Hi - I'm new on this forum! I read music at University 15 years ago and studied piano with a professor from the Royal Academy to diploma level. I had been studying music from being a toddler and decided I'd had enough, and took an entirely different career path. After 15 years completely away from music, I have realised that I really want to return to music. I am thinking about giving up a good job and decent salary to apply to do a PGdiploma at one of the music colleges with the intention of then continuing in the music industry in some way. I've got as far as arranging to start piano lessons again, but my nerve is coming and going.

My questions are; at 35, am I too old to go back to music college for a performers diploma; how will music college view a mature student applying; can I get my skills back to audition standard in 1 year; and am I mad?

Really appreciate help as it's a HUGE decision!

Hi Bing

I don't think that at the age of 35 you are too old to go back to college. It is a big step especially as you would be giving up a well paid career. However can you not go back to that career at a later date if a music career did not work out or you decided that is not what you wanted. I think in some ways it is good to have a career break to pursure something else, many people take a sabbatical. Universities generally welcome mature students and I don't see why a music college should be any different. You have got a lot to offer with your maturity, your motivation and experiences you have gained in life. I've just had a quick look on the Royal College of Music website and according to their equal opportunities statement they do not discriminate on age, you can see the statement here. While I was on their site I did notice that you can do the post graduate diploma part time.



Only you really know whether you can get your skills back in one year, but the sooner you get a teacher the better.


I think you should "go for it". It sounds a really exiciting and fantastic opportunity. I'm sure you will have a great time at college.

You don't say what your PG Diploma will contain; what follows relates only to piano performance. Of course, piano is very demanding of practice time if you want to be a professional performer, but why don't you try a year of combining your job with as much practice as your dedication allows? say two hours each week day and 10 or so over the weekend, plus intensive courses (e.g. summer schools) during the holidays? It depends how demanding your present career is, of course, but if you can do that you may be able to make your decision, when it comes, based on experience and reasonable expectations that you have tested out to some extent with public performances or even paid gigs.

What sort of musical jobs attract you?

Hi again, and thanks for your replies! I'm in the military at present, and have an option to leave in just over 18 months - which would tie up nicely with a September intake. I'm anticipating about 2 hours a day practice - no kids, so not too much of a problem.

What I'd really like to do career wise, is session music/theatre work/light music as a pianist. Although I trained classically until the age of 21, the desire was never there to be a classical pianist, and when I mentioned what I really wanted to do, it was pooh-poohed, which was one of the reasons I quit entirely - also I had no idea how to go about entering the profession. (Also used to get terrible performance anxiety as a solo pianist, but never when I was accompanying).

It's still my dream job, but I really would like to go back and study classically for a year. The PG Diploma I would love to do is at Trinity - their website emphasizes setting you up for a professional career - not just increasing your repertoire as a classical musician - although essentially it is piano performance.

Don't know whether overriding emotion is fear or excitement with the prospect!

Hi,

I 'phoned Trinity a few years ago about doing one of their courses as a mature student, (which I made quite clear) and they were really welcoming. As it was I didn't audition, but ended up taking a music undergrad course elsewhere which seemed more suitable for my needs at that time. Don't ever let anybody tell you you're too old at any age to accomplish anything. If I'd spent my life listening to other people I wouldn't have achieved half as much as I have. (It might not be much..but it's not bad). Getting accepted onto the course is the first hurdle. getting a job doing what you want to do is the next, and the two may not necessarily be related. However, experience tells me that getting any job tends to be more about the people you meet and the connections you make or situations you experience, than it is about responding to an advertised vacancy. Once at Trinity (or in any music environment) you're likely to meet people who will know of vacancies or will know of others who know. In fact music college offices tend to be good places for vacancies or opportunities to be advertised. Trinity now runs Blackheath Concert Halls, so there are always lots of public performance opportunites in and around the area.

Wishing you all the very best.

Go for it.

iona

I think that's a more practical aim than making a living as a classical soloist. My only reservation is that you need to have at your fingertips one or two extra skills as an accompanist that the soloist rarely needs. In the better theatre jobs, the pianist is not just a player: he is the musical director and needs very good ears and awareness; possibly also financial and managerial skills, if he fixes the other players. Also, as an accompanist to singers, the ability to detect a wrong entry and seamlessly play the remainder of the song transposed can turn a disaster into a small hiccup. Do you have these capabilities? or will the course you are considering give you opportunities to acquire them? It sounds promising for the managerial stuff.

I wonder if Laurie Holloway gives private lessons?

