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Hi

I am going to a piano recital. I asked if I could meet the pianist afterwards and the answer was no (this came from the pianists agent). I have met an artist on a previous occasion backstage so thought I would be allowed again with this next person.

No explanation was given other than, if the pianist does a cd signing then they are happy to meet well wishers. But I would have thought it would be nice to know that someone appreciates the pianist enough to tell them so. Its a boost to them and their career.

Maybe this individual feels too spent after performing to "make nice" and interact with the audience. Some performers live for that sort of interaction (example Liszt). Some just can't cope afterwards ( example Chopin who sometimes got a friend to intercept any fans.

I can't begin to fathom the life a professional musician, especially a touring musician. A different city every night, hours of mind-numbing boredom on the bus or in airports, bad and/or expensive hotel food. I also can't imagine what it must feel like to get up the energy to perform in front of hundreds of people, apparently flawlessly. But I'm guessing that some artists are wiped out after such events and just can't muster the enthusiasm or energy to meet with fans afterwards. I remember feeling wiped out after lecturing for 90 minutes in my professor days, and that's not all that hard to do.

I think it's also important to realize that, while a particular artist might be extremely important to us (I'd take a bullet for Einaudi ), we as individual persons don't mean squat to the well-known artist, and those who meet with us do so out of niceness or the pragmatic recognition that it helps boost sales and word of mouth recommendations.

So, while the two times I met Einaudi in person and got to stammer my way through a statement of how much his music means to me will remain very special experiences in my life, I wouldn't hold it against him if he didn't feel up to going through a meet and greet.

It also occurs to me that the artist's agent squashed the request without checking with the artist, in a (perhaps unnecessary) attempt to protect the artist's time. Maybe try to email the artist directly?

It would be impossible to email an artist directly. First of all, they would not disclose their email address to the public and secondly, if their agent has said no and then I contact the artist directly (if it were possible to do) then I would perhaps be accused of harrassing and that is a crime.

Any decent artist would have a secretary and you would have to go through the secretary or someone to get an email to the artist. There are a lot of strange people around (not me) and artists have to protect themselves from stalkers.

Often this may be the official policy about artist x, but then it turns out you have no problem meeting artist x backstage after the recital.

Managers are there to protect their artists, yet often classical artists are delighted to meet a few fans.

Note to self.......when famous be nice to fans

Yes, this is important - and be especially nice to those who knew you during your start up phase

Yes but we are talking about two different artists, managed by two different managers. One artists manager would be happy to allow a fan to go backstage and congratulate the artist, whereas another one would prefer you to do that at a proper organised CD signing. However, having said that, I have been to performances where the artist has come out afterwards and people have walked up to them and praised their performance. I went to hear an opera singer and afterwards there was a drinks reception (private function) in the foyer of the hall and the singer came out to attend the function and stood around like any other member of the audience... so anything is possible.

Of course if it was someone like Madonna,she would have had two minders with her lol

When I'm a living legend I'm going to follow the Michelangeli school of thought.Treat the audience with utter contempt and not turn up at all if I've got so much as a mild headache.
Anyone who asked to see me after the show would be escorted from the hall by bouncers and banned for life.

I was told in an email from the pianists managing agent that the schedule does not allow any visitors back stage.

I then looked at the scuedule and realised it is very heavy. The schedule for December is four recitals in a row with full orchestra playing Brahms. I could not cope with that, playing Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night and Thursday night to an impecable standard. Not only that but there are rehearsals in between and meetings and press conferences.

The life of a professional concert pianist is not easy.