I'm 21, about to turn 22. I have my grade 5 theory, grade 8 practical and am currently working towards my ABRSMdip ( Performance ) and would like to do the ABRSMdip in teaching.

Performance is not something I am really interested in, partly because I have never been comfortable, in the limelight, so to speak, however teaching is. I would love to be able to go away and study piano pedagogy properly at a college or something similar. Is this possible? At the age I am, I just feel I would be surrounded by young, far more talented, musicians than myself. Is it unheard of for someone in there early to mid 20's to attend a music college?

We've had forum members go to music college at rather older than 21. One went to LCM at an age that I shan't mention here, but let's say nearer to standard retirement age than your current age

I went to music college at the age of 37 - it was great!

W

Friend of mine went in late 40s.

I'd seriously like to do a B Mus when I retire followed by an MA, but change in funding has put it out of reach now.

I had an offer to go to uni to do a BMus at the age of 33. In the end I was too chicken to take it up, but it just goes to show these things are possible...

I don't know about the specific 'Conservatoires' but Universities actively encourage mature students in all subjects! There are some excellent music degrees out there now!

It is never too late to try to do something you really want to do. Go for it! If you get discouraged just take a look at the ages of some of the presidents and heads of state of the world. If they think they can run a country at 60 plus you can certainly do a music college course at 20 plus!

What a sad world we live in when someone as young as 20-something thinks they might be "too old" to pursue their dreams.

It is true that the top conservatoires might pass over you for someone younger, because there are far more applicant than there are places, and they reckon they that the younger someone is then the more chance they have to go on to great success in their chosen line of music. But if you want to teach more than you want to perform, then age is pretty well irrelevant, and there are plenty of colleges and conservatoires that recognize that.

There are also plenty of alternatives to studying pedagogy as part of a full-time music degree.

I know of quite a few people who have auditioned for conservatoire, not got in and auditioned again the next year - and the year after that. My son's teacher had a pupil get into RNCM as a very mature student. However, if you are not keen on performing i'm not sure you'd like it at a conservatoire, because that's what it's all about. RCS do a teaching course, though, which would be more suitable, I would have thought.

I'm probably the oldest music undergrad on here, I will finish my degree a year before I retire.
My plan is to start teaching at 60!