Famous author, Maria Cristina Mena once said, "The piano keys are black and white, but they sound like a million colours in your mind."
A normal full-sized piano has 88 keys (52 white and 36 black) but a good pianist can certainly play more than 88 melodies and more on it when they have mastered the right piano learning techniques over the years.
When we talk about piano melodies, it's not just solely about playing classical music from famous composers like Ludvig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amardeus Mozart or Frédéric Chopin.
Let's be honest, it may not be everyone's cup of tea.
For many piano learners and performers, it's about the process of exploring diverse piano playing styles and discovering their strengths as well as "creating" their signature sound.
After all, many people can play the piano, but not everyone can make a living out of their piano-playing skills and create a memorable impact in the music industry.
In this article, we will look at a few examples of established pianists from all across the globe as well as explore the pathway to becoming a professional pianist in Malaysia.
Pursuing Their Classical Pianist Dream From The East
One of the most traditional piano learning routes taken by many young pianists is none other than pursuing the classical pianist dream.
This is especially true in Asia, where we have seen many young Asian classical pianists blooming over the years, whether it's through participation in international competitions or other forms of performing opportunities.
Asian parents are generally very supportive of their children's participation in learning a classical music instrument to instil discipline and also to foster many career opportunities.
Here are some examples of Asian classical pianists who have made a name in the classical music scene.
Lang Lang
Lang Lang is perhaps one of the most prominent Asian classical pianists to date. Born in Shenyang China, he started learning piano at the young age of three and has since won many international competitions and awards.
He is very much sought after for large-scale events and TV appearances, whether it's in the form of collaboration or solo piano performances. Some of his famous performances include:
- The opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympics Games in 2008
- His collaboration with jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock for the 50th Grammy Awards
- His solo performance for former US President, Barack Obama at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
Source: Classic FM
Seong Jin Cho
The winner of the Chopin International Piano Competition in 2015, Seong Jin Cho is a rising classical pianist who hails from South Korea.
Currently based in Berlin, Seong Jin has performed with established orchestras from all across the world including:
- Berliner Philharmoniker
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
- NHK Symphony Orchestra and many more.
Tengku Irfan
Of course we can't miss out on our very own Malaysian rising star, Tengku Irfan!
He started learning piano at the age of 7 and discovered his passion for composing and conducting. He was appointed as the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra Youth Ambassador in 2018.
He has performed extensively with various international orchestras and ensembles such as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Symphony Orchestra, New York Virtuoso Singers and many more.
Learn more about the piano as a musical instrument and some important information you need to know as an absolute beginner.
Sweet Melodies From CDs to World Tour Concerts
For many of us, we are no strangers to listening to instrumental piano music whenever we are in a restaurant, mall, bookstore or even in the car.
During the days of CDs and DVDs, we definitely had one or two of these instrumental piano CDs in our homes or cars.
Listening to instrumental pieces has always been popular across all generations because it adds a sense of calmness and sophistication to the overall vibe we are in. In fact, some students even plug them in when they are doing assignments in order to focus better.
Here are three pianists that you might have heard through CDs, radio or even YouTube.
Richard Clayderman
One of the best-selling pianists of all time, Richard Clayderman is perhaps most famous for his Ballade Pour Adeline.
He has released many instrumental piano albums and toured many countries over the years, including Malaysia.
Yiruma
Yiruma is a South Korean pianist and composer who is famous for his exquisite emotional storytelling through his compositions.
A music graduate from King's College London, his most notable works include Kiss The Rain and River Flows In You.
Jim Brickman
Jim Brickman has released many piano solo instrumental singles and albums over the years. He is also a talented composer and singer-songwriter who has produced many contemporary songs.
Source: Harbison Theatre
Some of his well-known songs include:
- Angel Eyes
- The Gift
- Valentine (the all-time fan favourite song which he collaborated with Martina McBride)
- Destiny
- Your Love
Don't forget to review these advantages of learning the piano.
All-Rounder Artists You See Performing The Piano On Stage
Granted that there are many talented singers out there, some of them are pretty well-known for their stage presence and their great piano-playing skills.