Hi, I'm also intending to study music as a mature student and am a few years older than you. I think the only question to really ask yourself is `would I regret not doing this when I'm 65?'. It is hard changing career and involves any number of compromises but music offers so much more than just a job.

Trinity and also Thames Valley Uni. offer associate teaching where you can have lessons with one of their teaching staff up to post grad level for one year and you can also join ensembles, choirs etc at the colleges as part of the scheme. They offer advice as to what level/type of course etc you might do afterwards. Maybe this might be useful in preparing for a postgrad diploma or similar and is essentially part time. Also the RCM has a job/career shop now that is available for ex graduates.

I have read that both Thames Valley (in Ealing) and Goldsmiths Uni (New Cross) have a high level of `mature' students although I think these come from mainly part time or post grad courses. I'm thinking about applying to Thames Valley but will do some research at Open days later this year.

But along with the others, I say Go for it!

I have looked at Thames Valley and Goldsmiths - I did an ALCM in 1986 and I believe that LCM has joined with Thames Valley. I considered going to Goldsmiths for my undergraduate degree but ended up at York.

I didn't really enjoy the academic part of the degree, so don't really want to do an MMus - I'm not sure whether those two colleges do a PG Dip?

Glad I'm not the only one considering a drastic career change. I always said I'd go back to music - I agree that I'd hate to get to 65 and realise I never did!

Hiya, I think it's great that you're considering this and that you are being very realistic about it all as well. Thames Valley has linked with LCM, you are right.

I don't want to put a downer on things, but even if it says they take older students, it doesn't mean that they actually have any. I went to the RNCM, and the only mature students we had there were singers, and that's because it takes a while for the voice to develop, so they like them mature anyway.

Trinity may be different, but what I would suggest is to get your standard back up, try and get experience with amateur dramatic companies and anything else you can get your hands on, and then try and arrange a lesson with a piano proffesor at Trinity. They will tell you exactly what's what, and they will be competely truthful about whether you will be seriously considered, or whether they'd just audition you to get another persons audition fee.

Hope that's helpful and not put a downer on things. Fingers crossed for you xx

Don't worry about age, or the attitudes of much younger students. If you can match them for ability they will respect you and some, at least, will be friendly. I started my music degree at the age of 60. The next youngest in my year was 25, and therefore also a mature student! I found most of my fellow students very friendly: not only did we play lots of chamber music together, they even invited me to their parties.

Hello Claire C,

Just to say that I'm at Goldsmiths so if you'd like any info please feel free to ask. I don't know if there's a way of communicating off board, but it might be a better way to go about things.

Good luck with whatever you do.
All the best
Iona

Hi Kenm.......................Well doen to you for going back and doing a degree. It shows great character.

In terms of my reply earlier, it was aimed at music college rather than degree's in general. I knwo universities take a lot of mature students. I was just pointing out that only a year and a half ago when I was at a music college, the only mature students were singers.

Didn't mean to offend people who want to go back and be a mature student

I'd like to echo ken's perspective on being a mature student at universities. Certainly in the places I have taught, mature students are greatly valued both by staff and by their fellow students (at our place they tend to be referred to with the adjective 'lovely' as if it were a title - 'our lovely mature students').

I know it's daunting undertaking study again. But it sounds like it's a good time for you to do it, and I wouldn't let any worries about being more mature bother you. Maturity is a great bonus to study.

Couldn't agree more. There will always be the staid and ultra-level-headed types who wouldn't so much as dare to wear their pairs of socks out of a set order, let alone go out on a limb and make a life-changing decision. Don't listen to them. It's your life and you have to make it (so far as possible) what you want it to be. Todays world is full of opportunities for those who want a change of career, but those opportunities don't come to you unless to actively seek them.

Hi there, I'm 34 and have an unconditional offer at university to do a DipHE in Music starting October this year. I'm excited and scared about it. Always always wanted to do this and finally got my act together and passed my grade 8 piano and have been accepted. I too am a bit worried about being the only mature student but then I just thought oh sod it, if I pass up this opportunity I'll definitely regret it. So go for it, a new direction in life is always scary but it's also exciting!

Good luck to you and let us know what you decide to do.
xxx

Hi Pianolady

That's brilliant that you have got an university offer. I'm doing a degree in Ancient History as a mature student (I'm 42) and I love it. I too felt both scared and excited about the prospect of going back to education but I haven't regretted it at all. All the other students have been really welcoming and friendly.

You will have a great time.