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Hi,

My names harrison and am new to this forum.
Ive been having piano lessons through my own choice for about
2 and a half years and am currently on grade 5. I was just
wondering, when grade 8 is complete what do i need to do to
become professional? big ambission of mine.

Cheers

Harrison

Hi Harrison, well you could take a diploma in piano if you wanted to but I don't know if that would qualify you as being 'professional' even though its the highest exam (that I know of) that you can take with ABRSM. Its hard to say what qualifications you would need as I don't know what exactly you want to do as career but you could go to university and study a degree in music. I am currently studying for grade 5 (theory) too at the moment which I'll be taking in june and then grade 6 (practical) around november time. I want to be a professional musician the same as you but there are so many different jobs involving music that I don't know how I'll ever decide what i want to do!

Anyway, welcome to the forum and I hope this helps.

Lisa xxx

You need to get lots of experience in the music world before you contemplate becoming a professional. You yourself need to know what it's like, what's required of you, who you need to know, how to approach things, and by professional you may be wise to get beyond diploma standard. Try joining a jazz band or performing in small scale concerts. I appreciate this is more difficult for you as a pianist, but my best advice is to get as much experience as is possible, this is the best way to find out for yourself what it's like 'out there.' It's something that noone can do for you i'm afraid .

Regards Alibonebone

I don't know what you need to be a professional. Get into as many bands and orchestras as you can, maybe. Welcome to the forums!

Hi Harrison!
Welcome to the forums. After grade 8 you could go on to do a diploma and then there are other levels as well...I don't think you can generalise what you have to do to become a professional, though!

Hey! i think u just have 2 get as much experience as u can possibly get, get all the qualifications u need and then go for it! wot type of pro r u thinking of being...performer?composer, etc...

hey everyone, sorry i havent been on in a while
just gettin sum excessive revision for my alevel exams
in while i still can! preferably id like to be a performer
and recently a group of friends and i have decided to put a band
together so that maybe the starting point! What i mean by being
a profesional is performing for people and getting paid for it too!
i wish! but the idea of getting a diploma in music may be a good idea.
ill just see where i am after alevels and then i can contemplate
what to do at university whether it be music or another choice.
But thanks for all the ideas

Appreciated

Harrison