I started five years ago at 50. Never too old to live your dream.

It‘s never too late to realize that it’s unrealistic to become a concert pianist🤷‍♂️

@BlueGrovyle

11 ай бұрын

Accurate. Though, obviously some people can do it if they really want to and have the financial stability.

@rik-keymusic160

11 ай бұрын

As Henry Ford once said. “ if you believe you can do it your right, if you believe you can’t do it your also right”… 🤷

@allesmogliche6795

11 ай бұрын

​@@rik-keymusic160 °you're

@anthonykomives2811

11 ай бұрын

Well….when l realised l wasn’t going to be a concert violinist, (l had the necessary credentials….Jewish Hungarian father….from a long line of musicians….one ancestor was a Cantor in the Budapest Synagogue….German mother who LOVED the violin 😂), l was way too young to think about ending it all with the help of scotch on the rocks! My dads musical education came to an end at the age of three; his dad who was a stage actor told him it was time to start earning a living, took him to the convent for his first piano lesson. But he was terrified of the Nuns and their outfits, so he ran home and refused to ever go back 🤔

@lindamcdermott2205

11 ай бұрын

Lol! O yes!

The most honest description of the music industry so far. I am a Singaporean in my late 40s. Not a conservatory graduate but worked extremely hard to obtain both the FRSM and FTCL from ABRSM and Trinity College respectively during the 90s. Done donkey years of teaching, piano accompanying and giving public performance with some amateur chamber group. What I can say is this. As a small country, there is only so much market for the ever-increasing music graduates from both local and overseas conservatories each year. It's like the size of the pie remains the same but more people are eating it. As a result of this, I made a decision to go back to the university to obtain a bachelor and current now a post grad degree in STEM. Did a complete career transition to the STEM industry 4 years ago. Didn't looked back since. HOWEVER, now after not being in the music industry for the longest of time, I am back practicing the piano with greater passion without worrying about the money part. It's like life. One big round all over again. There is no right or wrong. Just choose your next move wisely.

Josh, it is indeed rare to find such humility, frankness and kindness, on KZread, or in fact anywhere. Wonderfully expressed. ( I started piano studies a year ago @ 72).

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Michael! I appreciate your kindness and support

@tamarisk2592

11 ай бұрын

⁠@@joshwrightpiano I’m 21 I never touched any instrument before and I just started piano 7 months ago with teacher, I dont have a own piano and practice on my aunt’s piano 5-8 hours in a week. I have a few questions 1-Should I practice more? 2-it will be hard to answer this question on online but Do I have potential? I’m writing my process here to help, now I can play 7 pieces , my first pieces are 2 pieces from amelie by yann tiersen, then I learnt 2 chopin pieces prelude in E minor, waltz in A minor, after that schubert waltz in b minor and bertini etude op29 no 9 and my last piece chopin Mazurka 67 no 4, and currently working on Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet Dance of the Knights. I will be very glad if you answer, thank you for your time ❤

@MishaSkripach

10 ай бұрын

@@tamarisk2592 no you don't. Too late. Think tennis and figure skating, it is the same.

I also want to add that it is possible to perform in concerts but you have to kinda take matters into your own hands and start your own concert series/or ensemble. Yes, you may only perform in front of 10 people to start but if you learn to market yourself and choose repertoire that others may not be doing, people will eventually notice. I created my own concert series and it really enabled me to perform in concerts and get my compositions heard. The sad part is music schools do not prepare you for this route but that is a conversation for another time lol.

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Congratulations Gregory! Great initiative. Thanks for sharing your thoughts

@pjbpiano

11 ай бұрын

Music schools prepare you to play music. What you are talking about is entrepreneurship. Learning to present your products and sell them. Most musicians do not know that this is a field for sole proprietors. The music is just the acquisition of the product. Selling that product is now the problem.

