Chapters
- 01. How Much Does A Pianist Get When They Win During Piano Competitions?
- 02. How To Determine Your Rate As A Professional Pianist in Malaysia
- 03. What To Take Note If You Take Up Teaching As A Pianist In Malaysia?
- 04. Learn How To Become A Private Piano Tutor At Superprof
- 05. How To Secure Gigs As A Freelance Pianist in Malaysia?
Do you know that piano competitions can be as competitive as the Olympics?
In fact, some prestigious international piano competitions are only held once every 5 years and have many rounds leading to the final competition.
Like a sports athlete, each pianist that participates in the competition has to be in their best condition to pass every round to qualify for the final to have their chance for the ultimate victory and glory.
One great motivator that drives pianists to practice day and night for these intense piano competitions is undoubtedly the cash prize for the winners.
Likewise, money is also an important element when it comes to other piano-related careers like a piano educator or freelance pianist.
In this article, we'll be talking about how much a pianist can earn as a concert pianist, piano tutor and freelance pianist in Malaysia.
How Much Does A Pianist Get When They Win During Piano Competitions?
Let's take a look at the examples shown in the list below to compare and review the cash prizes of various international piano competitions.
#1: International Chopin Piano Competition (Held in Warsaw, Poland)
One of the most globally recognized piano competitions, the International Chopin Piano Competition is extremely competitive and extremely generous with its awards.
As per the 2021 competition, this is the cash prize for each winner.
- The first prize winner will receive 40 000 €
- The second prize winner will receive 30 000 €
- The third prize winner will receive 20 000 €
- The fourth prize will receive 5,000 €
- The fifth prize winner will receive 10 000 €
- The sixth prize winner will receive 7 000 €
- The remaining finalists will receive 4 000 €
Source: Korea.Net
#2: Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (Held in Texas, USA)
The Cliburn International Competition was first held in 1962 and established by the late Van Cliburn, an American concert pianist.
- The Gold medallist will get $100,000
- The Silver medallist will get $50,000
- The Bronze medallist will get $25,000
- The finalists will get $10,000
- The semifinalists will get $5,000
- The quarterfinalist will get $2,500
- The preliminary contestants will get $1,000
One special feature of this competition is that every participating pianist will be arranged to stay with host families at Texas during their preparation for the entire competition.
#3: Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Held in Shizouka, Japan)
The Hamamatsu International Piano Competition is held every 3 years since its establishment in 1991.
- The First Prize winner will be awarded ¥3,000,000
- The Second Prize winner will be awarded ¥1,800,000
- The Third Prize winner will be awarded ¥1,200,000
- The Fourth Prize winner will be awarded ¥750,000
- The Fifth Prize winner will be awarded ¥600,000
- The Sixth Prize winner will be awarded ¥450,000
For this competition, the First Prize winner will be granted at least 10 opportunities to perform in and outside of Japan, which include performances with major orchestras and solo recitals. Each winner will also receive their respective medals and certificates of merit.
Read this to discover what it takes to be a professional pianist.
How To Determine Your Rate As A Professional Pianist in Malaysia
Let's talk about money, shall we?
Many people often have the misconception that those who work in the music industry either charge too high or charge too low for their service.
Sometimes you have to up your negotiation and persuasion skills when it comes to marketing yourself. Remind yourself that you deserve to be paid decently, be it through a monthly salary or income on a project basis.
Whether you are gearing to be a concert pianist, freelance pianist or piano educator in Malaysia, here are some things that you should take into consideration when you're setting your rate.
Time invested in the preparation and performance of the assigned work
Remember, you'll have to set aside time to do tons of research, studying and practising to perfect your craft for each assigned work.
For instance, you may be requested to perform a medley of classical pieces that you may not be familiar with. So, you will definitely spend time reading about the composers, various playing styles, the fingering, studying the emotions for each piece and at the same time practice until it's perfect.
Years of experience
It's important to note that people are paying you for your expertise. Expertise can come in the form of experiences that you have in the industry. Whether it is your performing experience, your teaching experience and your experience with competitions and different events, you have the absolute right to raise your rates when it comes to complex requests from your clients.
