FIRST POST: Hello to EVERYONE

[rvPianist]

Hello pianists and piano-players!   Want to thank every person who has contributed to this forum with their advice, insight, humour, and of course, their questions. I've spent nearly 2 months wandering through the myriad posts here, and found lots of useful information, motivation, and sometimes (usually) cause for envy!   I dearly love the company of others who share the same passions (who doesn't want that)...and it's hard to find like-minded ppl waaay Down Under...hint hint...I hope I can get lots of correspondence from all!

Let me introduce myself. I have roughly 4 years of solid piano experience, interspersed in about 6 years (time away from piano for various reasons). Throughout the 4 years, I've had few lessons (about 15-20) but found these to be nerve-racking because of less-than-personable teachers. I guess my bad experience with 'reputed' teachers have left me very anxious about ever attending another piano lesson, so I've been 'on my own' for a long time, so to speak. My technical abilities aren't too bad, considering the above scenario; my earliest "difficult" piece was after 2 years - Kreisleriana by Schumann (Just No 1, not the whole work! ). I suppose it's my bad habit to tackle 'heavy-duty' works - but, my heart lies in Romanticism. Thus, I've ignored much Classical and Baroque. My Bach extends to about 2 or 3 preludes from WTC 1.

Without a teacher, progess has been slow and difficult, and I've been teetering on discouragement for a long time. I've wanted to enter college/university, but that's a long story. Fear of auditioning?

So...some of the pieces I am practising, or have PLAYED, include Chopin: Etudes Op 10-1,2,4,5,12, some Preludes (biggest thrill is the bb minor, #16), Rachmaninov: Preludes c# minor, Op 23-5,6, Liszt: Un Sospiro, some Debussy (Pour Le Piano - Prelude, Claire de Lune), Chopin: various Nocturnes, Schubert: 2 impromptus, Saint-Saens: g minor concerto...uuhmmm...

etc etc...can't think of others right now...most of these I studied/studying on my own...

I love to play...want to play everything. There are many others here who feel this way, I'm sure. I hope to hear from many ppl...nothing thrills more, than ppl sharing their passions and motivating one another...

What's stopping me from getting a teacher?

[piccolo]

hello!

I'm just starting out at taking piano seriously, so will be looking for a teacher too soon... have you tried your local music college (if there is one)? Quite apart from the staff teachers, you can often find students who teach to help their finances - of course, that can be a bit hit and miss, but on the other hand, the best flute teacher I ever had was a student when I started studying with her, and I learned more from her than any other flute teacher I've ever had (like you, I had a few dreadful ones!). Then again, my current singing teacher is one of the staff teachers at the same college - I love lessons with her because she's helped me enormously and is a great teacher, and she loves teaching me because I don't have the hang-ups and pressures her college students do, so she has more fun with me than with them! We get on really well and are working towards the same goals, and that's what's important.

If you find a teacher and think about starting with them, talk to them first. Find out if they subscribe to any particular method, like the same composers as you, have other pupils of a similar age to you, and are willing to work towards the same musical goals as you. And, of course, above all, don't have lessons from someone you don't think you'll get on with! Then, if that works out right, have one trial lesson with them and see how you get on. If it doesn't feel right, any good teacher won't be insulted if you ring them and tell them politely you're moving on.

Go look for a teacher, and remember, you'll be paying them so you need someone who's worth the money - don't be scared of interviewing them before you start! They are providing a service, after all!

Good luck!