@spada60

10 ай бұрын

@@pjbpiano well isnt that the problem. They should include entrepreneurship in the music curriculum

@pjbpiano

10 ай бұрын

@@spada60, there are entrepreneurship and sales courses that exist everywhere. It does not need to be introduced in a music curriculum.

@voskresenie-

3 ай бұрын

This is what I want to do. There are so many incredible composers who are quite famous but are still well-known, and far more that aren't famous at all but still have incredibly interesting works. Even among the frequently-played composers, the frequently played repertoire is limited. I'm planning to at some point rent out a small venue and put up fliers everywhere I can. I figure there's gotta be some bored retirees or young music lovers out there who will go to anything. Do you have any other tips on how to get started?

⚠️ Josh, I agree with you. I'm 57 years old. I am also a pianist. I can play more than 60 Chopin's piano pieces, a lot of Beethoven, Bach, Debussy, etc. I am also a jazz pianist and composer. But there's a BIG problem: I live in Brazil. On a small city. Long ago, I perceived what you said: That the world is oversaturated of excellent pianists. The market, the music industry is full of excellent musicians. I could have been a concert pianist, with extreme effort, but I noticed that life is very short. Over the years, I played throughout the Country, playing Mozart, Chopin, I received several awards as a musician, but that's all. There's no way for me to continue now. I'm sick, I'm almost blind, reading music became extremely difficult, because I can't see the notes, my memory is not good, I have several diseases, after 50s... I never thought it would be this way, but there's an opportunity window in everyone's life, from 20 to 55, perhaps. You need to study and do all the things while you are young. Because, perhaps you won't have a second chance to do them later. I still love and play the piano 🎹, I love music, I listen to good music about 6 hours a day since childhood. But I have no more dreams to become an international, worldwide concert pianist. The competition is terrible. But we don't need to be that way. We can play for ourselves, for our family and friends, to people who want to hear. It will always be a pleasure. Age awake us to get rid of the fool dreams. We don't always need to be professional musicians, and earn money from that. Life is very short. Live your life while you still have it. I never wanted to be like those guys who play the piano since 4 years old, and come out from the room when they are 18. Which doesn't know anything about life, never experienced life as it should be. Music is very good. I love music, but music is not the only important thing in life. Unfortunately, most people will only understand that when they are too old for living. Money is not everything either. Music is not everything, but Life, i.e TIME iS EVERYTHING. Time is life. Don't waste your life. 🎉❤❤

I've struggled a bit lately, not because I didn't go the pianist route, but because I'm stuck with the feeling that my music doesn't belong anywhere. I'm from a place in Norway that has brought out some extraordinary pianists like Leif Ove Andsnes, Christian Ihle Hadland and Steffen Horn (shared one of their teachers). Music is my passion and I practice a lot, but there is no room for me in the music world. I've always been realistic that concert pianist is not for me. I could teach publically, but have no higher musical education. I could teach privately, but the market is saturated. I do have higher education and normal job, so not actually looking for more work. But I do play my heart out with Rachmaninov's Preludes, Beethoven, Liszt... I saved for grand piano to celebrate my childhood dream. And I don't have anyone to share the music with. On some rare occations where I find the courage to play maybe during a break in choir practice, I get asked if I could please leave it for now, because they need to rest their ears, but "you do play really well, I'm just so tired". It does make me sad. Really enjoyed your video, it makes sense of course! I just need to come to terms my musical self :-)

Excellent guidance, bravo👏 I realized I likely won’t be one when I was 14, changed course and joined high tech after engineering study. It’s a satisfying career, and I never stopped playing music on my instruments 🎹🎻

I want to be a musician, but I don't know if that is the life I want. My teacher thinks I have a lot of potential and she really really wants me to study music at a conservatory, but I doubt that it will satisfy me. I think I need to be as talented as the pianists you mentioned, in order to be satisfied with this carrer, but I know even with extremely hard work, even more stress in my day to day life, I will never be as good as these legends. Music is my biggest passion but maybe I should leave it at that. The problem is, I don't know which other carrer path I can take. It's complicated.

