Ask! Career

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Hi Greg,

I am a member of a Scottish Music Society and we are hoping to help young classical artists of great get their name in front of those that can help them launch their career. It seems to me a very crowded and ultra competitive market and that "mere" talent is a commodity. It is in the "other stuff" that positive differentiation has its best chance. I am considering doing videos for them in the vein that you have pioneered. Any advice? regards,

- Keir Smart

Hi Keir,

I always cringe a little when I read messages like this, as if I made the Ligeti video to help my career -- or the Piazzolla, Mozart, or Moonlight videos -- or any of the videos for that matter (...besides the blatantly promotional Anderson & Roe promo video, of course!)! These videos were inspired by an inner necessity: in the case of the Ligeti video, my desire to to make the angular, dissonant music relatable to non-classical audiences (read about my thoughts on the "Devil's Staircase" page); in the case of the Piazzolla videos, to highlight the charged chemistry, the physical friction, and that element of danger so inherent in Piazzolla's tangos; in the case of the Mozart video, to visually communicate the joyful dialogue between the two piano parts; in the case of the Moonlight video, to inspire YouTube users to watch music performances from an aesthetic point of view and NOT a critical point of view. And knowing these videos would be watched by an inattentive, distracted audience, we presented the material very differently than we would have for an audience in a quiet auditorium.

All of that said, the videos have been extremely helpful in enhancing my solo and duo careers -- but I think people respond to the videos because they came from an honest place. Likewise, audiences react differently to authentic, honest music making than they do to insincere, self-promoting music making.

If you are helping young musicians start their careers, I advise you to try a different approach. Instead of starting backwards ("the videos worked for Greg, so let's make similar videos"), start from the foundation -- from the artist himself or herself. Find what really makes a musician tick, and go from there. Perhaps a pianist really loves the most serious repertoire -- a YouTube music video of Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" sonata would be a terrible idea because it's not suited to the medium; likewise, a showy Brahms hungarian dance music video would be a terrible idea because it wouldn't represent the artist. Rather, consider new ways to energize both the artist and the music he or she loves: perhaps the "Hammerklavier" would benefit from a different mode of performance. The piece is epic, and to think it existed within the mind of a deaf genius! What if you developed a mode of performance that emphasized Beethoven's isolation from the world ... and at that point in his life, his closeness to God? An empty church seems to perfectly capture that twisted sense of isolation and spiritual intensity. You could charge $5,000 for a single ticket to the performance, a one-on-one experience with the "Hammerklavier" -- the pianist and the sole audience member in an otherwise empty church. That could be pretty powerful.

Try considering a "new-music" advocate on for size instead. Pretend your artist wants to present a piano piece by Wourinen. To me, his music sounds so haphazard and jagged; I could envision a wild concert experience in which the audience was in a warehouse. Imagine each person taking a couple shots (yes, of alcohol) at the start of the event (is there any other way to listen to Wourinen??). Now imagine each audience member being given a huge canvas and materials (crayons, buckets of paint, wet cement, or whatever!) and some instructions. When the pianist begins performing the piece, the audience completely lets loose and creates individual (or communal) works of art as dictated by the piece of music. My canvas would look like a no-holds-barred explosion. This experience would be tremendously exciting and memorable! I'd literally be "living" Wourinen's music, and I'd never listen to his music the same again. The piece performed by the pianist would be indelibly etched in my mind. I think it would have the power to be a profoundly moving artistic experience.

These ideas could enhance the communicative potential of the music, *and* they would probably generate a bit of publicity, which seems to be your goal. Consider this "ground-up" method, and see what you can construct for your artists!!

- Greg (Oct. 23, 2009)

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Greg,

how much money does a concert pianist make? - Ty

Dear Ty,

Really? Really? Are you asking me that? I'm going to do a little copy and paste (a big one, actually) -- for your convenience, I'm pasting a long reply I wrote to someone who asked me about my financial situation:

I'm not in it for the money, and it bothers me when people become preoccupied with this facet of the profession. Every time I check this website's Google stats, I see dozens of people finding the site through some variant of the following search: "How much money do concert pianists make?" I mean, really?! For real?! If you care about money, please don't become a pianist. You may or may not make a significant amount (my income fluctuates wildly from year to year -- there's no way I could tell you my "salary"), but that's definitely not what it's about.

When a pianist seeks the fame and glory of the concert stage, he or she is probably on a path to disappointment; when a pianist is motivated by the genuine love of music, he or she will certainly find a satisfying musical career. There are countless fulfilling ways to make money as a pianist, not all of which are limited to performing on the concert stage. (Please view the "Ask Greg Archives: Career" for examples.) Yes, teaching music is one, but there are many more possibilities.

"What is it you do to support yourself financially?" The answer: I play the piano and compose.

Seriously.

