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I've just turned 26 years. 7 years ago after I got my performers certificate in solo piano I stopped taking piano lessons due to university commitments. Recently I've gotten back into playing seriously, and thinking of taking lessons again and working towards piano diplomas, e.g. an ATCL. I'm wondering whether that is unrealistic thinking. I mean I haven't played seriously for 7 years and I have a full time job. I consider myself to be a good pianist, but maybe not a great pianist if you know what I mean. Can some other piano teachers offer some advice?

I'm not a piano teacher, and I'm not familiar with ATCL (don't even know what it is, care to enlighten me? ). But if you really love playing the piano, and think it will make you more happy and satisfied in life, I say go for it! You won't regret it, I'm sure.

ATCL = associate level of Trinity College of London. I did all my piano exams under Trinity College. There are 3 piano diplomas and ATCL is the first one.

Oh, so it's kind of the equivalent of what ABRSM, FRSM, and LRSM is in the United States?

Yes that is the Royal School of Music system, which I also could have studied under, but my teacher put me under the Trinity College of London system. Under Trinity, there is the ATCL, the LTCL and the FTCL. So any thoughts? Which one do you have?

Well, what would you do with the diploma once you had it? Were you thinking of teaching? Or would it just be "there" in the closet?

What's your full-time job? Do you want to make "piano" your career, or are you happy with the career you have now, and you could be perfectly happy just having "piano" be a hobby?

Mathilde,

I don't think I'd be teaching piano professionally in future. So the diploma if I earned it will just be there, except I'll put it on the wall as opposed to in the closet :-)

As for my job, I'm an IT consultant. I don't want to make piano my career, as I feel I have missed the boat already. I'm happy with my career now, having worked for 3 years now. Though I wouldn't mind doing small recitals in the community.

I suppose the reason I'm posing this question to myself is because I want to know what could have become if I continued solidly during those lost 7 years. I want to see how far I can go.