@Lannysmith610

11 ай бұрын

I feel this exact way.

I absolutely agree with you Josh. Pretty much all of the highly skilled pianists I knew at my conservatoire who just spent all their time in practice rooms drilling Liszt because they were so set and fixated on becoming the next Trifonov, Horowitz, Kissin etc. have basically disappeared into the abyss. Whilst many of the less skilled ones who networked and did more collaborative, unique and creative things are now very successful and getting lots of work.

@DelsinM

11 ай бұрын

dumb it down for the dumbasses and they will pay you. which of your networking friends (or, to be fair, your practicing ones) will be remembered by history?

@argi0774

11 ай бұрын

And today's pianists are just players, nothing more. Top level pianists like Lang Lang are lightyears behind top level pianists of the past like Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt

@farinellafarinella2292

11 ай бұрын

@@argi0774 Yes, that is how it goes. If you take sometime to observe the YT, you will find that serious piano tutorials got much much more lower views and likes than popular music genre intrumental covers.

@jrodriguezpiano

6 ай бұрын

All those. Conservatory instrumenters drilling Liszt could probably never tell you anything about the experience itself of working an instrument

Such an excellent video. We know Trifonov's teachers - at the age of 8, he was already considered special at the professional music school in Moscow, highly competitive institution, accepting about 8 kids pianists a year fom the whole Soviet Union.

A good question to ask oneself is how many classical piano recitals (concerts, performances) have I paid to attend in the last year? Your answer is why there are just a few big names who make a living exclusively from performance and recording. J.S. Bach was not just a prolific writer of high quality music; he also taught school, taught private students, taught four of his sons to become respected composers; he could take apart and reassemble organs and harpsichords: he was arguably one of the best organists in all of Europe, he played the harpsichord, clavichord, violin, and viola for chamber ensembles, he sang and directed choirs, and to top it off the music he composed was not the hottest ticket in town. Telemann was much more in demand than he. But the music he wrote was pleasing to him. It had been a life long goal to perfect the art of writing fugue and he did achieve that. Bach spent his whole life in just a small area of east Germany, he lost his parents before the age of 10, he lost his first wife and 12 of his 20 children did not survive past 3 years. He found solace and passion in writing music which he did with abundance and gusto.

good luck josh buddy. People like you exist in every field, just a happy angel

Am one of your admirers, Josh. Learned from you. Ten years ago I gave similar advice under my Winter Wind Etude tutorial “… perhaps it's better that way, because becoming a professional pianist is one of the toughest goals to achieve. It’s much harder than making the NBA. Just have fun playing.” For those as ourselves building from the ground up: Having a career, saving as much as possibly (practice delayed gratification) in order to invest in the stock market is a proven way to accumulate a nest egg. Index investing is safe and passive.

This is a really terrific video, Josh! ✨🥂🙏

Back in the day when I was spending crazy hours in the practice rooms while contemplating and theorizing as to my various music career options, it would have been nice to have a music insider sit me down and give me this talk. Instead, I came to it on my own in degrees, and I eventually decided to try one of my other interests as a possible means of making a living, and unlike with music, over time, things came together pretty well and those avenues worked out. Nowadays I find that music is way more fun when I'm not competing for applause or for income.

Great advice. Thanks, Josh!

How insightful! Thank you Josh!

This video was for me ❤ it really resonated with me. Thank you

Really great advice!

Thank you. Filled with wisdom.

Such a great advice from such a good person

Thanks josh for answering my questions ❤😊

You're awesome ❤

I'm really glad I did not persist in being a full time classical performer. It's stressful, a lot of (memory) work to the point where you are sick of the pieces and you are happy to have no music, just silence. It is also a lonely life. For some people it is still worth it, and good for them. But people should just be aware of the likely downsides.

@MishaSkripach

10 ай бұрын

Interesting. For some people there is no memry work at all... everything just gets remembered easily. Do you think your ability have something to do with your impression?

