ABSTRACT
In contrast to many professions, such as class-teaching, mechanical engineering or accountancy, a pianist does not start his or her professional life by gaining relevant qualifications, attending interviews and being accepted for a job. It might be thought that when it came to developing a professional performing career, pianists would have been helped by the various conservatoires that they attended. Career promotion via the National Gallery concerts or anything equivalent has been unavailable to more recent generations of pianists. A number of audition procedures were available to pianists wishing to embark on a career in mid-twentieth-century England, some more formalised than others, but auditioning was very much on the self-promotion agenda. Competitions may be regarded not only as public auditions but also as quality control mechanisms, ones that have had widespread effects, replacing several of the formerly established career-launch procedures.