Qualification in the industry
Another way expertise is valued is through your qualification. If you have a Masters in Music, you can definitely charge a higher rate for your service as compared to the time when you have just completed your ABRSM Grade 8 exams.
The knowledge and techniques that you have learned all these years through different modules will be reflected in your work. The key is to never shortchange yourself.
Explore other work options as a pianist in Malaysia.
What To Take Note If You Take Up Teaching As A Pianist In Malaysia?
Let's say you have set your mind to become a music educator once you have completed your university studies, you may wonder what's the next step to take to make your dream job a reality.
You can refer to the below pointers to prepare in advance.
- Get all the relevant piano certificates
It's best to pass your ABRSM Grade 8 practical and theory exams before you start a music-related programme at university. You might also want to consider an ABRSM teaching Diploma to equip yourself with teaching and performing skills.
- Set a clear vision for your teaching career
You should start thinking if you prefer to teach at a school, or university or set up your own piano tutoring business after your graduation. This helps you to have better financial planning, career planning and networking planning to have a sustainable income in the future.
Source: Xframe
For example, if you are thinking of opening a piano teaching business at your own home one day, you can start teaching students as a side hustle now to gain experience and also monetary rewards for your upcoming plans.
- Sell your service effectively
Nothing will happen if you do not take solid actions to promote your expertise. Don't be shy to advertise your pending concerts and piano tutoring lessons on social media. You can also ask your family and friends to spread the word.
It will be good to also set up a specialised website that includes your biography, experience and offered service so that interested clients can reach out to you easily.
Find out the steps to study piano at a tertiary level in Malaysia.
Learn How To Become A Private Piano Tutor At Superprof
We know that starting out as a fresh private tutor can be quite challenging, especially if you do not have any prior teaching experience.
You don't have to worry because we got you covered with Superprof!
Superprof is a platform that helps tutors to share their expertise, live off their passion and foster meaningful learning collaborations with students from various parts of the globe without a requirement of teaching experience.
That's why you can become a piano tutor at Superprof with these 3 simple steps.
- Step 1: Create your tutor ad for free
All you need do is head to the Superprof Malaysia homepage and click the "Tutoring Jobs" on the right-hand side of the page. From there, you can create a tutor profile with the guided instructions.
- Step 2: Define your terms
To make your profile stand out and make your service credible, you will be asked to fill out details like your years of experience, your qualification, your teaching methodology, preferred teaching mode (online/face to face), hourly rate and a few more. It is best to also include a recent profile picture so that your future students can identify you easily.
It's also entirely up to you to decide your teaching schedule and payment details.
You can refer to this table below to look at the average rate of Superprof piano tutoring lessons in different Malaysian cities.
| City | Average Hourly Rates |
|---|---|
| Georgetown | RM50/hour |
| Seremban | RM85/hour |
| Kuching | RM48/hour |
| Subang Jaya | RM87/hour |
| Petaling Jaya | RM94/hour |
| Ipoh | RM82/hour |
| Kuala Lumpur | RM98/hour |
- Step 3: Share your passion
After the Superprof team verify the listed information on your profile, your tutoring ad will then be published on the website. Students will be able to view your profile and contact you directly if they want to book a lesson with you. Once you have confirmed all the details with them, you can then officially start your piano tutoring journey with Superprof!
Discover which age is the best to start mastering piano in Malaysia.
How To Secure Gigs As A Freelance Pianist in Malaysia?
Freelance work is increasingly more popular these days due to its work flexibility and diversity. Whether you intend to take up freelancing as a full-time career or a side hustle, here are 3 methods to find a piano-related gig effectively.
- Check out job postings for different events (online and offline)
You can check out websites such as Jobstreet, Indeed, Jora and also hotel websites that frequently feature job listings to hire performers for specific events.
Source: Xfarme
- Through word of mouth and direct recommendations
Nothing beats true credibility when it comes to accepting project offers from someone you personally know. You can find potential clients through your mutual friends, Linkedin connections or even your former music lecturers.
- Create your own website/ social media profile
To build a strong online presence, you should certainly spend some time curating your portfolio on one single website. That way, you can forward your portfolio to people easily and they can get in touch with you as soon as possible.
We hope this article has helped you to gain some insights into how much you can make as a pianist.
Life is like a piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it.-Tom Lehrer
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