A very useful and needed video: Content was realistic and communicated in a confident and kind way.

Thanks again as always, Josh! Very enlightening ❤🙏🎵🎶🎹❤️

Assuming the top teir technical and artistic requisites are in place, probably the only way for a non-standard entry into concert world is to have a highly unique back story, personality, extra-musical skills and/or looks.

Such an insightful video. Really important information for everyone thinking of pursuing music as a career. Keep up your good work, Josh

Very good life advice! Well stated. That's not pessimism. I have been several incarnations of a musician and have enjoyed almost all of them.

Really good way of thinking about the career. It is pretty much what I think about it. Thank you, my friend. I really indetify with you! Great content as always.

If there's something I've learnt about classical music, is that the vast majority of people don't care about it. If you want to make money performing, play pop or contemporary. Much easier to learn and much more appreciated.

This is very helpful, reinforcing the reality, rather more than the dream, while also endevouring to help people understand there's nothing wrong with whatever comes from your musical studies, practice and experiences! The same goes for people that want to act, for example. Okay, we can aim for these things, but shouldn't forget to ensure we also have something else to fall back on.

Great video Josh thanks for this! The reality of being a concert pianist is that it’s so hard. Some already super talented individuals get rare opportunities which propel into the limelight, but otherwise for most ppl we blindly enter and slowly discover the realities of what it would entail to be a concert pianist. Keeping it as a passion without the stress of it being necessarily a source of income is a great piece of advice

Thx brother Josh, One of the best advices I've heard. Have a blessed weekend. Sam 🎵

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Sam!

I am impressed how Tiffany Poon is carving out a career for herself by taking an alternative path. It helps that some of her youtube performances are exceptional. Josh is doing something similar, though not quite the same; certainly his youtube presence can support something of a concert pianist career.

@ciararespect4296

11 ай бұрын

Yes I suppose she can't compete with all of them now so yt pays a few of the bills

@Marcel_Audubon

11 ай бұрын

who??

@ciararespect4296

11 ай бұрын

@@Marcel_Audubon lots of better pianists

@Marcel_Audubon

11 ай бұрын

@@ciararespect4296 Tiffany Poon is lots of better pianists? hope she gets help for her condition

@infotalk12

11 ай бұрын

@@Marcel_Audubon what condition ?

Thank you for sharing your view on this subject.

Josh, you have a good point. I've spend decades of playing piano, my goal is to satisfy myself and challenging my brain, now my piano is my love companion. Good luck to you. You are a excellent pianist and teacher,

Well put...I studied classical music at the university level and accidentally fell into theater music. It was a lucky detour in that I was able to turn this genre into a business which has enabled me to re-engage in Classical music with no financial pressures. Again, well put and right on target...the number of fine classical pianists is daunting!

Yay for piano teachers!!!

I appreciate the much needed realistic perspective. Like many others, I also had high hopes of a professional musical career, but the realities of life set in. Fortunately, there are a growing number of amateur competitions for serious hobbyists (which music is not their main mode of living). Recently, I've dedicated my time to performing piano works by lesser-known composers and featuring score-videos on my youtube channel. I've found it to be just as fulfilling as if I had a concert career (many professionals recycle the same pieces from the standard repertory anyways).

This video is super encouraging! Thank you Josh 🙂 There are so many ways to contribute as a musician and you have brought that to light. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🙏🏼❤

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kindness!

It took me so long to understand this, and now that I finally do, it gives me freedom. I earn my money with a different job, and make music in my own terms. Thanks so much putting this words out there!

Very good information.. Yes a side job still in music and also in other fields.

Great video!!

I love this topic great video!

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Great video. Keeping a passion for music is the key! And as you said, being creative. Another avenue which requires good ears and playing with others, and is a wonderful career is music therapy. Certainly in the more improvisation based approaches. I have found great joy and growth as a musician in being able to play piano for my groups and individuals who participate in music therapy. And it is natural to branch out into playing other instruments as well, as well as composing music for music therapy.

