Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko
Technically, a Master pianist is the highest level of pianist, exceeded only by the title of Grandmaster (which is something of an isolated case).
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Read More »Ok, so I'm in the mood for a bit of fun now.Haven't you ever just entertained the idea of pianist "levels" - like, who is better, this Chinese four year-old playing the 24 Chopin etudes or a more mature Claudio Arrau playing those same pieces? Things like that.So here's my idea of pianist "levels":Beginner (Lvl 1) - All he can really do is play with one hand at a time. Does not really have a concept of fingering. An example would be someone who has hardly or never really played the piano before.Newbie (Lvl 2) - Someone who's taken a few piano lessons or plays by ear very seldom. Can play really simple tunes mostly in C Major. Can perhaps play with both hands - a simple melody with the right, and a very simple accompaniment with the left.Amateur (Lvl 3) - This guy plays the piano rather often, for fun, but doesn't really challenge himself. Can play most of the well-known tunes and has a decent knowledge of fingering. Example tunes would be Fur Elise, River Flows in You, Canon in D, Clair de Lune, etc.Enthusiast (Lvl 4) - A person who can play the piano quite well, at least better than most. This guy also probably studies consistently with a piano teacher, but does not really intend to be a professional piano performer. Common examples would be composers or music teachers who have a good knowledge of the keyboard, but aren't really concert pianists. Pieces include Clementi/Kuhnau sonatinas, Bach Sinfonias, Chopin FI/Liszt Liebestraum, Czerny etudes, Chopin Nocturnes, or maybe even the easier Mozart/Beethoven sonatas.Conservatory Student (Lvl 5) - A piano student in a Conservatory who studies to become a solo piano performer in concert. Piano is a serious discipline for this guy. Not yet quite a professional concert pianist, he knows how it's like to practice multiple hours a day to please a demanding teacher. Sample pieces include Mozart/Beethoven sonatas, Chopin etudes, Liszt Gnomenreigen/Waldesrauchen, Mozart/Beethoven concerti, etc.Competitor Student (Lvl 6) - A more advanced Conservatory student who joins piano competitions, or otherwise a conservatory student who has already graduated and is further advancing his skill. Not quite advanced enough to teach other conservatory students but has performing experience with multiple orchestras and can handle Rach 3, Prok 2, or the Tchaikovsky B minor. Sample pieces include those three hard ones, plus maybe Liszt TE's, Bach Toccatas, heavy-duty Chopin/Liszt/Brahms sonatas, and the like.Professional (Lvl 7) - A full-time, dedicated concert pianist who is good enough to teach conservatory students. This guy is highly experienced in playing with orchestras, can sightread actual sonatas or maybe even concerti with considerable ease, and in general can handle really difficult repertoire. This is the skill level required for a pianist to start becoming an actual artist (lol). However, he isn't still quite matured enough to give Master Classes. Examples would include, of course, conservatory teachers, Wladizlu Liberace in his youth, and the like. Pieces are basically the same as Competitor level, but with more mastery - you can also tell him apart from the Level 6 pianists by the fact that he doesn't seem to have much "difficulty" with the hard Rachmaninoff/Tchaikovsky concertos or Liszt/Chopin etudes.Veteran (Lvl- A highly seasoned concert pianist who has, more often than not, toured extensively in many countries, piano playing is something second-nature already to this level of pianist. Usually, a Veteran pianist would be the head of the piano department in a Conservatory, perhaps teaching other conservatory teachers himself. Already having played most of the standard piano repertoire, a Veteran pianist usually starts exploring other kinds of piano works, including those that aren't that popular. Example pieces would be Scarbo (Ravel), Albeniz Suite Iberia, Beethoven Hammerklavier, etc. Veteran pianists are also experienced enough to give Master Classes to various conservatories or music schools. These guys are also good enough to be considered actual artists, with enough depth to communicate to audiences on a particularly profound level.Master (Lvl 9) - A pianist of a very high degree, Level 9 pianists are often internationally-renowned and known more or less by many musicians all over the world. They might give Master Classes, but their often busy performing schedule usually makes them rarer Master Class-givers. These are the kinds of pianists you see a lot on YouTube. Technically, a Master pianist is the highest level of pianist, exceeded only by the title of Grandmaster (which is something of an isolated case). Examples would include Kissin, Volodos, Schiff, Lugansky, Berman, Ashkenazy, Berezovsky, Lang, etc. As seasoned artists, their interpretations are often studied and admired by many pianists throughout the world. Repertoire includes anything possible, really.Grandmaster (Lvl 10) - A pianist and musician of a level so high that they are actually revered by the classical music world, this title is reserved often only to a handful in an entire Century. Their interpretations are transcendent in quality, having a profound impact on the entire pianist world and shaping the way classical piano is performed in the decades to come. These are the guys you think of when you hear the word "pianist". Examples include Arrau, Cziffra, Michaelangeli, Hoffman, Rubinstein, Gould, Horowitz, etc. Repertoire, like the Level 9 pianists, can range from Mozart to Bach to Prokofiev to Boulez to Granados to Alkan to Beethoven to Cage - anyone, really.What are your thoughts on this?Lol.Regards, cuberdrift
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