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Hi everybody!

Sorry for my english but it's not my first language.

I've been playing the piano since september 2015 (I was almost 20 years old) and after a few months of piano lessons (once a week) I quit because my piano teacher was not a pianist (she was a singer) and her lessons were too expensive.
I've been self-taught since then.

In october 2016 I started again piano lessons with an amazing piano teacher and I'm improving really fast.

Now my question is: Am I a piano beginner?

Now I'm working on Bach invention 13, Chopin waltz in A minor, Burgmuller etude Op 100 no 18, Bartok romanian folk dance no 2, Scarlatti sonata k322 and Haydn sonata HOB XVI: 37 in D major.

Why is this important to you?

It is normal for all of to want to assign levels to ourselves... because that is what was done in school. 'Reading at a xxxx grade level, math at xxx level, etc
With music, the level is often not actual but from the perspective of the person that answers the question If you ask one of her neighbors who does not play the piano , you might be labeled advanced to them, wow! Some whiz kid who played everything imaginable at the age of five might have a different opinion.

Look up any repertoire for difficulty level on the Internet, and you will get different grade levels assigned for the same piece depending on who is doing the assigning.

Please try to avoid assigning something to yourself. If you can quit worrying about how fast you're getting there, wherever there is, and take everything as it comes, the journey will be a lot more fun And honestly, your progress will be quicker

It's not actually important to me, I'm just curious to listen to different opinions than mine or my piano teacher.

you can start with pianosyllabus.com.

Quite frankly just a listing what you play is really quite useless It depends on how well you play them and how long it took you to learn them.

I partially agree with you, I was just looking for opinions because I don't know people who play piano so I don't have the possibility to talk to other piano students/ pianist.

Personally I find useful to assign myself a "level" because I have a goal and trying to understand where I am compared to where my goal is helps me.
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dogperson I already use pianosyllabus but it is not what I was looking for with this post...
I know a list of pieces I practice is not enough, that's the reason why I firstly indicate my instagram account where there is a video of me playing a piece but after receiving the firsts answers I decided to remove it.
I was hoping in something else by writing in this forum: "Don't be shy, you're among friends here :-)"
I just wanted some opinions but I'm quite disappointed with the answers.

What does your new teacher think?

Looking at the timeframe you gave us you are a beginner, looking at the pieces, that's definitly intermediate repertoire. It's not that difficult to find out. Like you said yourself: look at a site like pianosyllabus to know what grade your pieces were asigned by abrsm. Every grade takes aproximately a year of study, although for the first grades the effective workload in time per day is lower than for the later years. In general those grade systems are based on a system of schoolyears where the first 3 grades are made for children below twelve, the next 3 for teenagers below fifteen or sixteen, and the last ones for those below 18 as a preparation for conservatory, where you are expected to get ready for the professional repertoire.

So there you have it: after playing for a year and a half, starting from scratch the repertoire you mention is quite something to be able to play well. It's exceptional. But I suspect you already knew that.

Hey, I really really don't want to come over as harsh with my question, but I think it is relevant: "Why is it important to you?"

Most adult or teenaged piano students go through this phase: where am I in this whole thing? Am I any good? Am I on track? When will I be able to play this or that piece? It's normal, but that question is mostly ego-fueled. If you know what I said in the first paragraph you know enough about measuring progress you'll ever need. It's not a race.

What's really important is: "Am I enjoying myself?", "Am I making music?" and "How can I make it (a little bit) better?"

First find a definition of beginner. websters "inexperienced person" won't cut it unless you define "inexperienced".

But as already mentioned, why does it matter?

To be clear: we're trying to be helpful and friendly.

It's just that most of us have learned that it is a lot more fun and less nerve wrecking (and more to the point!) when you don't look at it from the perspective of grading yourself. Because looking at it like that can create all kinds of demons for yourself.

Hi gnomenreigen, I probably consider my students not to be beginners anymore when they can pick out a melody by ear, can create a beautiful singing tone, understand the basics of staccato/legato and loud/soft as well as their finger numbers and note names, and play a few different hands-together pieces without struggle and with good control of legato and balance between the hands.
But it depends largely on what your teacher considers to be the beginner skills.

I'm not sure I understand why you are offended. It's not intentional in any case. People who are trying to answer your question first ask for some more background information, which I think is valid.
In my opinion you can gain a lot from the forums, which are kept alive by very supportive people!
Yes, you are among friends here.