Glad to hear that, cause what i've been doing is basically what you suggest one to do. Thanks for confirmation haha.

This was awesome, thanks. It confirmed my decision in life to keep piano in the “fun” category as my passion and choose something else as my money maker. Now my joy is performing in solo recitals wherever I want just for the absolute love of it. Any money I get from it is bonus. I love piano, and I love piano performance. I could care less about any fame or money associated with it (since it’s not my bread and butter). Great hearing from you on this topic. Thanks, Josh.

Thank you! :)

Music is definitely my side passion and I love it. I work in IT but all my side projects are music and makes it low stress when gigs are hard to find etc as it’s not essential income . Also it means I can do what I want with my music not having to target some particular commercial interest

Wise advice. I studied at a community conservatory until I was 18 but did not pursue music in college. I love playing for choirs, vocalists, service music, congregational singing, and for the occasional program. It is my passion and rarely ever feels like work.

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

That’s great Dustin! We need more musicians like you

@vettejakes

11 ай бұрын

Great advice as always.

I have studied piano for decades with my professor but changed my major to English during my sophomore year to become an English teacher. Variables such as health insurance, job stability, and retirement benefits became important considerations. Also, I wasn't anywhere close to concert pianist caliber although I have always loved playing.

I washed out early. In retrospect, I am thankful I did as I was not well suited for this path. I couldn't even be Trifonov's page turner. Now in middle age, I'm returning to the piano and am falling in love with it again. Our talents water different gardens, but they produce flowers all the same. But I really commend and admire everyone here who is striving to make a go of it. Onward!

Nice to see this video

Very meaningful and pragmatic description of the reality of music world. Should be showed to every music student of any instrument. Thank you Mr Wright!

@MishaSkripach

10 ай бұрын

music students know that :)

It’s all about the mindset and persistence. Practice is key to success and believe in yourself even when it feels like it’s just not happening. Jut keep evolving your playing and technique in exploring and researching getting around problems you may encounter and with persistence you’ll overcome it and progress up. Some stages of progress will take longer than others but as long as you understand the downfalls that as humans we all have by way of doubt then you will persist on if you have the mindset. And what works for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. And it’s not about aiming to be JUST a concert pianist, you could compose your own music and make much more money than a concert pianist which is very niche. Where there’s a will there’s a way.😊

I haven’t seen the video. But my answer is if you have to ask if it is too late, it is.

I’m in my early 50s and was self taught up until about a decade ago when I started formal lessons. After spending many years playing in bands I’m now enjoying music and piano far more than ever before. I realise I’ll never be a concert pianist, but continuous self improvement is my mantra and every year I aim to tackle more complex and fulfilling pieces. Thanks for your videos and meaningful advice 👍

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Stace. I wish you all the best in your musical endeavors!

Thanks Josh, been listening to you for 10 years now. You're one of the best educators and music ambassadors out there. Kudos to you!

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for your longtime support Dallas!

Thanks for the video Josh! I’m 43 and making a living out of teaching private lessons, and whilst it’s out of my reach to perform the most difficult pieces, it always make me passionate about learning new techniques and pieces every time. It is still my dream to perform in any capacity but I guess it’s just live and enjoy throughout the journey :)

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Absolutely! And finding local venues to perform at, even if just for family and friends, is a great way to exercise that performing muscle :)

I think that people underestimate the importance of what they can personally bring to the table, and how important it is to add in their own uniqueness. I always think of my favorite of the high-octane performing violinists, Rachel Barton Pine -- records with the best orchestras, performs all the Paganini caprices in one nights, plays a zillion-dollar Guarneri, etc. etc. etc. Al the standad stuff. She also plays a ton of HIPP music on period instruments including the viola d'amore, plays thrash and doom metal and blues, does enormous amounts of academic research, and it all comes out when she plays. There are a thousand reasons why I'd want to hear HER specifically play even the standard rep as opposed to anyone else in a beautiful dress on an eight-figure fiddle. Really, there are so many recordings available for free on KZread of the big names playing Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart that if I'm going to take a day off work, get on a freeway, and pay for parking to hear someone play Tchaik or Brahms, there had better be a reason for me to want to hear THEM do it as opposed to anyone else. And they shingle she hung out is unlike anyone else's.

