Hello all,

I am new to this forum and would like some much needed advice. After a long break from grade seven piano, ie eleven years, to plucking up the courage to go back and do grade eight and then DipLCM in Piano Performance, I wondered where I can go from here. It was two years ago since I did my diploma. I worked very hard and passed with 85% so I was very happy. I wanted to do my teaching diploma but unfortunately times were hard and I couldnt afford to carry on. Ive just been made redundant from my current job (which is nothing to do with music) and I wondered how I can use my Diploma to my advantage now to change my career. I need to get up to scratch on playing as I have let it slip a little, but what can I do with it and how do I go about it, providing I can find the confidence to do it!!?? Any comments would be much appreciated. Thanks xxx

Well I guess the main option would be to teach, either privately or as a peripatetic (via Education Depts). Some areas of the county are I belive well covered with sufficient piano teachers, other areas my be short.
You could try to do some 'gigs' eg at Weddings or playing light clasical in hotels or restaurants etc. Or you could do a mixture of some teaching and some gigs (I quite fancy doing a bit of gig work when I retire from my full time job next March)

Your safest option for regular and reliabnle income is to teach but it takes a while to build up sufficient numbers of students.

Opportunities for conventional classical recitals are rare for those of us that are not world-class concert pianists, but playing at weddings, restaurants and bars (especially opening nights), and at company outings around Christmas time are all possible - but you will need a few hours-worth of suitable repertoire (pop songs, ballads, songs from musicals, light classics etc.). Fortunately this stuff is easier to learn than Chopin etudes and ballades, and it is quite acceptable to play from the score. You should charge the currently recommended rates from the ISM.