I don't know, in which Forum i have to put this topic, so it's here...

I just want to know, when you have started with playing piano, because it's interesting for me...

(Is my English good?)

I understand your English. What is your native language?

I started to play when I was 12-13 years old. (I am 20 now)

I'm Russian/German (I cannot speak russian).^^
Only one who wants to give me an answer?

When did you start and how long have you been playing?

Well, I started when I was 5 and on my 7th I could go to a local musicschool I'm now 16.

I'm busy with classical music for 2 years and half year lesson.

Got lessons from age of 5 to 19, then did not play or only occasional for 20 years, started again some years ago with regular playing and practising.

I started with 11 years. Now I'm 16. 16 - 11 = 5 years.
I think that's too late. My neighbourghs don't like piano... It disturbes them, so I have only three times a week time to play, and for each day max. 1 ,5 hours.

It's never too late
Any chance to practise anywhere else (e.g. in a parish hall of a church, normally there is always a piano there) or in the evening in the school or so?

It's never too late: that makes me happy... you are all so wonderful players...

Today i have heard the revolutionary etude on this site, so wonderful pianists... it was great. It has remembered me when I have learned this piece one and a half years ago, so I played today again this piece, Chopin is only great.

Well, can't play in a church or somewhere else, maby in school, but I'm from 7:45 until 6:00 o clock (on thursday, wednesday and tuesday) in school, and of course I want to go home... and the way from school to my home takes again 1 hour.

How long do you all take for a piece (e.g. fantaisie impromptu) to know it by heart?

did you know that richter started at an age of 18 and volodos at an age of 16?

I agree, it doesn't really matter when you start. What does is if you can naturally succeed in the playing. 99.99% of all people progress with steady and strict practice (and incrementally), but for that .01% of players (i.e. Richter and Volodos) they can surpass the "norm" very quickly because they have the ability and the knack to do so.

I was self taught untill I started lessons when I was 8. I literally had to beg for lessons.

I am still taking piano lessons and I am 25 now. I have had a lot of formal training but still have a lot and I do mean A LOT to learn LOL

I very gradually learned to read music beteen the ages of 3 and 7. I started to play piano in 1992, at the age of 12. I've been serious about it for five years, now. In those 5 years, my playing went from weak and sub-par to extremely well developed and artistically deeper. At the age of 27, I continue to improve from week to week.

Pete

w@ssili:
I think that if you work enough and you started to late ( I started to late with classical music. do it for 1.5 years with only 6 months of classical lessons) you can work very very hard to come on a level every pianist wants. I played in the last 7 days 60 houres and I improved alot.

I started with the piano at the age of 10 and had a teacher under which I did not proceed much in my play. For 6 years now I've had an, as I believe, rather good teacher (and for nearly 5 years I've been additionally learning to play the organ and for long have been taking vocal lessons), but however I feel I lost too much time and basically there's no reason for me to hope for a carreer in music.

In a way, that's sad, of course, but I guess the really great players need their audience, and however (my) music gives me a fulfilling happiness I wouldn't want to miss. (Plus, in my Music School's concerts, I do earn warm applause; no wonder though, it's a really small and far-from-the-world town here, and explaining what kind of geniuses there's running around out in the world is not of much use. But I'm making people happy, and that's the very best part of it all! )