Becoming a pianist or professional musician is not an easy task. First, if you want to get into the field of music, you will need the proper music knowledge and education. Our immersive guide on How To Become A Concert Pianist comes into the picture to fill in the blanks.
In order to finesse the art of playing piano (or any other musical instrument), you will need hours of practice to improve your skills and develop them to the highest level.
Rigorous training is a must for those practicing to become a professional concert pianist.
It’s essential to master specific techniques, such as quick note reading, perfecting your sense of rhythm, composing music, exercising your mental and physical state, as well as many more.
Even after learning everything about your music field, you can’t stop there.
Being a talented pianist is the first step towards becoming a professional concert pianist.
You’ll need to learn organizational skills and other vital strategies, such as marketing and management, to promote yourself. These tactics will help increase your exposure in the long-run.
For many professional pianists, being a concert pianist means a life where they are one with their keys or piano.
Concert pianists are piano players who exhibit their art through music outside of the layman’s venue. Typically, concert pianists perform in concert halls (typically solo on the concert stage).
Vladamir Ashkenazy and Frédéric Chopin are two of the most famous concert pianists, known for their solo acts of classical music. They are a massive inspiration to many aspiring piano players.
Unlike any other pianist or keyboardist, a concert pianist requires much more time and practice.
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To become a concert pianist, you must learn many aspects of the field.
The first and most obvious step is to know everything about your instrument – the piano.
Practice the keys for hours, perform in gigs, and make sure you set realistic goals.
The second step is to learn effective ways of promoting and managing yourself. Management teams are crucial if you want to play the piano for a long time, especially at concert-level.
Let’s look at each aspect in detail.
Many started playing piano during their childhood, while some people discover their passion and talent at a later stage in life.
If you are determined to become a famous pianist someday, starting your lessons early is essential.
Getting a music theory education from a music school or university is vital, but it is not a must.
You can get equal opportunities as someone who has been to a music school, even if you haven’t attended one, as long as you are talented. You need to be motivated and have the determination to succeed.
Achieving these goals is not an easy task; you will have to overcome many obstacles, as well as sacrifice comfort.
The training you receive is equal to the amount of time, effort, and money that you spend.
It is strongly recommended to enroll in a good music school and take private lessons. You may also use the internet as your resource (YouTube).
To play exceptionally well at a concert, you have to play the piano beautifully, and you will also need to have a sense of rhythm. Maintaining rhythm can be as tricky as controlling a stable tempo.
Pianists have a great sense of rhythm and can control and manipulate it to express the music in a way they want to.
The audience can feel the music and get the gist of the emotion that the music is radiating.
Reading sheet music and quick note reading is an important aspect that’s essential when it comes to developing a pianist.
The ability to read sheet music will help you in any situation, whether preparing for your show, audition, or accompanying a singer artist.
This aspect helps you to achieve the ability to break down notes into harmonies, rhythms, and dynamics. Sheet music reading will also help you to decipher notes quickly.
Quick note reading is a part of music theory, and a pianist who knows how to read the notes can quickly learn songs they have heard for the first time.
Once you master this technique correctly, it will help you overcome any sticky situation.
Mastering and learning different techniques can be among the most demanding challenges a concert pianist can face.
To master a flawless technique, you must be serious about playing the piano. Instead of just a hobby, you will need to make it a career choice.
Once you are determined and practice every day, only then will you be able to perfect the technique.
You also need a perfect tool to learn and execute the ideal musical piece. If you don’t have the right piano, you won’t be able to express yourself.
Getting the right piano doesn’t mean spending your entire fortune to buy a grand classical piano. Instead, get yourself the right digital piano.
If you don’t have the budget to buy an excellent functional digital piano, look for a jam room nearby. In case they have a grand piano, you can practice there daily.
Once you have mastered all the techniques and gained self-confidence, it is time to start playing gigs and concerts.
Playing small gigs will help you to gain exposure, where you’ll get more comfortable playing in front of a crowd.
Planning a concert program can help you exhibit your talent in front of a crowd.
Social media has a significant impact on everyone’s career and serves as a great platform to promote yourself.
You can get many fans and audiences from various platforms and increase your engagement without any cost. Social media is also the best place to connect to different musicians and promote your shows.
Here’s how you can promote yourself on social media effectively.
Before a show, you will need to find a venue and contact the organizers.
You’ll have to pass all of your basic information to the organizer, including what type of music you play. The organizer will typically ask you for sample material.
It is highly advised that you make a portfolio that contains your sample materials, photos, and other achievements (optional).
Every musician needs to have a management team and artist representation, especially if you don’t have enough contacts.
You will no longer have to book your venue and shows. A management team can and will deal with everything.
Once you have enough exposure, you will need some type of artist representation to lead your success.
An agent will help you make the proper connections to help you grow; they will get you the right show and sponsorship.
Once you complete all of your piano lessons and have played a few shows, if you are still looking to grow, you should participate in various competitions.
This is a good way to attract the media and showcase your talent, even if you don’t win the whole competition.
International competitions can help you grow more, as there will be more people to compete with. You’ll be able to compete with pianists who can push you to your limits.
As a concert pianist, enter musical competitions to attract any management to help you grow your musical career.
If you are serious about the competition and end up winning, a lot of beneficial opportunities will present themselves to you.
There are many different factors in play when it comes to becoming a professional concert pianist. If you are determined and passionate, you must put in a lot of effort and practice every day.
Your journey won’t be an easy one, but it will be more than worth it once you achieve your dream.
Embrace your limitations and overcome them by setting goals and getting help from various sources.
We hope our article has given you an idea about How To Become A Concert Pianist.
Do you love Chopin? Listen to his entire discography on Amazon Music.
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