I keep a busy concert schedule, both as a soloist and a duo pianist. My recordings are self-produced and selling well, so I actually make money when you buy one. Please buy one. I'm a YouTube partner, so YouTube pays me when you watch my videos on YouTube. Do it. Click on those ads next to the videos! :-) I receive commissions and royalties from the works I compose for The 5 Browns. Liz and I sell my piano duo scores to the public; you can buy them on the compositions page. That's most of it -- performing and composing! -- although I do give lectures here and there, I'll publish my book someday (someday!), and I have other surprising plans for the future in the works. At the moment, I don't pursue any financial gain through teaching, web design, video editing, or accompanying -- with everything that excites and consumes me, I simply don't have time.

Some people think I'm savvy, but I'm doing what feels obvious to me. I'm following my mission ("to make classical piano music a relevant and powerful force in society") in every avenue of my professional life, from my performances, compositions, concert programs, and recordings to my websites, videos, and book. My mission is ever present in what I do because I believe in it so passionately. It's not like the things I do are creative, random ideas; they are born from an innate necessity -- from a desire to make what I love relevant and powerful to others.

I really believe that if you are doing what you truly love, you'll find a way to survive. I'm not prancing about in piles of cash, but I manage to find enough doing what I do to pay my bills. I wish I had more (it would go right into recordings, videos, and websites!), but really, when it comes to money, my only concern is that I have enough to keep doing what I love. If it really matters to you how much money a concert pianist makes, I recommend another profession!

- Greg (Jan. 14, 2009)

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Dear Greg,

Very nice, interactive site here! You seem to know the ropes of the music world pretty well, so I thought I'd ask a question. I was pretty serious about piano in my teens--I went to Interlochen most summers, was on "From the Top," and I had lots of success in local competitions. Come college time, I wasn't very interested in taking the "music major" path. I mostly pursued other interests, graduating with a French major and a writing major, with a bit of piano lessons and practicing on the side. Near the end of school, I totally changed course and realized I wanted to be a pianist. I'm now in the graduate program at Carnegie Mellon with plans to apply to Peabody for a doctorate next year. I guess my question is: Does anybody succeed in the music world without having done an undergrad music program? I'm really not going for the "insanely successful concert pianist" thing. If I could join a university faculty and keep a relatively busy recital schedule, I would be quite content. Do any names come to mind of successful pianists who made their "music career" choice after undergrad? I feel dumb for having missed the chance to do a 4-year conservatory program, but hindsight is 20/20, and so on.

- AJ

Dear AJ,

That's a great question! I really don't think it matters what degrees you have; if you play well, you play well, and people will notice. Two very famous cellists majored outside of music and did very well for themselves: Yo Yo Ma and Alicia Weilerstein. That said, a university faculty position and a relatively busy recital schedule is a lot to ask for, even for most conservatory-educated gradates. I have so many friends -- with doctorates -- who would give most anything for a university faculty position!

There is no reason to harbor regrets for decisions you made; you can always use your undergraduate degrees to your advantage! Try programming concerts of French music; demonstrate to audiences how the lyricism of the language translates into the music; talk about French poetry -- what makes it beautiful, unique, or interesting -- and show how French composers utilized these attributes in their music (Gaspard de la nuit is terrific for this). Or: develop concert programs that juxtapose writing and music... that is fertile ground -- you could devote several concerts to Goethe's Faust! When you apply for teaching positions, use your academic credentials as an asset -- offer to teach classes on the topics I just mentioned, or simply state that you would be able to relate especially well with students pursuing academic degrees.

Cheer up! No regrets!

- Greg (Oct. 24, 2009)

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Hello Greg!,

You are such an inspiration for me! I've been playing piano since i was 8 and i am now 13 years old. Just a couple months back, I was thinking about my future, and I finally decided that I wanted to become a professional pianist. I know it would take a lot of dedication and time, but I have decided that once I get out of High School I am also going to be a Lawyer or Doctor, and I plan to make time for piano. I dont know how well that would go, because my mother does not approve of me becoming a professional, so she won't let me attend Julliard. So, do you have any advice to give me?..Do you think I would be able to become a professional after years more of training? I mean, I would like to perform, but not to big audiences and not at concerts...just at small things like Church, or weddings or such. I do not plan to travel the world and spread my piano playing. My teacher has told me that for the last two years i have been playing extraordinarily well! and he says that he is proud of me for that, but do you think with all my lawyer and doctor stuff that i'll still be able to become a professional? Once again, I dont want to be known worldwide or nationally..i just want to have the ability to play the most advanced piano pieces...thank you Greg! I hope you reply to this message!

- Catherine

Dear Catherine,

Wow! You have big plans! ... a doctor, a lawyer, a musician! Good for you. The description you provided in your question sounds entirely reasonable. Unlike becoming a pianist, becoming a doctor or a lawyer does not require decades and decades of training. In other words, you can start training to be a doctor when you're 30, and you can still make a career out of it; it is highly improbable that someone could start playing the piano at age 30 and make concertizing their career.

I know dozens of medical and law students at Yale who majored in music before coming to Yale -- no pre-med degrees, no science degrees, no political science degrees before coming -- just music degrees. The medical school at Yale is so supportive of music that they have a full symphony orchestra; they had over 200 medical students and residents audition for the orchestra last year!

