But then again, just because someone looks okay or good doesn't mean they are automatically crappy musicians..

Ah ... Grace Slick. A beautiful girl with a powerhouse of a voice. Surrealistic Pillow actually wore down on my turntable.

I'm thinking of Richard Goode. Nothing fabulous to look at, but what a musician! His Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms... need I say more?

Andras Schiff never matched Zac Efron in his prime, but he certainly has his admirers, and many on this board gain much that is positive from his videos. His snobbish attitude about Liszt and Rachmaninov is a total turnoff to me, and sour memories of a concert where he played the Brahms D minor still haunt me. I never saw a pianist walk on stage with such a condescending look on his face, nose in the air. It was awful. I suppose he played well, but I don't remember.

I remember I was really enchanted by Ivo when I first discovered him. I guess looks don't play SUCH a bad part.. =)

I'm not sure what Jane Eaglen looks like; the camera seems to have a tough time getting close enough to get her face in focus. But sometimes she sounds like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Ivo's picture on his recording of the Tchaikovsky concerto was... well a knock out.

It's a factor. Work with it. Dress well but not so well that your clothes are a distraction. Keep your hair under control (Argerich, in her present state serves as an example of what not to do), but again, not distracting - that is have your hair done so that it looks as if little or nothing was done to it. Perhaps a minimal amount of subtle makeup. AFTER THAT, PUT YOUR APPEARANCE OUT OF YOUR MIND, KNOWING YOU'VE DONE THE BEST YOU CAN WITH IT, AND PLAY WELL.

I don't think I've ever given any advice like this before. A good thing, too.

Also, if you look good you'll feel good. It's one of the most basic appearance laws =P

Subtle make up? Why? What if we like make up? =)

Haha this reminds me of the time when I played in a gala concert/competition, and was later told that at the angle the jury was sitting, they could see straight up my skirt.. I think I almost died of mortification!!! Well, good day to wear underwear I guess.. Bad day to wear a short dress when the stage is above the audience seats..

Also, if you look good you'll feel good. It's one of the most basic appearance laws =P

It's a factor. Work with it. Dress well but not so well that your clothes are a distraction. Keep your hair under control (Argerich, in her present state serves as an example of what not to do)

Argerich, in her present state serves as an example of what not to do...

I imagine after three husbands and a big career it's hard to care about looks.

Dolce,

The "general content" varies.

It is a tiresome fact that too many people in all walks of life, and every imaginable circumstance, are quite shallow with regard to physical appearances. People are attracted to those possessed of classically symmetrical features, strong and graceful figures, smooth skin, lustrous hair, and so forth. For a bikini contest these may be necessary attributes, but for a musical artist they should be irrelevant.

But musical artists are often romantic surrogates (again, I refer to Liszt and Paderewski to name but two). Audience members may fantasize a performer as an imaginary lover, or idealize the artist as someone they would want themselves to be.

You and I may not feel that way, but countless other do, and they buy tickets, and managers take note. It would be an exercise in denial to pretend that the music industry is not overwhelmingly preoccupied with promoting the more sexy looking pianists, violinists, singers, and conductors. Just take a look through the CD covers and arrive at your own conclusions about this.

This is on my mind lately, because a young pianist I know and very greatly admire as an artist is not likely to have the career I believe he is worthy of. He is very short and without distinction in outward appearance and not handsome in the least by conventional standards. He is getting no attention regardless of the astonishing beauty revealed through his hands. It really does make me angry, but there is little I can do to turn around the surface values of an entire society.