Hi everyone! My name is Joshua Kim, I'm 21 years old and just started playing piano 5 weeks ago. I've loved classical music since I first heard it in 6th grade(that's when we got rid of our tv and bought a huge stereo system) but especially liked the violin and piano. However, I always just enjoyed listening and never really played(learned the basics in 3rd grade but I hated it. only time i spent at the piano was during the hour long lessons once a week). But about 2 years ago, i started having a really strong desire to learn the piano and finally, a month ago, i started learning at a place called woodwind academy in flushing, ny. Since then I've practiced about 60 hours in total. Currently I am working on Mozart Sonata #5, Bach invention #4(both are extremely challenging for me and as i'm learning more about dynamics and finger techniques, just getting harder. But I LOVE IT!!) and am warming up my fingers using a book called Hanon. The piano I have, or keyboard is a dgx-550. uhhhh, my current goal is to get into a well known university as a piano major, preferably in new york, within 7 years. I guess its somewhat a dream? hahahaha. Until then I will work on my Philosophy degree and MDIV degree. I'm hoping by a miracle I get into Manhattan school of Music or Julliard. So if anyone can give me info on these two schools it would be great!! can i even apply to these schools at the age of 28-29? I tried looking it up on their respective sites but found no information on age. Anyways, I'm so happy to have found an active highly populated piano forum!!! Hope I get to know everyone and learn a lot from everyone's piano experience as well!!

Hi Joshua,
I can't give you any information about either of those schools (you might find this book interesting though: http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-but-Best-Perfection-Juilliard/dp/0879101229/ref=rsl_mainw_dpl).

But, I just wanted to welcome you to the forum and wish you all the best in reaching your dreams.

I know you want to stay in N.Y. But, you also might want to check out Berklee college of music http://www.berklee.edu/ in Boston MA and Longy School of Music http://www.longy.edu/ in Cambridge MA

thank you very much! i think i'll go and read that book at my local barnes and nobles.
I will definitely look into those colleges as well. thank you very much!

Hey Joshua, saw your post in the other (what level?) thread. Welcome again.

Welcome to the forum, Joshua! Your story reminds me a lot of Alvaro's (login name is Immortal Beloved), who also did not start piano until relatively "late" in life (late for a performance career, that is... you're still decades younger than most of us when WE started! ). You may want to PM him or search the archives for his posts. He managed to get accepted into a conservatory only a couple of years after starting serious piano studies.

OH, hi! thanks!!



O wow, thanks!! I'll definitely look for his posts and PM him! I'm so glad to find all these adult beginners and get all this support.

Honestly, you should drop the Mozart sonata and Bach invention. With only 2 weeks of piano playing, they will just make you slow down I believe. You should learn stuff that is more accessible. The time for sonatas and inventions will come later, there is no rush. But, of course, I'm playing for only a year and a half, so maybe my opinion isn't that accurate.
Good luck!
Alex

No No not at all. thank you very much for your input. thats one of the main reasons I joined a forum. to listen to other people's opinions and discuss with other people possible better solutions to piano related problems. well, I payed a lump sum(3 months) for my current piano lessons so I will see where that takes me. at the end of these three months, I will post up a video of the bach and mozart piece i have been practicing and I guess, everyone on this forum can decide if I should learn something easier or it is at my level. of course, if the majority of the people think it is only slowing me down like you just suggested, I will definitely be changing piano teachers. Thank you very much(I just decided to do all these things thanks to your comment!)