No chance of becoming a "virtuoso classical pianist?"

[kamikaz1]

How come it's too late to become a vituoso classical pianist if you start playing the piano when you're maybe 15 or 16? What makes someone a virtuoso? How young do have to start?

[lenny]

the younger you start the eaiser it is to make a career of it, but you can still be a profient amateur if you start at any age.

[chromatickler]

it's not impossible, but basically you need to have:

1. natural technical talent
2. extremely fast learning ability. *there's a fair number of prodigies who at 15/16 already have 20+ concerti in their repertoire. so you figure out how much catch up you got to do.
3. inhuman amounts of practise time

 

[will]

How come it's too late to become a vituoso classical pianist if you start playing the piano when you're maybe 15 or 16?

It is not too late to become a virtuoso at this age. However, I believe that learning new motor-skills is at it highest around the age of 6-10.

[musik_man]

It depends on what you mean by your question.  If you want to become a professional concert pianist, then it's probably too late.  You'd be competing against people who've been playing significantly longer than, and competing against them in a field that's already overcrowded.

Now, if you want to be able to play virtuoso pieces, your goal is quite realistic.  With effective practice you'll make quick progress, and in a few years you'll be able to play things that you'd never thought you'd be able to.