Question Home

Position:Home>Performing Arts> Is it too late for me to become a serious concert pianist?


Question: Is it too late for me to become a serious concert pianist!?
Hey, IM 14 years old and started playing the piano when i was 5 years old!. All of my friends tell me that its too late for me!. I can play alot of songs but the thing i cant do tha well is read music that fast!. I can read music at a pretty well level but not like those pros who just take a look at he music and play in like 1 min!. Im starting to get really discouraged each time i look on youtube and see 6 year olds who play HUGE concerts and are AMAZING! Is it too late for me!?
and please!.!.!.i want honest answers!.not those Belive in your hearts!.!.or You can do anything!. Seriously!.!.HONEST! Honest answers will gain 10 points, ThankyouWww@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
If you have been playing for 9 years now, then you probably have a piano teacher!. So, you should be asking him/her!. also, after 9 years of piano practice, you should be able to rate yourself!.

If you started at 5, and you're only 14, then theoretically it's not too late!. However: in every million people who start at five, maybe 1000 make it to conservatory, and maybe 10 become concert pianists!. Those 10 are the incredibly talented ones who practiced 10 hours a day, and had been fortunate enough to have worked only with great piano teachers, and had a good day during the finals in the X major competition, and happened to be discovered by the Y major recording label!.!.!. What most people don't know is that it's actually a lot harder to become a concert pianist than to make it in Hollywood!.

This being said!.!.!. you should ask yourself why you practice piano, and what is your motivation for investing all your time and energy in music!. Chances of becoming a concert pianist are extremely slim for everybody (regardless of how early you started), so if your motivation is money, or glory, or anything else than the shear pleasure of playing!.!.!. then you should focus towards a different career and keep playing for fun whatever you enjoy!. So, no, it's not too late, your chances are as slim as for everyone!.

best luckWww@QuestionHome@Com

I don't think it's too late!. You started playing early, so as long as you're really serious about it and concentrate a lot more on your sight reading, I can't see why it would be too late!. also, you're young enough to still consider good music schools for high school and college!. Don't get discouraged!! Just practice a lot, take it seriously, talk to your music teachers for advice and start researching schools or training programs!. Good luck :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't think it's too late!. I'm a senior in high school and I have only been playing oboe for two years but I can read difficult music and I am going to major in music education (which requires auditions)!. I have just had a really good teacher that made up for the lost time!.

I think you could do it if you get an amazing piano teacher (such as a college professor) that could help you get really good really fast!. All it takes is determination =)Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's never too late to accomplish a dream!. Do you know why they were able to do all those hard pieces!? They practiced!. Do you continually practice!? also, it's not like they looked at the music and read it on the spot!. That is sight reading!. When you perform in an orchestra or concert, you are not sight reading!. You need to have your piece perfect!. It's not too late if you've been playing since 5!. But then again, if you don't really practice, then you will have trouble getting there!. You asked for honesty!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If your alive and breathing it's never too late to do anything!. Just work really hard at it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It is not too late for you!.

That being said, notice that I said nothing about it being easy!. I'm not going to give you a response about how you can do anything you put your mind to (which is usually true) but I'm going to offer suggestions on how to achieve your goal!.

- Buy some music that is just below your ability level, and sight read a page (or a full piece) a day!. Don't get up from your piano until you learn the whole thing!.

- Buy some music above your level (by one or more levels) and slowly work your way through them!.

- Borrow a friend who plays another instrument (probably strings, woodwind or brass) well, and accompany them!. Learn the piano part to their solos in two days, no excuses!.

- buy a book on music theory, learn it!. Learn chord analysis, relationships and whatnot!. If you recognize the shape of the dots on the page you won't have to think about them as much!.

- transposition! Take the same book that's a little under your ability level!. The day after you force yourself to learn a piece, pick a different key to play it in!. (If you need to know how to transpose either google it or e-mail me and I'd be glad to help)

- A Tonal music will be good for you!. It doesn't make any sense or sound good, but it will train you to read pitches quickly!. Since you won't be able to rely on your ear to help with a melodic line, you are forced to read it!.

- listen to everything you can!. Not just piano!. Listen to jazz, string quartets and yes, even pop music!. If possible, go to a library and check out the score for anything you're listening to and follow along!. Major orchestral works are very good for this!.

- Get as much famous rep under your belt as possible!.

- Research music schools!. Even if the school itself is not very good, research the piano faculty!. See who they've played with, or if they have any CD's out!. The Cleveland and NYC areas are very good for this type of environment

- Stay off youtube!. Those six year olds are very commonly abused into practicing (but hey, so was Mozart) or have a form of high functioning Autism (with which many people have a very highly developed skill!.!.!.usually music or mathematics)!. They are kinda creepy kids and are on the road so often they probably don't have any friends or fun!. At least you have friends around you to tell you it's too late, no matter how wrong they may be!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You're still young and apparently your ear hasn't been trained enough if you think the 6 year olds on youtube play amazingly!. It takes time and much practice to learn to sightread like a pro!. You'll just need to get comfortable with reading music in general!. The more music you play, the more natural it will feel!. It's great that you are considering this at such a young age, keep it up!. All you need to do is practice and never lose hope, because that is what makes you a bad player!. A great musican is poised and has confidence in their playing even when some minor things are incorrect!. So just keep you eye on the target and practice practice practice!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't think it is to late for you, but even if you start of course you won't be like one of those children on youtube you know really young and stuff, but you have to realize that those children more than likely worked on those pieces for many many months and practiced for hours each day!. but I think you are more than capable for doing that if you really want to, you just have to keep trying!. Here is a quote I like it make thing less discouraging its by a unknown person!."When the world says Give Up,hope whispers to try once more!." Good luckWww@QuestionHome@Com