Have you ever heard of a musician who achieved success in more than one instrument? I mean, many pianists can play the violin or cello, for example, but usually they only play piano in their concerts and engagements with orchestras (even though they can play their second instrument well, too.). Do you think it's possible for someone to achieve success in both instruments, or even more?

Not in 2 instruments but in 2 areas, yes. Like composing and piano or violin, or conducting with something esle.

Derek Bell managed to play principle harp, oboe, horn and piano, sometimes in the same orchestra as well as his folk playing and composing. I am sure there are other examples, but for collecting 'difficult' instruments he did an impressive job!

Not at the very top level, I'm sure, because of the amount of hours that would have to be put in. However the young man who won young musicianship of the year playing piano in the early 90s I think (playing variations on a theme by Paganini) played it with the Leicester Symphony Orchestra as part of the follow-up "tour" and offered to the conductor that he would be equally happy to come again next year and perform a violin concerto. And a soloist we had with an orchestra I play in now, graduated from the RNCM with performance degrees in BOTH saxophone AND a brass instrument (trombone I think) - the first person to do so.
Liz

Cheeble comes to mind as a good example.

Have a search back through the topics in previous months to the ones where she lists all the instruments she plays.

Cheers

Katyjay

I think Rostropovic was known as a cellist, pianist, conductor, and composer, though obviously most of his acclaim was for the cello. He was exceptional though.

Found it!

http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=4161&st= (post #10)