work on that now, you should be hosting your own concerts and making a name for yourself, no degree or dreaming to win a big competition will help you there, there is no short cut go start your performing career now. If you get so busy with your performance then you can take that on professionally but wouldnt it be good to have money from another job which can pay for your expenses and fund your dreams?
It seems to me that the main issue is not knowing what to do with your future - totally normal at age 14! What are you passionate about? What makes you excited? Those are really difficult questions, but important to ask. It took me years of odd jobs to realize that I'm best at (and happiest with) running a home piano studio, but it's not for everyone, and the pay certainly isn't great (compared to professions like being a doctor). But for me it's not the money, it's what I'm satisfied with. You absolutely can make enough as a musician/teacher, though. I never had much success with any type of performing (though I do it occasionally for fun), but teaching is regular and reliable. Especially if you get in with a school! Anyway, those are just my thoughts, good luck!
what I have learned about having success as a performer is that it's all about self-promotion. If you wait around for someone to come and ask you to play... you will get a few gigs...but not nearly as many as you will if you go out there and drum up your own business.another thing is that most students here have a mindset that success as a performer only comes from playing the Hungarian Rhapsody #2 ( ) at Carnegie Hall... there are many events and situations that call for music and pay extremely well... and those gigs go to people who are there to grab them when they come up... not necessarily the best player... in fact.. often times not the best possible player. it's a business.
I know, when i talk about performing everybody thinks i'm refering to the Carnegie. Some gigs at a few restaurants, hotels, , etc, would be enough for me (along with teaching).
then you are going to do just fine that's a very realistic approach... but we can all still dream about Carnegie Hall. In the meantime... you do whatever you can... allow me to brag about a few things I do..Portugal huh? I sing in Brazilian portugese with a Bossa Nova band sometimes.Agua de BeberDesafinadoMais Que Nada me singing in English lol with a band. me playing guitar... . a slideshow of my original artwork with original piano.lol...but you are far too young to know any of these songs...
I know some of those songs
really? are they popular in Portugal, too? I sing in Spanish, Russian, Italian, and even a little German, but Portuguese is my favorite it just rolls of the tongue.
Piano makes me excited. How hard is it to get into a school? Thank you.
Topic: Being a pianist/piano teacher 