Chicago piano teachers

[kevink]

Hey everyone!

I have a friend who is preparing for graduate school auditions and is in need of the best possible teacher in the Chicago area.  She's played for many of the great US teachers such as John Perry, Veda Kaplinsky, etc... so that is the level of instruction we're talking about.  I told her I'd do some hunting because neither of us is familiar with Chicago schools or artist-teachers.

Artists who emphasize the Viennese classical--Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, etc--are the most preferred!

Thanks for any suggestions!

[mike_lang]

Emilio del Rosario, perhaps?  He is primarily pre-college, but I believe is also on faculty at Roosevelt.

[pizno]

He's the guy.  He's also on the staff of the  Music Institute of Chicago.  Very good reputation.  I wish I had taken from him when I had the opportunity in the 1970's!

[mike_lang]

He's the guy.  He's also on the staff of the  Music Institute of Chicago. 

Yes - Winnetka campus. 

[nyonyo]

I heard it costs $150 per hour. He is excellent though.

[mike_lang]

$100/hr

[nyonyo]

$100/hr

So that woman lied to me then.....She said her son took lesson from him and she was charged $150 per hour.

$100 is OK for his level. He produces many good pianists. James Giles also charges $100.
But the head of piano dept in DePaul only charges $60 per lesson. A friend of mine had an audition with her. For her caliber, $60 is an excellent rate.

[prongated]

$100 is OK for his level.

...sounds cheap actually! Especially for a guy with that sort of reputation. John Perry charges at least twice that, for instance.

[nyonyo]

...sounds cheap actually! Especially for a guy with that sort of reputation. John Perry charges at least twice that, for instance.

I agree $100 is cheap for him. He produces tons of excellent pianists. Some people are reasonable but some are very greedy. I respect guys like Emelio Rosario, he can rip people off he wants to....But he chooses not....

It seems, however, that the rates in Chicago are lower than those of in California. I guess in CA, there are so many Asians who are willing and can afford to pay big buck. I remember about 15 years ago, most Japanese kids paid about $150 per lesson (1.5 hour).  The teacher was not even a piano performance major in Moscow Conservatory...Doctorate in composition. But he is a good pianist.....

[m]

But the head of piano dept in DePaul only charges $60 per lesson.

If you mean that Eteri Andjaparidze chrages ONLY $60 per lesson, I'd be all over her...

[nyonyo]

Yes, Eteri. A friend of mine had an audition with her, she was willing to give lesson to my friend for $60 per lesson (not per hour). I am not sure if this is her normal rate or not.  She might see potential in my friend. But my friend decided not to take lesson from her, instead take lesson from James Giles for $100 per hours.

[Lebenssturme]

I am also taking lessons with James Giles.
What is your friend's name? Maybe I know his/her!

[nyonyo]

"...He won first prizes at the New Orleans International Piano Competition, the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition, and the Music Teachers National Association Competition. As a student he was awarded the prestigious William Petschek Scholarship at the Juilliard School and the Rudolf Serkin Award for outstanding graduate at the Oberlin College Conservatory..."

I quoted from his web site. Based on this,  James Giles actually has not won prizes in a big competition such as Van Cliburn, Sydney International Piano Competition, Chopin, Lizt etc. He might not be into competition....

[Lebenssturme]

"...He won first prizes at the New Orleans International Piano Competition, the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition, and the Music Teachers National Association Competition. As a student he was awarded the prestigious William Petschek Scholarship at the Juilliard School and the Rudolf Serkin Award for outstanding graduate at the Oberlin College Conservatory..."

I quoted from his web site. Based on this,  James Giles actually has not won prizes in a big competition such as Van Cliburn, Sydney International Piano Competition, Chopin, Lizt etc. He might not be into competition....

Do you think that a pianist is good just because he got into the greatest competitions? I don't agree with you.

[nyonyo]

If you do not know whom to chose to be your teacher, it will be safe to choose number 1 or 2 or 3 winners or any semifinalists  of a big competition such as Van Cliburn, etc. Because we know ,for sure, that they must be a good pianist. Those people may not be a good teacher, but, at least, they will less likely to guide you to incorrect interpretation of music. In addition, there is no contract anyway for you take lesson from them. So you can quit any time if you do not satisfy.

In this modern piano industry, to be a famous pianist, either one needs to be a prodigy and get famous at very young age, or by winning big competitions. For example: Kissin was a prodigy and got famous at very young age, Lang Lang had actually won many competitions when he was young and got famous very young so there is no incentive for him to join any big competitions. Olga Kern became a superstar after winning Van Cliburn, Yundi Li became famous after winning Chopin.

To answer your question, it is true not always (as always in life nothing absolute), but you have to see the pattern. If somebody who has an inclination to be in the public eyes, he or she most likely really wants to win a big competition to promote himself or herself. So if these kinds of people do not have that kind of title are usually because they cannot make it. Otherwise, they would have added to their credential.

[Lebenssturme]

Richter became famous later than it was supposed to be. And I think that he started to dedicate to play piano seriously when he was 12... So, he wasn't any prodigious known pianist and he didn't make competitions.
I am just trying to say that, even there is some true on what you said, it is not the rule.
Besides, I just want to make music, I don't want a star pianist/teacher because I don't want to be  star. And there are many many many pianists that got into small competitions or even none of them, and can be great musicians and very inspiring people.

[nyonyo]

For the amount of money that you spend on him, you must be pretty serious in improving your piano performance. Fortunately, in Chicago there are many excellent teachers so we can learn from them. Imagine if we are in the middle of nowhere....

Richter, by the way, was from different era....I do not like his performance anyway...Like a machine..I do not understand why he became so famous and was liked by many people.

[Lebenssturme]

For the amount of money that you spend on him, you must be pretty serious in improving your piano performance. Fortunately, in Chicago there are many excellent teachers so we can learn from them. Imagine if we are in the middle of nowhere....

Richter, by the way, was from different era....I do not like his performance anyway...Like a machine..I do not understand why he became so famous and was liked by many people.

Actually I feel improving my performance in many ways.

And by the way, Richter is one of my favorite pianists for many years.

[nyonyo]

By the way, do you know if there is a piano society or group in Chicago.
It will be fun to get together and perform for each other.

[Lebenssturme]

Yeah, that sounds interesting. I am in Chicago only since September, so I don't know yet if there is any society or group of piano. Actually I never heard about such a thing. But might be interesting to meet new pianists that way. Are you studying in Chicago to?

[nyonyo]

Yes, I live in the suburb of Chicago.
I moved to Chicago area about 4 years ago. I still do not know a lot of thing in Chicago.
Could you please let me know if you something about piano club or society in the Chicago areas.