Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Ksenia Chernaya
Career Description Pianists often travel the world performing in concerts, play with different orchestras or bands, work as a Session Player for recording projects, teach students, and compose music, write songs, or arrange and direct music in ensembles ranging from jazz bands to chamber groups to large orchestras.
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Read More »The number one skill is flexibility. Flexibility, adaptability. Being an open person is so important. In the professional Pianist lifestyle, you have to be open to playing all kinds of music. You have to be open to working with all kinds of people. For example, you plan a concert and you’re happy about that, but then maybe a presenter says they want you to change the program. Maybe in your mind you think that’s unreasonable. Stop and ask yourself the question, “Is it? Can I make it work?” Think about whether you can compromise. When you’re playing music with an orchestra or small chamber group, that’s an opportunity where you have to be listening and open to new ideas. Understanding when it’s your time to follow and when it’s your time to lead. Being a sponge. Really being sensitive to your environment. Again, when you’re playing solo you can kind of do what you want, but when you’re doing ensemble work, you have to be very flexible. Being open to any kind of opportunity is also very important. If someone says, “Hey, you’re a Pianist but today we want you to host a podcast,” or something … that’s a very different type of thing. You’re not actually playing at this point, but you’re performing with your vocabulary and words and whatever. That’s a different type of experience, but it’s an opportunity. Maybe it’s someone saying, “We want you to record this music,” but it’s not classical; it’s a different style from what you usually play. You need to ask yourself if it’s something you can do, and the answer should be yes. And if it seems artistically satisfying to you, then you do it. There are all sorts of experiences that don’t fall into the cookie-cutter model of Mozart and Beethoven and that stuff. There’s a whole wide world of experiences and art, and I would say that sometimes when you’re approached with a project, maybe your preconceived notions will say, “I don’t want to do that,” but then you might think about it and say, “Well it does seem interesting, and it’s a new experience.” It’s happened to me plenty of times. I’ve done something I didn’t think I would enjoy, but I really, really enjoyed it.
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In just seven days (or less), you've learned how to navigate the keyboard, play a simple scale, make chords, and play a song. Just imagine what you...
Read More »So my biggest piece of advice for musicians is to be very flexible, open, and willing to at least consider anything that comes their way in terms of opportunities and projects. I guarantee people will be surprised when they at least try something. They will discover they’re talented at this or have a knack for something they never knew. When you’re closed-minded and don’t want to try new experiences, you never really find that out. Sure, it can be scary going into the unknown, but it’s part of being an entertainer and an artist. Having that courage to try, and the confidence to say, “If I’m in a situation I’m not comfortable in, I can figure it out. I can make it work.” The other piece of advice I have on a practical level is being organized in terms of what you have coming up. Make sure to write down all the concerts, activities, or just goals you have. Write them down on paper so you can actually see what’s coming up in front of you. When we have things in our heads, our memories can’t always keep on top of the commitments we have. It’s good to have a list and be able to say, “Okay, two months out from this … three months out from this …” etc. That way you can prioritize what needs to happen today. Sometimes, performing music might be the most stressful thing for you, but it’s not the most pressing thing because it’s happening in six months. If something is happening sooner, you should look at that. Having that organizational sense when working with a lot of eclectic activities really keeps you in check and on top of things. Unless you have someone who is taking care of every aspect of your life, it’s expected for you to be prepared. And preparation comes from organization on some level. When you’re young as a Pianist, try to practice a lot and hone your skills. Especially if you’re under the age of twenty-five, really try to play music that you’re not good at. Try to embrace pieces, avenues of your art, that you really aren’t good at. When you’re that young, it’s important to make mistakes. When you’re older, then you learn from these mistakes. A lot of people love just doing what they’re good at. We all do. We love being comfortable, happy, and feeling good about ourselves. The reality is, when you’re young–especially in your teenage years and or undergraduate years of college–it’s much better [to play music that you’re not good at]. If there’s a Composer that bothers you or that you can’t wrap your fingers around, go for that and dive into it. Embrace the pain, so to speak, that might come from not sounding good.
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Read More »Not everything is going to be your cup of tea. At least be able to understand that and say, “This isn’t my style, but I understand what I need to do to make it work.” When you’re young, you can make mistakes and they aren’t as severe as when you’re a professional and playing with orchestras. At that point, you’re expected to produce and not be completely clueless. It’s really important as a young person to try everything. That goes back to my idea of being flexible and open; embracing all experiences, good and bad. The bad ones you learn from the most. I’ve noticed that the people who have the most bad experiences try to learn from them, and they’re the ones I admire the most. Those are also the ones that advance the farthest. They’ve been through so much and developed this tough skin and confidence. They know they can persevere. And indeed, because of that, they do get better and conquer their fears and weaknesses … even if they’re not comfortable.
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