Practice hard and have fun. There is no need to stress out; with your goals, you should be able to do it all.

- Greg (Oct. 25, 2009)

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Dear Greg,

First let me begin by saying that I discovered you and your musical brilliance via youtube and that extravagant video of you and your accompaniest's interpretaton of "The Blue Danube", an exceptionally well demonstrated piece of art I must say. Anyway in light of seeing your evidently incredibly skills I took some time to look at my own, and though I've only been playing piano for about three years (with rapid improvement due to my prior musical learning via the flute for about 6 years) I was interested in doing it as a career. I just want to know if I'm being realistic. I'm twenty years old now and working on building a repotoire to apply for an undergrad school (certainly nothing as prestigous as Juilliard, perhaps I could end up there for grad school). If my private teacher thinks I have the talent and technique to pursue it do you think it's unrealistic to fulfill my dreams of being a orchestral pianist? Am I just too old to start working towards a dream like that? I'm sure you get numerous variations of this question but any other answer than one specifically catered to my personal question just simply won't do. My sincerest thanks for your time in even bothering to answer. All the best in your own musical endeavours! Your are certainly a talented and devoted individual!

- Lawrence Scanlan

Dear Lawrence,

Wow. An orchestral pianist! That is a fantastic idea, but there are a few things you should know about the position:

Orchestral piano jobs are very hard to come by. There are few positions and the demand for them is high.
Orchestral piano jobs are usually part time. Most orchestral pianists I know have other jobs on the side.
Some orchestral pianists are also employed by the orchestra to play in chamber ensembles with other orchestral musicians -- they are expected to be multi-faceted musicians that can fit in whenever and wherever they are needed.
Orchestral piano jobs often come through "connections" -- in other words, current members of the orchestra often recommend pianists they like to fill this role.
Orchestral pianists MUST be able to count. The few orchestral piano playing jobs I've taken over the years have made significant demands on my ability to count empty bars (49 bars of rest +3 bars of 5/8 time +7.5 bars of prestissimo 3/4 time, then PLAY!)

Orchestral piano playing is a unique and fun universe! I wish you the best in your pursuits.

- Greg (Nov. 4, 2009)

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Hi Greg,

First I would like to congratulate you on you amazing achievements at such a young age. I am a 54 year old mother and a true music lover. As a teenager I studies piano for about 4 years. When I fell in love (with my husband), he became the centre of my universe. There was no room in my life for my piano I thought. Sad to say after 30 years of marriage he vanished from my life (I believe forever). I was heart-broken. One day I found a used piano in a local furniture store. I bought it and started to practice. It was depressing at first. After 25 years (minimum) of not touching the piano I had forgotten everything. I could not even read notes past one octave. I struggled to say the least. It’s been exactly 1 ½ years now. I am happy to say that now I can sight-read quite well and I am playing at about grade 8 level. I practice 3 ½ - 4 hours per day. I want to become a meaningful and a very natural pianist. Please tell my how long will it take? Thanks a million notes. Emma

- Emma Votre Fan

Hi Emma,

First off, I am sorry for your troubled experiences, but I'm happy to learn that you found some respite in music.

At 3.5 to 4 hours of practice a day, I'd say you're well on your way to becoming a skilled pianist. Of course, it's impossible to answer such a subjective question -- how can I possibly articulate the definition of a "meaningful and natural pianist" and the hours necessary to become one??

My advice to you: forget how long it will take to become "good" or "better" -- instead, focus on having a wonderful time doing exactly what you are doing right now. Enjoy practicing the pieces you are currently learning and forget about what is yet to come. I've been playing the piano for over 20 years, but I've loved *every* day of it.

- Greg (Nov. 4, 2009)

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Greg,

its the second time im asking this question and nobody cares.im 27 ,ive been playing for about 3 years.im not good enough but i 'd love to become a good pianist,what should i do?and is it possible considering my age and few years of playing?

- Celine

Celine,

You'd have a better chance at winning the lottery than becoming a concert pianist at this point in your life. That said, there is no doubt in my mind that you could become a "good" pianist someday in the future. Actually, who knows, perhaps you already are a fantastic pianist.

My advice for you is the same advice I gave to Emma above: forget how long it will take to become "good" or "better" -- instead, focus on having a wonderful time doing exactly what you are doing right now. Enjoy practicing the pieces you are currently learning and forget about what is yet to come. I've been playing the piano for over 20 years, but I've loved *every* day of it.

Seriously. Live in the moment. You'll definitely get better with time, but playing the piano is one of those things that should be awesome all the time, regardless of your ability.

