To retrain at 50?

[chchachanges]

As a composer?

OK I'd be more likely to make it as a candlestick maker, but is it even slightly realistic.

Has anyone retrained successfully at this age?

Anyone retrained as a composer?

What would/will/might you retrain as?

I presume you mean classical? It's definitely niche and if you are in the UK, it's a risk, given that this government is not investing in the arts and covid has put an end to live entertainment for the forseeable. Would you be a recording artist? Are you good at marketing and building an audience / following?

However, if you can afford to do it, if you are well-connected or if you are gifted, go for it. All the best to you!

Retraining - absolutely. You have fifteen years (or more) of work ahead of you.

As a composer? Not if you’re actually needing to make a living from it. Both the (very talented) composers I know work freelance and have had some very lean times over the years - particularly the case now - and seen many colleagues give up along the way because they couldn’t break into the world.

Yes why not.

I'm retraining as a sculptor. My first work will be a bust of Rishi Sunak.

Depends on your circumstances. If you have well paid partner or an independent second source of income, it's possible. If you are solely responsible for paying the mortgage and putting food on the table, probably not a great idea.

How much musical training do you have already? Are you a proficient musician? Is it possible to make money teaching instrumental and theory lessons etc with composing just part of your work? Tbh, the composing is better left as a hobby if you need to earn enough to live on :-s