Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Is it possible to become a virtuoso...?

Hmm... I won't declare myself as a virtuoso, but I hope I'm on the right way.. XD
And I'm sure I'm not perfect, I just gave my opinion about the topic
Recently I've properly mastered some of Chopin's etudes and for me it is a major achievement :P
(I study by myself, without any teachers)

The word "virtuoso" is often used by non-musicians and relative newcomers to mean someone who plays well. It is probably a good idea to get at what they are picturing, otherwise a discussion is meaningless.

I know a couple of people who do not want to be "virtuosos", preferring to be musicians. The virtuoso, to them, is somebody who can play in an impressive manner at lightning speed or ultra slowness, have all the technical tricks at their command, and great precision. A musician, in their eyes, is someone who has technical abilities and understanding of the stuff of music, and can then use those things to produce music. It is a very particular meaning of "musician".

I imagine that what we are discussing is neither of these extremes, but rather whether a person can reach a level where they can play advanced music decently enough that others might enjoy listening to it.

F. Chopin wrote:

which would have to be a step in the right direction, wouldn't it? But how do we get the basics of the basics right? Can we see, hear, and feel where it isn't, and what direction to take? There the question of teacher (a decent one - not one that will plant problems) comes in, and where either lack of time or money can get in the way. Though I would think that lack of time goes more toward practising: lessons are once a week, practicing is 7 times more often.

Yes, with hard work and determination, and regardless of age, one can become a "virtuoso". Here's what Wikipedia says, and what Wikipedia says, goes...LOL.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuoso


Virtuoso
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Virtuoso (disambiguation).
Examples of well known Virtuosi over time. Top Row - From left: Frédéric Chopin, Niccolò Paganini, Franz Liszt, Luigi Boccherini. Bottom Row - From left: Arthur Rubinstein, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman.

A virtuoso (from Italian virtuoso, Late Latin virtuosus, Latin virtus meaning: skill, manliness, excellence) is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa. Virtuosi are often musical composers as well. During the age of Baroque music many composers were also virtuosi on their respective instruments.[citation

Hm, well I meant not necessarily a VIRTUOSO, or a professional pianist, but just someone who can play those pieces in my first post, the initial post of this thread.
And by "conservatory proffesor" I didn't mean literally a CONSERVATORY PROFESSOR, I just meant someone good at piano teaching...
And I'm also not interested in playing at concerts, I just wanna play for myself, it would be a good way of expressing oneself... Imagine coming after a hard day of work and the jamming as hard as you can a cool, difficult piano piece ...

That's more like it. But with discipline you'll do better than that!

Does anyone know of there are any pianists who reached the top level ability who began later in life?

We've had that question before and the answer is no. No concert pianists started from scratch from say the age of 16.

KBK, that's an honest answer rarely seen. Sometimes I wonder why we are so afraid being straightforward and to the point? Worry we'd hurt others? I rather be hurt than keep in the dark.

Just to ameliorate the other side of the argument, Rubinstein did say he could take any 70 year old off the street and turn them into a concert pianist in ten years, from scratch...but he never said virtuoso, and as far as I know there are no 'late starters' (and I mean from scratch) out there on the concert platform.

Evaldas... You can get as far as you want to given enough time and dedication. I'm sure you have a natural affinity for music if you are this serious about it. I'll tell you what I tell all my adult students: Do not place limits on your expectations, but do not get hung up on how advanced you feel you should be either. Revel in the *process* of learning to play the piano. That way, you will keep the good attitude that is essential for progress. Stay positive, set big goals, but do not despair if it takes longer to get there than you want. With good practice habits and a healthy attitude, you will improve at the piano every day for the rest of your life. Don't worry about how fast you are progressing, just celebrate every achievement and every improvement along the way!

Agree.




That's what he said, but did he ever do it?

He was over 90 at the time so...

You're right, but I think it's not because they will never can play that good, it's that usually at this age they have already chosen what to do in life and don't have the intention to be a concert pianist... also because they don't think they will can..

Being a concert pianist is a career. Not only does the musician need to reach a certain level of playing, but he also has to get bookings, an audience. Who among the young people who start at the right age and reach the right level end up being known? Also, will the older person who is willing to do the work, assuming he has the potential, find a teacher who can teach him what he needs to know? There are two separate things. If an older person did reach this level it is unlikely that we would end up hearing about them.

if you study 6 + hours a day you could be the piano virtuoso ( i study 10 hours everyday ). But you should know the path which you will follow very well. And for this you should get 15 lessons at least from any piano teacher. After you will able to set up your own working path to become piano virtuoso.

sorry for my english.

It's not your English, it's your poor definition of virtuoso.

I tried to explain him from easiest way. And where is the problem in my sentence ? Everybody must study hard to become Virtuoso. Am i wrong ? I play piano for 8 years and my teachers always said me WORK HARD, WORK HARD, WORK HARD. You cant be a virtuoso if you study 1 hour per day.

Yes, but unless like other virtuosos you were WORK HARD, WORK HARD, WORK HARD from the age of 3 or 4, you won't make it. Yes you can become a pro, but that's not the same thing.

or. If you play a piece well and beautifully ,,,,no matter where you are, you're a virtuoso.
Otherwise, you need a "ad agent".

i cant understand please explain me this quote from other way my english was not enough to understand this.

pianonewbie what is ad agent ?