Your Teacher's (immortal :)) Voice

[m19834]

I am wondering from anyone who is a student or has ever been a student about something interesting.  I was talking with a friend yesterday about teachers and piano and such, and we discussed some specifics along the lines of each one of us and our own experiences.  My friend mentioned that he still has the voice of one of his teachers with him constantly at the piano.  That it is as though this teacher is there in a sense, and that it is as though the teacher is aware of what my friend is doing, even though they do not talk together anymore now for years.

That got me thinking, does everybody have some specific teacher's voice more or less imprinted on their musical soul ? hee hee.  My suspicion is that an individual may work or may have worked with a number of teachers, and perhaps bits and pieces come up from those experiences, but that there remains one individual, one teacher, whose voice is more or less permanently with the student in a unique way.  Is that true ?

In my own experiences, it has been some kind of 'presence' as well as a voice ... somehow deeply imprinted on my perception of "all things" musical.  And, though I have had a few teachers, and yes, bits and pieces come up, there has been one main influence that had stayed with me.  I am curious if, for one, that happens to most people, but secondly, if it is likely to change over the course of one's endeavor.  How likely is it for that 'presence' to change 'hands', so to speak, for most people ? 

I think that what had been for me for years before is now changing.

Thanks .

[rob47]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abomination_(Dune)

[ahbach]

You know, now that you say it, I always seem to here one of my teachers in my mind telling me what to do when I sit down to pratice piano, I haven't had a teacher for some time but I can still here her voice telling me to sit up, or slow down, etc. I guess it's kind of funny and slightly creepy, lol!! but I'm glad I have her still in the back of my mind!!!

[mr music]

Various things come to mind and I feel different degrees of presence from past teachers and usually if I play particular pieces. I guess it's how you related to that particualr person.

But my first real teacher (who taught me as a kid) died only recently. He was a big man and a real giant in the music world. He only ever taught by singing the music, which is probably why his voice is so engrained in my head. Sadly I never really kept in touch the last couple of years, but I never forgot his teaching style and could hear his voice in most pieces I played anyway.

But now I am middle-aged and he is gone from this world, I feel his presence even more. Whenever I need to play double forte (I used to love getting his back up, FORTISSIMO! NOT DOUBLE FORTE he would yell back at me) or in a style of cantabile, I only need to think back to the times when he used to sing my music. Sometimes I think I maybe going mad. I don't have nightmares or anything, but there is definitely a presence when I play or need help with something.

[tsagari]

I have this experience myself . The voice of the teacher correcting my making comments etc. Thanks god I am not mad . It happens to other people too.