What Level of Piano Am I (Is My Child) at?
So you’ve been playing the piano for some time, and you might start to wonder, where does this all lead, and where am I on the piano journey? This question is a very personal one; there is no one “right” track that everyone must be on, just like there is no one right way to enjoy a journey. That being said, there are some popular destinations, common routes, and landmarks that can give you an idea of where you are and where you can go from there.
The following are some major landmarks (“stages”) that you can look out for, for a typical classical training approach of 10-12 years, which is just one route among many. The destination in this case is being able to read and play the standard classical repertoire fluently, with a strong musical foundation that will allow you to take the journey further in any direction from there, if you choose to.
(Caveat: The number of years it takes for each stage is given with the assumption that the student is making steady progress with regular practice. Without this, someone could be “learning” piano for 10 years and still be stuck at the elementary stage. Similarly, with poor teaching and/or poor practicing habits, they could be on a level 5 book but only really have the skill that qualifies for a level 1 or 2 book—for example, insecure reading or lack of a sense of rhythm. The most reliable marker, therefore, is the actual “skill” the student has built, not the number of “years” or the “level” of the book they are using.)
Elementary Stage (“Elementary School”)
Timeline: Years 1-4
Example Books: Faber’s Piano Adventures Primer through Level 3B, Snell’s Essential Piano Repertoire Prep through Level 3
Example Pieces: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Minuet in G from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
Skills Learned: Basic music reading, Foundational techniques and proper posture, Understanding of basic musical terms and concepts, Ability to sing and count accurately
Analogy: Learning the alphabets and basic vocabulary to be able to read kids’ books
Intermediate Stage (“Middle School”)
Timeline: Years 5-8
Example Books: Faber’s Piano Adventures Level 4-5, Burgmüller-Czerny-Hanon Levels 1-3, Snell’s Essential Piano Repertoire Levels 4-6, Sonatinas, Bach Inventions
Example Pieces: Chopin’s Waltz in A Minor, Für Elise
Skills Learned: Fluent reading of full staff, chords, shifting positions, Refinement of technique, Phrasing and musicality, Theoretical understanding of musical concepts, Ability to feel and produce more complex rhythms
Analogy: Expanding the vocabulary, learning grammar, and reading multi-chapter books
Advanced Stage (“High School and College”)
Timeline: Years 9-12
Example Books: Snell’s Essential Piano Repertoire Levels 7-10, Individual repertoire
Example Pieces: Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata
Skills Learned: Interpretation, Execution and delivery, Advanced techniques & theoretical concepts, Ability to read or independently figure out any written music with complex chords, positions, and rhythms, Ability to play with any other musicians and in different contexts, Can consider applying to conservatories
Analogy: Reading full-length classic literature and being able to write essays on them
Professional Level (“Grad School and Beyond”)
Timeline: Decades / Lifetime
Example Books: What books?
Example Pieces: The sky’s the limit!
Skills Learned: Deepening individual expression and style, possible branching into other genres and niches
Analogy: Writing and Ph.D thesis and doing professional work, continuing education
You might be saying, 10-12 years, that’s too much! What I have laid out above is the roadmap for mastery of the instrument (remember the 10,000 hour rule of mastering any subject—that is roughly 10 years of daily practice of 2-3 hours). Even then, I believe that true mastery is really a life-long journey, each person with their own Mount Everest (and beyond) to climb, if they choose to accept the challenge. Of course, not everyone is interested in going that distance in piano; you might just want to sightsee and enjoy a few things along the way. Nonetheless, I hope the roadmap above gives you a perspective to keep in mind as you traverse the land on your piano journey. There is a place for everyone to enjoy themselves, no matter how far or high they choose to travel.
Happy journeying!