Whenever we think of celebrities who are great pianists, these three artists will definitely come to mind.
Elton John
Elton John is certainly one of the most iconic singer-songwriters of the 80s and 90s.
Some of his hits that were performed on the piano include:
- Candle in the Wind
- Your Song
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight
- I'm Still Standing
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Jay Chou
Dubbed the King of Mandopop, Jay Chou basically conquered the Chinese music industry in the 2000s eras.
An established pianist and composer, he composed most of his songs and produced most of his albums since his debut in 2000.
Some of his popular hits played on the piano include:
- A Dandelion's Promise 蒲公英的約定
- Silence 安静
- Ming Ming Jiu 明明就
- The Promised Love 说好的幸福呢
Sara Bareilles
The winner of two Grammy Awards, Sara Bareilles is famous for her distinctive raspy voice as well as her great piano playing skills.
Some of her famous songs include:
- Love Song
- Gravity
- Brave
- She Used To Be Mine
Discover the beauty of various styles of piano playing as you embark on this learning journey.
Your Favourite Original Soundtracks Covered Across All Genres
The significance of the piano is something irreplaceable when it comes to original soundtracks for movies.
Regardless of which movie genre you favour, you must have heard these hits from the following piano composers:
John Williams
John Williams studied piano at Julliard and initially wanted to be a concert pianist. He later ventured into composition and the rest is history.
His notable film works include:
- Stars Wars
- Harry Potter film series
- Indiana Jones series
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
- Jurrasic Park and many more
Joe Hisaishi
Any Studio Ghibli fans here?
You must have heard Joe Hisaishi's compositions countless times as you watched the following movies:
- Howl's Moving Castle
- Spirited Away
- Ponyo
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Kiki's Delivery Service and many more
Alan Menken
It's thanks to Alan Menken that we have these iconic Disney tunes that light up our childhood.
In fact, most of his scores for many Disney films have gone to win Best Song/Best Film Score for Oscars during the Disney Renaissance era.
Source: SoundTrack Fest
The Disney songs include:
- Under The Sea (The Little Mermaid)
- Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast)
- A Whole New World (Alladin)
- Colours of the Wind (Pocahontas)
Make the best out of these piano learning resources as you progress from a beginner to an advanced piano learner.
Discovering The Career Pathway Of A Professional Pianist In Malaysia
We believe you must be inspired after reading the experience of the pianists mentioned above. The truth is, they all started somewhere.
Most of them took basic music lessons from childhood and slowly built their foundation right up till they pursued a tertiary education in music before making a name in the industry.
If you desire to follow in their footsteps one day, here's a suggested pathway that you can consider.
- Build a strong foundation through piano lessons
You can enrol in a piano lesson at an academy or opt for a one-to-one piano lesson. Depending on your preference, you can even choose to take home piano lessons or online piano lessons.
One of the best ways to look for an experienced private tutor is through a reliable tutoring platform like Superprof!
You can not only browse through the tutors' information effortlessly, you can even filter your requirements such as your learning level and maximum budget for hourly rate from the very beginning.
The piano tutors at Superprof come from diverse backgrounds and teaching experience so you can be certain that it is not a one-size fits all learning approach. Private tutoring allows you to learn the piano at your own pace and proceed whenever you are ready.
- Participate in piano competitions to have experience/exposure
Once you have mastered the necessary skills and piano techniques, you can join some local or international piano competitions.
Think of it as a way to build your confidence and stage presence as well as to cultivate a sense of discipline as you practice for the competition.
- Further your studies in a music-related program, be it local or overseas
To become a professional pianist, it's best to have a related qualification. It's like the finishing touch to your piano learning journey as you have a solid and comprehensive piano education.
You can choose to major in piano and composition at various local or overseas universities.
Classical pianist, Van Cliburn once said, "Playing the piano is like telling a story with your fingers, painting pictures of sound for the listener to experience."
What's your favourite story to tell with the piano?
And are you geared to be the next famous pianist from Malaysia? Let your fingers do the talking.
Summarise with AI:
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
