Recitals and competitions for piano performance

[figaro]

I'm looking for some insight on how to gain more performance opportunities/experience.  Does anyone have suggestions on how to go about in finding recitals or a path to competing for an adult piano player with limited recital performances?  Trying to build my skills in playing in front of people as well as looking ahead to possible enter some competitions, but first I want to play for an audience more often.  I don't have any family who will sit and listen, and I've tried meetup but was rejected from a concert at a senior home because the organizer thought I wasn't good enough.   I do have some experience playing with an orchestra, and I found playing in a group, although it has its own challenges, can be less scary than being on stage on my own.  It would also be nice to meet some other piano players.

[lelle]

I made extra money as a piano student by cold emailing and occasionally cold calling senior homes and asking if they had a piano and if I could play a recital for the residents for a small fee. They often had small budgets but many of them said yes. On what basis did the organizer not think you were good enough? Did you send them a recording?

In my country, churches often have pianos as well as initiatives to provide some community to seniors. If the same is true where you live, you could likewise try reaching out and see if you may play a concert or during some senior meetup event.

You could always ask friends for a favor to sit and listen to you even if they aren't into classical music. I did that occasionally.

Assuming your skills are enough to handle the typical chamber music repertoire, if you want to play in a group, one option is to advertise that you are looking for chamber music partners at any local music college. There are nearly always people who play different solo/ensemble instruments (strings, winds, brass, you name it) who need someone who can play the piano part of something they want to study and perform. During my time, you occasionally saw someone who had hired a pianist from outside school to play ensemble works with them during their exam concerts and such.

Look for local communities of piano players, if such exist. They do in some places, meeting up and performing for each other occasionally.

Also, ask any local music school if they do group lessons in piano, and if you may sit in on one to hear how advanced players discuss and work on repertoire. They may be accomodating.

[brogers70]

I have a group of 3-4 friends who get together and play for each other, just to get used to playing for someone other than ourselves and our teachers. I second all of Lelle's recommendations - I've played at nursing homes and gotten small gigs in churches. Where I live, anyway, there are so few available pianists/organists, that if one gets sick or goes on vacation, churches are super grateful for anyone who can handle it - and it can mean nothing but playing a prelude, interlude, and postlude (using pieces you already know) and playing the hymns, if necessary, just plunking out the melody to help the congregation. I also do a house recital in my living room for 15-20 friends every year. I'm no great shakes, didn't start piano until I was 40 (though I had other musical background), but I still find people appreciate my very modest talents.

You are definitely thinking the right way - the more you make yourself deal with the stress of playing for others the easier it gets, and if you are not trying to make a career of it, there's nothing terrible waiting for you even if something does not go well. And forcing yourself to play for others and have recital goals can be pretty motivating and make you progress faster than you might otherwise.