- Greg (Nov. 4, 2009)

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Dear Greg,

i am a 16 year old pianist and is now a grade 5 student.i started when i am 12.During the holiday before the year 2009.i suddenly become very ambitious and i wanted to become a concert pianist.But the problem is there seems to be too many discouraging post and also encouraging post about being a concert pianist.most professionals says that one must start at a very very early age to become concert pianist.now i am so scared because even i if i am a quick learner i still cannot make it to grade 8 or deploma before entering a music university.those who started early get to play excellently before 12 and then they still have the many years to fix every single weakness.i am starting to feel the stress now because i put a lot of hope onto piano career and i surely don't want a very very dissapointing days after all those hardwork like a begger on a street playing piano and too poor to buy anything and die.i want to have a very normal and also very sustainable live doing a job that i love.The main reason i become so obssesed about piano is when i feel sad i get to play sad piece and when angry i play crazy technical piece just like all those actors in movies.and i think piano is something that is classy(high class , all those tuxedo stuff).i would like to be a person of high class somedays later.my mum said i am going to college near my place to study whatever while attending piano lesson at my area to continue until diploma.and then i apply for music college again after my college years. and of course i manage to play plenty of hard piece which my teacher don't know i can play them.i am better then all student that is in my grade(those students play piano just for fun.but i take piano more seriously then them).i play the kholer sonatinas book and i have to learn those piece.took others 2 weeks or more to play 1 movmment but took me only 1 week to play 1 movement(the most is 2 weeks if the piece is hard).i also learn the exam piece before my teacher even ask me to try it.my teacher was shocked when i played it out straight away.and i plan to migrate out of my hot country to a colder country.so dig into my essay and correct any wrong opinion and give advise and anything you want to say to me.i am just a very obssesed and discouraged pianist.i am starting to feel more head ache now to think about my future and everything about piano and about time i have left.your advise is greatly needed by me.

-Daniel C.H.L.

Dear Daniel,

Yikes, lets tae a deep breath! I'm not going to have any answers for you; nor will anyone else. Nobody can predict who will have a huge, successful, world-traveling piano career and who won't. If you're playing the piano purely because you hope for such a career, I recommend you find something else to do, because you're playing the lottery with your career!

You sound somewhat conflicted... Piano and high class society? Playing the piano can be a classy occupation (though it certainly doesn't need to be), but it is very unlikely to provide you with the finances to join high class society. Obsessed and discouraged? Obsession is an absolute must for any thriving piano player, but if you are truly, truly obsessed, it is unlikely you will ever find yourself discouraged for very long. A rather wonderful perk of obsession: it makes you oblivious to any setbacks or impossibilities. (Of course, if you're of the obsessive temperament, I recommend you direct your obsession down healthy avenues.)

I also sense somewhat of a competitive vibe from you. Does it really matter how fast your high school classmates learn their music? As you say, use the piano as an outlet for your emotions, not as means to bolster your self-worth.

If, however, (and I've said this many times before -- please see the "Ask Greg: Career" archives) you simply want to play the piano for a living, go for it. Society has many, many different needs for pianists that you could fill. Most piano careers will not make you incredible wealth, so as I said above, joining the upper echelon of society is unlikely, but they can be extraordinarily satisfying.

Just make sure that you chose a career playing the piano for the right reasons; if so, things will work out.

- Greg (August 12, 2009)

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Dear Greg,

Is it possible to become a concert pianist and not perform? I am just starting to play the piano and would like to play at the concert pianist level...just not with the audience, career, all that jazz. How long does this usually take and how many hours should I practice a day?? Thanks!!

- James

Dear James,

Of course! Who's going to stop you? I believe that music making can be incredibly personal and solitary at times; there's no need to always have an audience at hand. Go ahead, transform your home into your own private stage!

How much practice is necessary? I've been hearing this 10,000 hour rule touted a great deal in social circles (after an Malcolm Gladwell made it the subject of his recent book, "Outliers"), and I think there is something to it. The rule: to become truly fluent at a specialized skill, one must devote at least 10,000 hours of practice. I'm certain this also relates to piano playing.

That said, you can still have a great time playing piano music with less than 10,000 hours of practice under your belt!

- Greg (March 6, 2009)

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Dear Greg,

You have answered a question as follows.. "don't go into music if you want to be a 'concert pianist.' Even if you've got mad skills, the chances of sustaining a career are next to impossible." despite the fact you then go on to state that there are lots of uses for pianists in the job market. Most people define the difference between a job and a career is a job is a way to make some extra cash, and a career is a steady paycheck to support oneself as guaranteed income. My question to you is, what is it you do to support yourself financially? I hear alot of artists do web design these days, unlike before the computer craze, many took office jobs, some worked in banks and a very lucky few took jobs in corporate, sometimes Wall Street gives a chance to someone without a degree in business. Strange enough, why is it so many artists dont teach music in public schools? Benefits, summers off and pension seem like a reasonable equation for a artist to work by day and practice by night while sharing their love of music with others. It seems to me this would be the career path one would go after making such an investment in attending Juilliard or any other music school.

