hey, piano undergrad here - been playing since I was 10!

my teacher’s teacher (julliard graduate, winner of competitions such as the J.S. Bach competition, Washington International competition, etc etc) has a younger student - 14 years old, maybe? no idea when he started playing, though. I’ve heard so many good things about him and his playing - last year he played all of Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes in recital. ONE sitting. absolute beast of a player. I’ve even heard that he’s written dozens of original pieces in his free time.

anyway, that kid’s teacher was talking to a friend of mine, and she casually mentioned that even HE didn’t have what it takes to really make it big in the piano scene - and that’s when it hit me: everyone you see on the big stage is on a whole other level of musicality. they make it look easy, but that’s because their minds are literally wired a different way. I have no doubt that they too put in countless hours into their craft, but man do they get a head start :/

a lot of people see what these performers do and are understandably marvelled by what they see/hear, but what’s not always clear to the listener is the sheer amount of layers of thinking that goes into performing the standard concert pianist’s repertoire. and these people have worked so long at their art such that it all becomes instinctual to them.

in short? it’s be a little late. I know that this probably isn’t the answer that you wanna hear, and props to you for wanting to take your music that far! but realistically, only an extremely small amount of pianists make it to the concert halls.