More than one teacher

[Zim]

Hello,

I am enrolled in a group piano class at the local college, and also have a private teacher, 1 hour/week. My private teacher has found that the college class has really helped my sightreading skills and is not at all threatened. Also at the college we learn about chord progressions and harmonization, which my private teacher doesn't cover.

After my third (and final) quarter of piano at the college, I thought about finding a 2nd teacher, just because I know there are so many teachers with valuable skills to share, and I am at a very ambitious period in my piano life. It is not that I feel my current teacher is inadequate. I'm hungry to learn and would like to get to know other teachers. My thinking was to find a 2nd teacher who stresses technique/correct motion, etc. strongly, over learning a lot of pieces week after week.

Do any of you have 2 teachers, and have you encountered many problems?

I am at about the mid-intermediate level. I've retained some of what I learned 20 years ago when I used to be able to play Fur Elise perfectly with no mistakes. I'm working on it again.

Thanks for you input!

Zim

[Clare]

Yes, I have two teachers!

The reason why I have two is because I decided to continue with my private teacher after I got into music at university.

I find that the teacher at university and my original teacher very rarely contradict one another, and often I end up hearing the same thing about my playing from both teachers in the same week. That's actually a good thing, because then I really pay attention.
The reason why my two teachers are similar might have something to do with both of them having graduated from the same place, though they don't actually know each other at all. Or it might just be that good teachers would say the same thing the whole world over.
Even though the two teachers say similar things, they very often pick up on different deficiencies in my playing, so that's good. Also, one is more concerned with my technique, and the other one with interpretation.
So, I say, go for the two teachers if you think it will be good for you, because I'm finding I'm improving so much more now. That might have something to do with me practicing twice as much as I used to, though.

[Tash]

i used to have two teachers, i'd have one for two weeks and then switch and have the other for the next two weeks etc. but then one couldn't come on the day i have lessons so i'm back to one.

i found this good in a way because they both noticed different things in my playing but also for a few things they contradicted each other and i didn't know who to listen to because they were both very good teachers, so then it's more up to you and what you think is better. but i think it is good to have another person giving their opinion and advice on your playing, i think i'd like to go back to having 2 teachers again...

[donjuan]

My teacher is away on an adjudicating tour right now.  As a result, his wife is teaching me.  Their teaching styles vary significantly.  However, I believe it is good to have multiple teachers to enhance our perceptions of any given piece of music.  my replacement teacher always catches things my regular teacher would have never said anything about.  Im sure it is all constructive, even though at times, quite frustrating...
donjuan