- Matt

Dear Matt,

Wow. Let's not confuse my meaning. (Perhaps I've mistakenly been using the words "career" and "job" interchangeably!) In these answers, I frequently find myself encouraging questioners to consider a musical career that doesn't involve trotting the globe performing for large, enthusiastic audiences. Such a career is partly a product of extreme talent and partly a product of pure luck. My point is: when a pianist seeks the fame and glory of the concert stage, he or she is probably on a path to disappointment; when a pianist is motivated by the genuine love of music, he or she will certainly find a satisfying musical career. There are countless fulfilling ways to make money as a pianist not wholly limited to performing on the concert stage. (Please view the "Ask Greg Archives: Career" for examples.) Yes, teaching music is one, but there are many more possibilities.

"What is it you do to support yourself financially?" This is like one of those questions one of my distant relatives will ask after a concert. "So, that was great Greg, but how do you plan to make a living?!" The answer: I play the piano and compose.

Seriously.

- Greg (Jan. 14, 2009)

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Hi Greg,

I am a high school student who's been studying ARCT repertoire for 3-4 years now. I'm in an academically demanding program and I study hard. Nowadays I find that because of my studies I tend to practice piano less and less (AHHH!!). I only get to practice an hour a day at most- if I'm lucky. Last year, I entered a lot of competitions and played at nationals for one of them. Overall, I think I did relatively well (compared to the extremely limited number of practice hours I put in, that is). I love music, but I find that in the past I've been putting it aside just because I thought "what am I going to do in life with a music degree? Let's just be a doctor" haha. But I've just recently realized that I actually want to do what I really love to do. Do you think I should drop out of my academic program and devote myself fully to the piano? But what if I decide I want to go back..? Ahh :s

- Confused

Dear Confused,

Wow! These are intense questions!

I'm obviously of the mentality that one should base one's career on what he or she loves to do. What may surprise you is that I also believe one can love to do a great many things. Job satisfaction comes from how you chose to respond to situations at work, not the situations themselves. How did I get through high school without going crazy? I made the most of my assignments -- I turned them into projects that interested me. A simple report became a full magazine spread; an essay became a passionate opinion piece; a science project became a wild and engaging museum piece. I filled speeches with appropriate magic tricks, and I found ways to insert music into everything. I may have created more work for myself, but because I was invested in what I was doing, it felt like less.

The point is: you can probably turn anything you do into something you love. It all depends on your approach. I honestly believe that you can drop out of your academic program or you can stay registered, and in either case, you can find ways to be happy.

And what if you want to go back? If you are truly determined, you'll find a way to make anything happen.

Good luck and HAVE FUN!

- Greg

Hello Greg!

I've taken piano lessons when I was about 9 years old, but quit due to lack of money in the family. Ever since, I have been playing for fun and composing my own music. I'm 17 years old right now, and for the past year I have been teaching myself to read music because I wanted to learn classical pieces. An orchestra director at my school overheard me play Liebestraum by Liszt and said I was very talented, especially for someone who's self-taught. She actually didn't believe I could read music that difficult in one year. I want to become a pianist, and I finally realized it. My parents aren't supportive of my decision, they would rather I go to university for med school. Anyway, I've been doubtful about considering being a pianist because I started so late. Regardless of my passion for piano, I look at all the great virtuso pianists, and they all started at such an early age and went to prestigious conservatories. I'm just a regular, self-taught, seventeen year old girl. I'm not expecting to become a concert-level pianist or anything, but I do want to do this for a living, and I will put every ounce of willingness, dedication, and passion I have. Any advice for me? I'd appreciate it.

- Irina

Dear Irina,

I'm impressed by your determination, but I can only give you the same advice I give to everyone. Whatever you do, please remember that no matter how good you are, the musical world is a fickle place. One can never truly predict his or her successes. As long as you choose to play the piano because you love it, you will be content with a musical career -- as a teacher, a concert director, a composer, an arranger, a critic, a writer, a concert pianist, an accompanist, a publisher, an entrepreneur, a conductor, or whatever else. If you choose to play the piano because you want to be a famous pianist or wealthy, you will very likely be disappointed with your choice.

Best wishes!

- Greg

Dear Greg,

what's the age limit for a concert pianist

Dear Anonymous,

There is no age limit for concert pianists! As long as you play well and are having a good time, who's to stop you?

- Greg

Dear Greg,

First off, thank you for what you are doing with your talent. We need to break the Victorian paradigms! On to my question: I have just turned 16 and am thinking about colleges. I would love to attend a conservatory, but am worried that it will be all piano all the time and if down the road piano doesn't work out for me, I will have nothing to fall back on. I also have the question of repertoire choices, specifically the Classical sonata. Is the Appassionata too cliched? I absolutely love the piece and think I could give a very good performance of it, but I am worried that it is so well known that everybody has a definitive idea of how it should be played, and if I play it differently, they will not like it. What did you play for your audition to Juiliard? What about other people? I know a Prelude and Fugue, Chopin's first Ballade, and his Etude Op. 25 No. 12. For a modern piece, I think I will do the Bartok sonata. Do you have any ideas on these? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!!!

- Jon B.

