Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Inspirational piano players who started as adult beginners?

I want to see what's possible for an adult beginner. The upper limit of what is possible for an piano player who started learning from scratch in adulthood.

I don't want to set limits on myself. All of the teachers I've been with have always put limits on me... they say "sure you can learn piano as a matter of personal enjoyment... but don't dream of being a professional musician starting at your age." I am 24, but they've said that to me when I was 20. That's exactly what I want to be, though! I am not aiming to become a virtuoso concert pianist, so why do I keep hearing from teachers all these "but this" and "but that"? I'm determined to prove them wrong, and I want to see if there were any videos or recordings of piano players who started as a beginner in their adulthood?

I need some inspiration.

Scroll through the recital thread that's stickied at the top of this forum and listen to those who note they are not returnees, but started from scratch as an adult. That will give you some idea of what's possible. There are people there who are composing their own pieces.

Famous piano players? I have no idea. What genre are you interested in?

There are lots of ways to be a professional musician without being Van Cliburn. Can you? Who knows but you?

Cathy

If you didn't start at age 5 it's a big struggle and there's some stuff that will never be second nature. Have you the very best teacher money can buy?

It sounds you're saying that for it to be 2nd nature, one needs a good teacher! No teacher can do that, and no teacher can make you a concert pianist. It's about you first. If you have what it takes, you have the passion, you are wiling to put in the required time and effort, etc., then you can make it as big as possible for you.

I think that really depends on what do you call a ''professional musician''. I started only 5 months ago, I'm 16 and my teacher keeps telling me I'm very talented (dunno if she says that to make me practise :D), but I can't be a solo pianist, but I should be able to do chamber music some day, if I keep working.
To be honest I'm not aiming to any of these. I play just because I like it, and some day it would be nice to play piano as singer accompaniment or in some not-a-garage band

Several of my favorite new age artists are self-taught and/or started as adults (or near adults). David Nevue had 3 years of piano lessons from 12-15, but he claims he rarely practiced, and it wasn't until he was in college that he tackled piano seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHqkNHIlfso

Scott D. Davis, also self-taught, didn't start until late teens or early adulthood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uU6YIeTTbA

There is no doubt in my mind that you could make a career in music if you include such activities as teaching and accompanying. You may need to have a day job or other source of funding for some years until you get to the level where you can support yourself in music. But if you want it badly enough, you can make it happen.

The great jazz pianist Red Garland only took up piano at age 18 while he was in the army. Before that he had studied clarinet and saxophone and so could read music. In four short years he was playing gigs and eventually became the pianist in the legendary Miles Davis quintet of the late fifties.

You! Everything is possible for an adult beginner. Especially with the right mindset.

I've found that the major key for it to become 2nd nature is that there needs to be a lot of time invested. Not just hours practicing, but also months / years keeping at it for it to completely sink in.

As for needing a teacher, whatever you practice and play repeatedly is what will eventually sink in and become 2nd nature, so having a good teacher will somewhat insure that what sinks in is the right stuff.

No. I'm saying you have to start at about age 5 for some aspects to be second nature.

When I'm thinking about the problems of becoming a professional musician, I'm usually not thinking that much about the technical aspects of playing skill. I believe it might be more important to find the right niche (is that the word in english?). You simply need to have something to offer musically that people are prepared to pay for. A clasically trained solist would be in demand bacause of things like technical skill and interpretation, but for promotion reasons they might focus on Barouqe music, or spend time on mostly contemporary music. A singer/songwriter might select a special area such as writing historical balades. Another musician maybe goes for theatre or musical productions. Others might be excellent sightreaders and specialize in acompanaying. To succeed you will need some basic skill (ok maybe nearly advanced skill ) but you will also need to have something unique that people want to come and listen to. When you know what to focus on, it is easier to try to get to know people that are working in that area and to look for potential first gigs.

Nevertheless, performing is usualy not very well-paid. All musicians that I know/know of, do rely on teaching or other projects/jobs for income even if they are actually performing a lot.

How about aspiring to teach piano in the future? I don't think there is a limit on what age you need to be to perform, look at Susan Boyle. I think it's each person's mindset that gets them where they are.

Look at Mr. Frantz's website:

http://www.key-notes.com/