Two teachers

[Zim]

Hello to all teachers!

I have posted a similar message to the Student Forum.

I wanted to know how the teachers on this forum felt about your students having a 2nd teacher, as long as the other teacher's methods did not conflict with your own. If you stress a certain style such as learning a lot of pieces, and maybe some basic theory, while a second teacher stressed more technique and harmonization, would you feel threatened?

Currently, my private teacher is not at all threatened by my group adult piano class at the college where we learn about chord progressions and harmonization. She finds it interesting to know what is being taught and how, and has even helped me with some of my pieces. However, I have one quarter of group piano left, and will be left with just private lessons(1 hour/week).

I enjoy variety, meeting other piano students/teachers, and am not trying to be disloyal, just ambitious.

Thanks for your input!

Zim

[kulahola]

It depends on the age and how autonomous the student is. For kids, I would not accept it.

[glamfolk]

It's great for students to realize that two people can have different viewpoints on the same subject.  It's a nice way for students to get input on different composers.  If one teacher teaches Chopin really well and has an affinity for his music while the other has a great affinity for Beethoven's stylings, the student can only benefit.   I get a bit of a charge out of telling my students that their "other" teacher is wrong, though.  It can be annoying, to have to reteach someone who has picked up a lot of bad habits.  

[tomclear]

I think it's great; the more the merrier.  I have only one student who can afford to do this, but it has been a wonderful experience for all involved:
The two teachers:
Me: self-taught, very good at sight-reading, transposing, improvising;
Sofia: 50 years at the Moscow Conservatory--nuff said?
Far from being confused, the talented little boy who's studying with us both has learned at the age of eight to be flexible, adventuresome and extremely diplomatic.

[ludwig]

wow I have found a thread with a similar question I wanted to ask... I love digging old threads up and reading/posting... Anyways, I have been asked to teach a couple of students who already have a piano teacher, I feel a little uncomfortable about this not because I feel guilty, but because I am afraid of the conflicting things I have to say about their playing to the other teacher, especially technical elements. The parents are very keen for them to have a different teacher so that they gain a wider variety of musical perceptions and techniques, but I find it difficult when telling them to do something their other teacher haven't asked for.... For example, the other day one of the kids showed me how she played a simple Bach piece for her exams, as soon as I heard it I knew that I would not play the phrases as legato, instead I would seperate most of the notes, especially the left hand accompaniment figure, so I was hesistant to ask her to try it the way I hear it and would play it/teach it.... There are other things like these such as dynamics and shaping the melody differently, hand positions and fingerwork for certain articulation things I wanted them to try, but I'm a little scared.... what do you think? How should I approach this situation?

[jeremyjchilds]

I'm known as the Jazz teacher around these parts (even though I love the classics...Especially  Brahms )

What I'm trying to say, is that Many other teachers in my association refer students to me to learn jazz, so I have "double students" so to speak, and it's never been a problem, I guess maybe because we are all friends...

Of course, I guess also, that if one of my jazz students wanted to take lessons from another jazz teacher, that might be a little different. I can't really forsee any problems, but things are always different when you are in the middle of it all.

To go along with the spirit of this thread, Has anyone ever thought of starting a student rotation every few years with the other teachers in the area's association. This would be an interesting thing, for those students who are interested. THe positive results of this would be obvious, anyone forsee negatives??