Thank you for this video Josh! You mentioned teaching many times, but how would someone go about actually becoming a music teacher? Do you have tips or advice on that? 😁

Very interesting and insightful video, thanks! The world has changed a lot, with streaming and KZread etc... I wonder if someone can have a successful performing career using this media exclusively, vs in-person concerts...

From a young age, I had a desire to study piano at a music conservatory. However, my piano teacher always discouraged me, saying that I should consider playing as a hobby and that pursuing a career in music would be even more challenging and unfair than I imagined. Later, I enrolled in a comprehensive university to study philosophy, and only then did I realize how correct my teacher's words were. Music is just a part of life; what I should strive for is to gain a deeper understanding of the world, lead a rich and colorful life, and establish connections with more people.

Great line of thought. I'm happy I learned early enough not to set everythig on performing, while I would want to perform more than I currently do, the gap is not that large that it can't be filled in a couple of years. Then enjoy the rest of the time contributing in any number of creative ways to the musical community. Thanks for the great video, Josh!

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Theo!

I went to Berklee College of Music in Boston and did study piano there even though my major was composition and film scoring. I knew a lot of the pianists who went to New England and Boston Conservatory, Boston University, and Harvard. What was scary is that almost all of us played the exact same repertoire and if we ever were to compete in a competition, god only knows who would win. That was one of the main reasons why my piano teacher said to not be a classical pianist and do something else in music. Looking back, that was the best advice I ever received.

@dyno1747

11 ай бұрын

This is very nice (and relatable) to read as a current composition student at berklee, hope all is well for you!

When I was younger artists like Van Gogh inspired me - the idea of committing to your passion regardless of success at the time, a Taoist idea of flowing through your heart. I was also really inspired by John Cage who taught that you don’t have to be a musician to make sound, that hitting a note on a keyboard (or a stick on a cooking pot) is to live, is to be present, is to engage in something wonderful..I love The Killers song ‘are we human or are we dancer?’

Hi Josh, I’m a beginner at 65, retired and love the process so far. I have a digital baby grand with amazing sound quality I hope to do justice to. My favorite current pianist is Alexander Malofeev. Thank you for your lessons.

This video seamlessly adresses pianists as well as musicians as a whole - although some instrumentalists (other than pianists) face different challenges and opportunities. Piano is an amazing instrument and I wish that I had studied it.

@jordinne2201

11 ай бұрын

it addressed the arts as a whole tbh

Agreed with your philosophy 100% Dr. Josh, and may I add the resonance I feel being part of a wonderful piano community brings much more joy and therefore probably worth more than a path of being a professional concert pianist!

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thanks Ada! Great thoughts

Thank you for sharing thatJosh! Trying to make a living as a musician is actually quite CHALLENGING and A LOT of work has to be put behind the scenes for musicians to be successful. Edit: thank so much for this video Dr. Wright!🙂 Reminder: if anyone knows they want to become a successful musician KEEP doing what you can to make MUSIC to help you be financially fit, but it will be stressful at times and this life requires a lot of sacrifice. To end this comment I'll leave my taught as a former piano teacher, *every student I taught in the past have DIFFERENT STRENGHTS and this enlightens the process of making music also! :D

I think this topic a lot and I’m barely 14, seems nice to know that other people who are older and possibly younger also have this idea. Btw at the moment have finished practicing rach 2, on rach sonata 2 Mendelssohn trio 1.

You are very true

Very good video.