Dear Jon,

When it comes to careers, I really can't tell you what to do! One of the many great things about life is that you can often change your mind. So often we feel like we are locked in, but really, we have the ability to start fresh whenever we want. I've seen a number of inspiring forty-year-olds go back to school to pursue a different avenue in life; a friend of mine did her undergrad and master's degrees at Juilliard and now she's in dental school; Aspen Music Festival accepts adult piano students. You're in control.

You also have the power to make your college experience amazing, no matter what school you attend. Alternatively, you can find ways to waste your time at any of the most renowned institutions in America. If you want a well-rounded education, you can get that, whether you're at Juilliard or New York University. Too often I see people complaining rather than using their energy in positive and useful ways.

One word of caution: don't go into music if you want to be a "concert pianist." Even if you've got mad skills, the chances of sustaining a career are next to impossible. Instead, go to college with the dream of playing the piano for the rest of your life! There are loads of uses for pianists in the job market, and if you really love playing the piano and making music, then these can be extraordinarily fulfilling jobs. Who knows, you could become really famous and play solo recitals in Carnegie Hall or you could become an influential piano teacher; in either case, you'll be a satisfied musician. As long as your happiness doesn't rely on fame, there are loads of musically satisfying jobs you could pursue as a pianist.

As for your audition repertoire, play whatever it is you want to play (in other words, play pieces that reflect you as a musician), and when your audition rolls around, play well. That's all that matters. My undergrad audition program consisted of the following pieces: Bach's Prelude and Fugue in A minor from WTC I, Beethoven's "Waldstein" Sonata, Mendelssohn's Variations sérieuses, Liszt's Transcendental Etude No. 4 -- "Mazeppa", and Prokofiev's Third Piano Sonata. I'm not sure whether this was the greatest audition program, but I loved performing all of the pieces and I played them well.

Best wishes to you as you prepare for your auditions!

- Greg

Dear Greg,

Hi, I am a 15 year old who isn't extremely advanced in piano (right now I am working on a toccata by Debussy, an etude by Mozkowski, and a Prelude by Chopin) but I REALLY enjoy the piano and love putting much expression into my pieces. Last summer I attended the Interlochen Arts Camp, I was accepted into the interlochen arts boarding high school, and this summer I have been accepted into the Eastman School of Music's high school Music Horizons program. I was wondering, how likely is it for me to be a concert pianist? Also, how much money does a concert pianist typically make?

- Rachel

Dear Rachel,

To answer your first question, I have copied and pasted my response to a previous question:

Please peruse the "Piano as a career" archives. I've already responded to quite a few questions about the demands, difficulties, and joys of playing the piano as a career, and my responses are archived there. To summarize: it is extremely difficult to make a living as a "concert pianist," even for the best pianists. Many Juilliard graduates I know have quit their instruments and turned their attention to finding alternative means of income. I fully believe in the realization of dreams, but some dreams take a ridiculous amount of work (especially in this case); you have to want it so bad that you are willing to make enormous sacrifices in other areas of your life.... like your day job... like time spent with your friends... like sleep... The rewards can be awesome, but you have to decide if the cost is worth it to you.

However, and I'm repeating myself here, there are other ways to earn money as a pianist that don't involve performing on concert stages. None of them are easy, all of them are important, and all of them can be extremely rewarding. Please reference the "Piano as a career" archives for more detailed explanations.

If you truly love playing the piano, if you enjoy creating music, if you are fascinated by the piano repertoire... you could always consider the greatest musical vocation of them all: you could be an amateur. By definition, amateurs "love" what they do. Amateurs keep music alive in homes around the world. More so than many professionals, amateurs are truly in touch with the joys of music, and their joy is contagious. Amateurs help to raise the musical literacy around the world. Amateurs deserve enormous respect, and America, in particular, is in need of many more amateur pianists.

To answer your second question: there is no typical income for a concert pianist. A pianist's annual salary entirely depends on the number of concerts he or she performs. It is a highly irregular, unpredictable, insecure, and wonderful job. :-)

- Greg

Dear Greg,

I stopped playing the piano when I pass my ABRSM Grade 5 piano practical exam in 2000. Discouragements and disappointments leaded me to give up achieving my dream of being a professional pianist. However, I dunno how, not too long ago, I managed to have the desire to play the piano and dream to be a pianist again. I'm now 24. Is it too late for me to continue practice playing the piano to achieve my dream? If I may still have the opportunity to be a pianist, how can I achieve this dream? Do I need to possess national playing standard and have a degree in piano performace? P.S. Your true and most honest opinion will be very much helpful. Thank you very much.

- andrea

Dear Andrea,

Good luck!

- Greg

Dear Greg,

I am 20 and a pre-medical student at a State University. Yet, I am unhappy because I wish to pursue music. I guess you can call it the "Berlioz Syndrome". Majoring in Piano or Music is bad because the State University that I attend does not have any good piano professors. I am wondering - do I continue to do pre-med and be the normal person with a good salary or do I go do something that I am passionate about even when I am old? What if I have a small repertoire that includes mostly Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin? Do you think that music is only pursuable for those who study it professionally at the age of 15 or younger and for those who win competitions in high school and college? I really dislike competitions, and I didn't compete at all in my younger years. I've asked this question (making music my life) to my piano teacher (who is very good-she is a moscow conservatory grad) and she told me that I certainly have the musicality and the emotions and some of the techniques down. I just need to practice practice and practice. Any advice?

- Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

I certainly do not want to be responsible for a decision that you regret later in life, but I will cautiously offer a few random thoughts on the subject:

Remember that choosing one path doesn't necessarily exclude the other; the decision isn't an "either/or" decision. You can still play the piano if you pursue another careers. "Amateur" can be defined as a "lover of" something; quite a noble pursuit, if you ask me!
There are plenty of career paths for a pianist in today's world (teacher, accompanist, writer, composer, music series director, educational outreach performer, "music as medicine" researcher, etc.), all of which require loads of dedication and passion.
It takes an unimaginable amount of skill, determination, and luck to succeed as a concert pianist, and it's not everything it's cracked up to be. Skill: the bulk of a pianist's skill is developed while they are young; it get's harder and harder to learn new music as one grows older. Determination: Some would say I don't have a life (I "work" 16 hours a day), but I'm having a ball; although I become obsessive when I'm doing something I love, it's also when I feel the most alive. Luck: self explanatory.
I went into my career with the knowledge that I may not come out with much, but I knew that as long as I had the music, I would be happy. (Cheesy, but true.) I'm not nearly as career-oriented as I probably should be, but my perspective goes beyond that of becoming a notable pianist. (Yes, many would argue that I have an extensive, self-promoting website, but if you'll look around, you'll notice that every page was built with very real intentions to fulfill my mission - to demonstrate that classical piano music can serve as a powerful and relevant force in society.) I'm not terribly daunted by what the future may throw my way, because my priorities are substantial enough to ride the waves. Humanity, artistry, and the divine will be present no matter what happens. Virtually everything I do is fueled by my mission.

Good luck and best wishes!

- Greg

Dear Greg,

I need an honest response. I'm 18 and I've been studying piano for a year and a half. My teacher studied at the Moscow Conservatory of music in Russia under Erina Smorodinova who was a student of Emil Gilels and he is incredibly talented. My first piece was a 3-movement sonatina by Clementi and I learned that in 2 months from scratch (No prior knowledge of piano or music at ALL) then I learned prelude No. 15 (Raindrop) by Chopin and mastered that within 3 months. I play both well and with much emotion. I am currently learning the Rachmaninoff Prelude in C sharp minor and I already can play two pages within a couple days. My question is what are the odds that I could make it as a concert pianist and under what circumstances. Keep in mind that my teacher continually drills exercises and other technical practices at the piano so that I am not simply attempting pieces that I have no hope of playing.

- John

Dear John,

I definitely recommend that you read what I wrote to "Anonymous" in my answer above. I started the piano when I was eight years old, and believe it or not, that was pretty old compared to my Juilliard classmates! Learning to play the piano is not unlike learning a foreign language - it's a lot easier when you are young. And similar to learning a language, its a skill that takes years upon years to master. By the time I was 18, I had spent 10 years practicing 2 - 6 hours every day, and I still had a lot to learn (and I still do!); when I went to college, I practiced even more.

The honest answer: it's very unlikely that you'll "make it" as a concert pianist, just as it is unlikely that Juilliard graduates will make it professionally as concert pianists. It's possible, but very, very unlikely. You have to love it enough to withstand setback after setback. That said, pianists have so many different roles in society other than that of a "concert pianist," roles that are important and deserve your consideration: music teacher, educational outreach performer, accompanist, composer, arranger, music series director, artistic director, researcher, choir conductor and organizer, music therapist, chamber musician, administrator, or my favorite: amateur. It's those pianists that are a part of society - pianists who aren't estranged on a stage - who really have the opportunity to make a profound difference in an individual's life in a personal way. If you really do love music, you will find a way to share it with people, regardless of your ability.

Best wishes!

- Greg

Dear Greg,

I'm very confused. I just turned 11. I have been playing since I was 3 and studied under the Suzuki method with one teacher until I was 8. I had finished up the fourth volume. Most of the pieces in Volume 3 & 4 are Sonatinas by Clementi, Kuhlau, Mozart, and Beethoven. My teacher moved so my dad hired another teacher. My dad spends most of my practice time with me. I began to learn Beethoven's Sonata Op2 No1. I love this piece but it took me eight months to lean the first three movements. He has me working on Hanon, scales, Czerny Op599, for technique. I am also playing the Inventions and Sinfonias along with some romantic pieces from Denes Agay's book. My current teacher wants me to put the Beethoven Sonata aside and start learning all the Clementi Sonatas because he believes that physically I am not ready for these pieces. He also wants me to avoid playing Chopin for now which I really love listening to. My dad spoke with the former teacher of mine and he said that if you want to seriously compete in the major competitions, which I do, I have to start learning the Sonatas by Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin works like the Preludes and Etudes now. He disagrees with my current teacher because he believes that the teacher may not have the patience or knowledge of how to teach a younger student advanced pieces. My current teacher is very detailed and we spend vast amounts of time on Clementi alone and expects to spend two years on these pieces. I'll be 13 then. He believes that Clementi works are a precursor to Beethoven works. What concerns me is that when I see the bios on winners that win the major competitions most of them were playing concertos among other advanced pieces when they were 9. What are your thoughts about the direction I should proceed with?

