Best source for looking for a qualified teacher

[rickms]

Can anyone tell me about the best method for finding a qualified teacher. I live in New Jersey.

Thank you,

Rick

[dinosaurtales]

Are you an adult?  How *old*?  Beginner or have you played a while?  Classical?  Jazz?  This stuff might make a difference in how hard it is to find a good teacher and where you look.

[rickms]

I'm an adult (age of forty). I was a fairly serious student in my teens although I never really pursued serious piano studies after that. I'm not sure what level I was considered at the time, my guess would have been somewhere closer to intermediate. To give you an example of pieces I performed when I was young, I played things like Sonata Pathetique, Malaquena, some Chopin Muzurkas, Polonaise Militaire, Schubert Vier Impromptus.

My focus when I was young was on guitar, I even attended Berklee College of Music for some time. I played guitar professionally for a number of years, but eventually grew sick of the business and lost interest. I now work in the computer field and have delegated my playing to hobbie status.

One of the outcomes of years of bad practice habits and lack of proper training has led  to a number of repetitive stress related hand problems. Guitar severely effects this condition but piano in small doses on electronic keyboards with light action seems to be okay.

I'm looking for a great teacher that is focused on Classical. My goal is to develop a reasonable repertoire both in difficulty and quantity.

Sorry for the long saga.

Thank you for your interest,

Rick

[dinosaurtales]

OK, then, as a grown-up who went through the same thing about a year ago, I say "be prepared to make a lot of phone calls."  

One thing I forgot to ask was: are you in a big city with a university that has a music school, or a small town with hardly anything anywhere.

If you are near a college or university of any kind, that's where I'd start.  If you have no other recommendations, start with the head of the music school and explain your plight.  Your level of play probably won't make much difference to whomever you find, but the fact that you are an adult will.  I called 8 or 9 teachers who either were booked up or didn't take adults before I found my teacher.  You will want a good one, too.  They can be hard to find because the good ones get booked up, but don't give up!  I almost did, and then I found someone who would put up with me.

Good luck!