Couldn't have said it better, Josh, this inspired me! A very realistic yet encouraging look at the many hats most musicians will wear. I also wonder about the role that social media will play for current and future musicians, i.e. the possibility of sponsorships and Patreon. I'm thinking of a couple young and well-known pianists who share a bit of their lives and musical journeys this way and I wonder how competitive this area is and how much of a living they're able to make.

@MishaSkripach

10 ай бұрын

The system is changing. All future concert musicians are now visible online while their still little kids. We pretty mch already know who wil be competing for the major violin contracts in the next 10 years, the world became very small. Tye kids competitions are also becoming more transparent in their ridiculousness, as each contestant can be compared online with the winners, and it is now possible to check online, a pupil of which jury member the wnner is. So it stays competitive, but the rules are changing.

Paul Barton is my biggest inspiration. Not because he's my favourite pianist, but because he's made a name for himself at a later age without ever having been a concert pianist. My favourite pianist is Cateen. His undergrad degree is in electrical engineering. He was a semi finalist in this last Chopin competition, but truly his beauty is that he employs his deep classical abilities with jazz and pop music. You can either contribute breadth or depth, but you can be mostly depth and then branch out once you've reached your potential.

True comments about keeping it a passion. I was younger I was a competitive sailor, Once I got to a professional level it stopped being a fun passion and became a job, and I got burned out. Now I make a living as an attorney and am back to enjoying sailing, and Piano is my passion and get a great deal of joy palaying. If it became my job, not sure the passion would remain.

There's definitely strength in acknowledging your "realistic" skill level in something. There's no shame in working as hard as you can for a period of time and giving something your all, to get to a point where you admit you are not going to be as proficient as you want, or other people. I think sometimes becoming a pro at something is romanticized by people who have already made it, (NBA, sports, music, w/e) where they say "oh just work your hardest, don't ever give up and you'll make it!".) the problem is these people don't know what it is to give something 100% and still not succeed to that level. This is a great video to remind people to be realistic and you can still enjoy your passions, but maybe instead of being a "concert pianist", you become a very proficient musician, who teaches, maybe competes once a year for a challenge, ect... but then has a meaningful job or career in something else

@susanspianostudio7057

9 ай бұрын

Well said

I studied piano profesionally since i was 17 years old, got a bachelors degree and i'm 51 now ,i'm still learning new pieces , i'm also studying jazz piano improvisation . I used to dream with a concert career when i was young until i realize all that you said today in this video.I have another job and today music makes me real happy because i'm really enjoying it, without all that stress ! Your advice is the best i've ever heard .i'm discovering other venues to contribute to my country culture and to enjoy music !

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Richar. I wish you all the best in your musical endeavors!

This is very good and practical advice. I went into medical school after music school because I saw my potential music career as mainly being limited to teaching kids and small gigs. The layer of stress that he mentioned took the enjoyment out of playing. Now I can play when I want and on my own terms. I am so much happier than I would have been.

@sacrilegiousboi978

11 ай бұрын

I do stock media production as a means of passive income as well as investing in stocks to ease the anxiety of paying the bills which is common in the freelance music profession meaning I don’t have to stress during periods of a less than fully booked calendar of paying gigs and teaching and can enjoy playing my instrument and music in general more

IF YOU ARE YOUNG (teens, 20's) WATCHING THIS Practice! Keep it in your life, whether you go hardcore or not. You absolutely WILL NOT regret it later on. You always hear regrets of older folk who stopped, or never started. Start now, or keep going.

@MishaSkripach

10 ай бұрын

So, just practice?

Thank you for the advice. I’m determined to become a professional Pianist. I started learning since I was 4

@MishaSkripach

10 ай бұрын

How old are you now?

I always prefer honesty, and tnx for that. 👏🏻👏🏻

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thanks Shahryar!

It’s like in sport - the winner takes it all.

Yes, for me

I guess it depends what being a concert pianist mean to you. Also, what kind of music you play, but also what starting point you have before you go for it. I would assume top-level classical achievement might be even more difficult than blues, jazz or boogie-woogie as an example. Any style, it still requires an incredible dedication to become great, but any level of ambition will not stop you from having fun while still improving step by step.

