most important discipline

[jeremyjchilds]

Just interested in your thoughts and polls. I have definite opinions, but will not "start on one" someone else do that please!!

[bernhard]

None of them will make much difference in teaching. Not that a teacher should not have them, but people who have them do not necessarily make (good) teachers.

The most important discipline is the ability to impart these disciplines to the student. And to do that there is far more extra work than simply possessing them.


Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[lostinidlewonder]

It depends on the type of student. If you have amazing musical interpretation and you are teaching a 5 yr old beginner your knowledge of Beethoven Sonata's will do them no good. If you know lots about technical procedure and how to strike the piano you will not really help an advanced student who wants to know how to improve their interpretation and visualisation of sheet music/patterns. Most important thing for a teacher is to have a personal interest in their students progress. If you have that everything else falls in line really.

[jeremyjchilds]

Oh come on, can we not just indulge in a hypothetical generalization once in a while?

[bernhard]

Sorry

 

Ok, then. My choice would probably be a discerning ear, followed by repertoire interpretation.

Technical facility would be the least important, because there are many famous teachers who due to different circumstances lost their technical facility, and this didn't impair their teaching ability (Leon Fleisher - who lost the use of the right hand due to injury and Felix Blumenthau - who had to abandon his performer career and turn to teaching due to the consequences of syphilis come to mind).

Again, fluent reading does not seem to terribly impair someone's teaching ability.

However, lack of knowledge of repertory and its proper interpretation would be a handcap, and being deaf would certainly finish any teacher's career.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[alzado]

These four "stack the deck."

I could not choose between these four.

Best luck in your efforts . . . . . .

[jeremyjchilds]

However, lack of knowledge of repertory and its proper interpretation would be a handcap, and being deaf would certainly finish any teacher's career.

Well, what do you know, I agree with Bernard....

I think that the other two are only important for reasons that have to do with a student's admiration for the teacher (which for right reasons or not, can be a contributing factor to sucess)

But on the other hand, being incredible good-looking can contribute just the same...

I think though,

[pianoannie]

Ok, just to indulge in your hypothetical generalization, of your limited choices I would choose a discerning ear.

[jeremyjchilds]

Ok, just to indulge in your hypothetical generalization, of your limited choices I would choose a discerning ear.

Sorry to "limit" my choices...I was just using the different sections of the syllabus...I made that clear in my question...

Of course there are other things that are important for a teacher to have...like a lack of body odor...

I am talking about the technical disciplines of playing, and relating them to teaching...

Stop it everyone, you're making me sad telling me "my" choices are limited...these are the examination sections...

BTW, I would agree that a discerning ear would be the most important

[pianoannie]

Sorry to "limit" my choices...I was just using the different sections of the syllabus...I made that clear in my question...

Stop it everyone, you're making me sad telling me "my" choices are limited...these are the examination sections...

Aww shucks....didn't mean to make you sad.  I just figured if I didn't preface my answer with that statement, someone else would interpret my answer to mean I believe only a discerning ear is important for teaching......of course we all know there are many characteristics of a great teacher.
(gee, I never thought about including a lack of body odor in my personal bio!!) 
annie

[jeremyjchilds]

(gee, I never thought about including a lack of body odor in my personal bio!!) 
annie

I would rather have a teacher with a lack of body odor than a teacher with high technical skill...