The stuff you are working on is not easy. And for getting there in less than 18 months is amazing. If you want to categorize in "beginner", "intermediate', "advanced", "pro", I would say you're intermediate.
However, if I have to categorize myself the same way, I would have to say advanced looking at my repertoire. But I feel a beginner eventhough I already play for 30 years, because:
I struggle with practising efficiently
I have trouble interpreting pieces (my own opinion, some others may disagree)
My music theory knowledge is lacking
My knowledge of existing classical repertoire is mediocre
I have trouble memorizing ( or am not disciplined enough)
I rarely 'finish' or 'polish' a piece (again discipline?)

Labels are subjective, unless following a syllabus, and then the labels apply ONLY in regards to the syllabus being used to evaluate.

Two examples: I have an adult student who calls himself "intermediate", but he is studying music that most people don't touch until undergrad in college, which is quite "advanced," perhaps.

As for myself, I get paid to play piano, therefore I am technically a "professional", but I sure as heck can't play music that people would generally consider "professional". I specialize in currently-written music and teaching beginning/intermediate/early advanced students in prep for college as well as adult hobbyists. There is music that I will never be able to play that others can play by the time they are 16 years old. So, yes, I am a "professional," but only because I get paid to play/record. Does that make me above "advanced", even though I couldn't get through all the Chopin Etudes to save my life? See where I am going with this?

But, if I were forced to evaluate the OP, the list of rep posted puts them squarely into the "intermediate" category.

Based on the repertoire alone, I'd say that's intermediate. This assumes that you can learn them in a decent amount of time (a few months) and play them with some proficiency.

I understand why you ask the question - and I don't think it's bad to get a reference point. We all have that desire to know "where we fit in". Does your teacher have other adult students? Does she hold recitals or piano parties for her adults? Is there any way you can arrange to play a duet with one of her other students, or sit in on a lesson (and have them sit in on yours)?

I think collaborative works with other pianists would help you gain more perspective on your own level of study, and it can be inspirational.

Thank you very much to everybody!
As someone told you need more informations... And I forgot to write the most important one: I want to be admitted in a conservatory of music here in my country, that's why I always want to know "where I am".

My new piano teacher says I'm very talented but I don't think so... I just work hard because I love music more than anything else.
Muove, I don't think my progress is exceptional, I feel like every little step I make it takes me a lot of effort and sometimes I also feel frustrated but I love the piano too much and I keep going on.

When I was self-taught I used to practice for about 1-3 hours per day.
Now I have a 5 hours daily practice schedule and I usually alternate pieces (3 on one day and 3 on the other).
Usually I also sight-read for a half of an hour everyday because I'm not really good at it.
While the last year I was also busy with other studies, from october I can devote all my time to music.
When I'm not playing I read books about composers, history of music and I also study theory of music and solfege.
I listen to a lot of music (baroque, classical, romantic...).

Personally I still consider myself a beginner because I feel like it requires me a lot of effort for almost everything and I feel like I never play well enough but my teacher says that's no true and that I play very good for my level.

Talking about the time I need to learn a piece... It really depends! Sometimes it's a couple of weeks sometimes it's a couple of months.

The fact is that I have about 1 year and a half to reach the level required by the conservatory and also to prepare all the pieces required for the audiotion so yes I have to always ask myself about my "level" because of this.

I hope I'm giving enough informations with this post.
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I forgot to tell that my piano teacher teaches in a piano academy but I take private lessons with her and she has only another private student who is very very young so that's why I don't have the possibility to meet other piano students.
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For those who want to see how I play on my instagram account pf.o_ there is a video of me playing Bach invention no 4.

This makes sense, but I didn't have a problem with you asking regardless of this fact...it's just natural.

Trust your teacher, they know what they're talking about, unless you think they are lying?
Every step is hard fought for everyone. Piano is not easy, no matter how talented you are.

IMO, 5 hours seems a bit much, unless you are including your reading activities and theory work. Is this what your teacher recommends?

Again, trust your teacher. You may have to take some of these statements on faith, but they supposedly know a LOT more about piano study than you do.


No students at the piano academy? What about students of her colleagues?

Ah, this is essential to make sense of your question.

Then, you could check the admittance requirements for the conservatory. Or maybe contact a conservatory teacher to get an assessment.

OK that explains a lot. You're in a race afterall!

I wish you all the luck with that goal! Keep us informed. Don't get discouraged and trust tour teacher.

+1.

I trust my teacher, maybe I just have to stop watching to 5 years old children who play the Well Tempered Clavier...

I decided my schedule with my piano teacher, the 5 hours include the solfege and the weight exercises. I take breaks every time I need and I divide the 5 hours between morning and afternoon/evening.

I already know the admittance requirements for the conservatory I want to apply and my teacher thinks I will be accepted so I just have to trust her and keep working hard.

Thank you very much Muove!

I love making music and I enjoy myself, I assure you