Josh is a G

Yes

Yes.

I started at age 8. An "early" start like this should have equipped me with a high degree of technical facility. It was enough to do the Grieg Concerto with an orchestra. But I still had some technical issues that would have required "special handling" by a very competent conservatory professor. This is a tough issue because by the time you REACH conservatory level pianist, you are NOT expected to have any technical issues remaining untamed. My level of clarity of performance was enough for Rach 2, but not enough for Rach 3. I know that some great artists have built careers without Rach 3. Helene Grimaud certainly was able to. She did the Brahm's concertoes instead. Artur Rubinstein never did Rach 3, either. He usually said he was "too lazy" to learn it. Sometimes it is necessary to face reality. I became a surgeon instead. Getting into medical school and starting my own Medicare Certified Surgical Center was far less competitive than a classical pianist career. I'm just being honest here. Josh would be able to identify my technical flaws inside of a few minutes, even if most people here were super-generous not to mention it. I am not dissatisfied with my career choice. I was a very good surgeon and I retired at age 52. I loved doing it. I had an opportunity to work with and help Veterans during the Vietnam War during my surgical residency at a VA and Army Hospital. So I think I did some good. I still gave classical piano concerts over the years. But not professionally. Sanjosemike (no longer in CA) Retired surgeon

Thanks for the great video! Do you have any finance books you'd reccomend for musicians? (open question to anyone with suggestions)

Yo new vid 😮

I never really wanted to be a concert pianist or performing musician, but sometimes I get a little envy because concert pianist can practice as much as they want, because it's their job. If you earn your money with another job, it's a lot harder to have enough time.

There are over 8 billion people in the world. The amount of individuals who are true “concert pianists” in the sense that most people think of it is less than 50. The odds are not in your favor.

Yes, yes it is

I think it’s not about late and not being a concert pianist, it’s about loving this instrument and this music, and even you know it’s almost not possible to become a concert pianist, you’ll still play piano until the end of your days.

@ligy2569

11 ай бұрын

agree

@azdruval8536

11 ай бұрын

Total agree it’s not about make a living with music,it’s about make a life for music ❤

Thank you, Josh. I'm 61 years old with no aspirations for profit, adoration or distinction with my music and compositions. it is just my passion for self-discovery and creativity. Your comments reflect the hard reality of the life of a musician and were not discouraging at all.

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

Thank you! I wish you all the best in your musical endeavors

In this age of social media I find that there is even less incentive to be a concert pianist. Anybody can now record themselves and share their artistry with a fairly large and international audience. Amateurs don't have to deal with the stress of building and maintaining a large repertoire, having to perform consistently day in and day out, travelling long distances and then be impaired by jet lag, and whatnot.

@murdo_mck

11 ай бұрын

The awful truth, for us mortals, is that building and maintaining a large repertoire, performing consistently every day, and practicing until they can (almost) play the music as they want it to sound is a challenge they enjoy and thrive on.

Many modern "concert pianists" kinda cosplay as concert pianists, while in reality they make their living as teachers or even have completely different carrers. I know one amazing pianist personally. He sounds like he should be winning top tier competitions left and right (Likely an exaggeration, but he does play like a highly skilled professional musician. One time I heard him play Scriabin op. 28 and it was otherworldly. Better than most recordings I heard on KZread.) . But do you wanna know what job he has? He is an industrial chemist. How does that man even find time to practice?

@joshwrightpiano

11 ай бұрын

The Van Cliburn amateur competition is always mind-blowing to me. Individuals who were highly successful in other fields but can still play at the highest levels

@most_sane_piano_enthusiast

11 ай бұрын

@@joshwrightpiano I think people who have careers outside of music are on the average more passionate about the music making than professionals. For professional musicians music might slowly become more of a monotone job than the thing they love. I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but there surely are at least more professional musicians who hate their job than amateurs who hate making music (because why would they do it?).