- Celina

Dear Celina,

I responded to a similar question on this "Ask Greg" page, and I'm going to answer yours in the same manner: listen to your teacher. Your teacher, especially in this case, seems to know what he is doing.

You've certainly hit upon one of my pet peeves: students trying to tackle pieces beyond their skill level. It is dangerous physically, pianistically, and musically. If you rush through advanced repertoire, it is very likely that you will miss opportunities to explore your musicality or your personal approach to the piano. It is also likely that you will develop some bad, bad habits in your technique - habits that will follow and plague you for the rest of your life.

I remember being just as confused as you; I heard about the teenage prodigies who brought a new concerto in for their lessons every week, and I thought I had to do the same thing. Instead, my teacher taught me patience. She was extremely detailed in her approach to the music, and that sense for detail opened my ears to a new world of precision and craftsmanship at a very early age. It was invaluable training, in my opinion.

There is no hurry! My parents wanted nothing more than for their three sons to be "well-rounded," happy children, and I believe it made all the difference. I certainly wouldn't be the pianist I am today without having spent all that time outside building tree forts, participating in the science clubs, and visiting the public library on a weekly basis. I know plenty of young pianists who spend eight hours a day practicing, but I think it is completely unnecessary. There are SO many child prodigies out there, and although eight hours of daily practice may give you early fame and a host of compliments, it will do very little to provide any sort of career later on.

Build a firm foundation as a pianist now, and later you will be able to pursue anything you want. Truly elegant, insightful, and beautiful playing is so rare in people your age. Not that it really means anything, but in high school, I won competition after competition playing Mozart and Bach, not Rachmaninoff and Liszt like my competitors. (That is not a slam to Rachmaninoff and Liszt - I love their music - I truly do. It just shows that Mozart and Bach played well can be more impressive than more technically difficult music.) And the Clementi sonatas! Some of them are masterpieces! You shouldn't be complaining! How lucky you are to be able to play them at such an early age.

And now that I've already said more than enough, I feel I must take a moment to state my passionate thoughts on the matter of competitions. Be wary. Please don't turn competitions into your driving force, into your reason to be. Competitions can be so dangerous.

Competitions train audiences and pianists to listen critically. I found that after spending too long in the competition circuit, I lost my ability to listen and enjoy. When I was eight, I listened to a Mozart concerto for the first time and I nearly squealed with delight. It was bliss. After attending competition after competition, I found that I couldn't listen to a Mozart concerto without picking the pianist apart; I listened for what was wrong rather than what was right and beautiful. And even worse, I found myself continually making comparisons; "this is better than that!," "I liked his interpretation better than hers," etc.. Comparison is healthy to a certain extent, but it becomes detrimental when we lose the ability to listen with an open mind or the ability to simply enjoy what each person has to offer. (Please see the latest Anderson & Roe music video for a satire on the subject of critical listening!) I'm confident that I'm not the only music listener who has been jaded by the prevalence of competitions in our culture.

Not only do competitions transform the way we listen, but they influence the repertoire chosen by pianists for performance. Even if the competition repertoire is "free choice," only a select portion of the piano repertoire is appropriate. Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze is a great work but rarely programmed in competitions - it's too long and it isn't flashy enough. The music of Satie is completely inappropriate on a competition program - it's too simple and esoteric, and it can be very polarizing with the judges. Grieg's lyric pieces aren't serious enough, Handel isn't as good as Bach, too many transcriptions are bad, too many unknown pieces intimidate the judges, and Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies are deemed "cheap" music by some. And goodness, if your specialty is New Music and not music of the Classical era, too bad, because you won't satisfy the judges desire to select a well-rounded pianist. And goodness, if you like to compose yourself, don't try to program your own compositions in competition programs.

Then, there is the whole element of winners and losers. In most major competitions I've seen, amazing pianists (truly amazing) are cut in the first round. It seems that creative and personal performers do not do well. They may win over some of the jury members, but they are bound to offend others. Competitions are kind to the consistent and predictable - very kind - $50,000 kind - lots of engagements and press kind. But interestingly enough, very few who win secure sturdy concert careers. Audiences don't return to hear these winners again, and concert presenters don't reengage them. Who won the last Queen Elizabeth? the last Tchaikovsky? the last Leeds? I forgot.

I passionately believe that competitions have done significant damage to the world of classical music. It has transformed music from an art to a sport.

Instead of playing the piano to win competitions, I offer an alternative: play music to change the world, to discover yourself, to explore humanity, and to bring people together. Play music that is relevant to you and find ways to make it relevant to others.

Happy practicing!

- Greg