Does your teacher have random musical/other prejudices?

[calabi_yau]

I think musicians in general are probably a little strange, but teachers, especially those who are professional pianists, seem to be total schizoid lunatics at time (ahem...no offense to mine or to any here. You've taught me everything I know).

One of my teachers hated Gershwin and Schumann with a passion. Every other lesson he would go on this twenty-minute tangent about everyone loves Gershwin and he was absolutely SICK of him and how Schumann was a rubbish composer. It didn't really matter what the subject was, he would somehow turn it into that. Nevertheless, he still had me play some Gershwin preludes, scowling and scoffing the entire time and muttering darkly about how "everyone will love you playing these stupid preludes".

Another one had extremely strong prejudices against any music written post 1860 or so, which she considered "too modern". She had a totally unfounded hatred for Horowitz and Van Cliburn, which seemed to stem from her hatred for males in general. Any music which involved more than an octave stretch she would dismiss as being written by "arrogant men who have huge hands and assume the rest of the world does too" and she seemed to judge most music and musicians on the basis of gender.

My very first teacher was just insane in general, but that doesn't really have to do with prejudices. I haven't had a teacher in several years though, so I figure you guys who are still studying have a lot more bizarre stuff to tell. I've forgotten most of it by now, but it seems like most of my lessons were pretty kafkaesque at the time.

[thalbergmad]

Schumann was a rubbish composer.

Seems like a reasonably balanced person to me.

Thal

[calabi_yau]

Seems like a reasonably balanced person to me.

Thal

It wasn't so much his hatred of Schumann (everyone has their dislikes, even of beautiful music like Schumann's  ), as the way he managed to twist every discussion around to it. If we were talking about fingering, he'd start saying that the fingers have different strengths and it's stupid to try to make them even, like that idiot Schumann did with his stupid device, and went and damaged his hand for life, the stupid dumbass. Or if he wanted to give me a piece by Schubert, he'd make a point of saying loudly, "Not Schumann...I only give pieces by good composers."

[ahinton]

Seems like a reasonably balanced person to me.

Who does? Schumann? We should be told...

Best,

Alistair

[quantum]

All my major teachers seem to have a like towards modern repertoire, and have done many recordings in that genre.  I really haven't found many prejudices.  One thing I did not like was a teacher in the past who only stuck to the RCM conservatory grade books.  It was quite boring rep for me.  

However I've had masterclasses with some pianists who are real characters.  One had a theory that if he randomly tries push my hands of the keys while I play they should stay in place, otherwise I wasn't playing heavy enough!

[Bob]

I've found it wise to be a little vague in mentioning my musical tastes.  There have been several times I've been glad I didn't say, "Oh, I like So-and-So," because the other person launched into criticizing them.  Just makes for an awkward situation.  Or the opposite, saying that I really don't like a certain style. 

And it's around music people and people in general that I do that. 

[imbetter]

My piano teacher hates: Mozart, Chopin 2nd Scherzo, everything jazz.

seems random to me

[lostinidlewonder]

Just say; Those who can't do, teach! Then listen to a 10 hour debuttal I guess I am fortunate, I have never been around such close minded people.

[kelly_kelly]

My piano teacher seems to respect all kinds of repertoire, and in general less opinionated and egotistical about all things music-related than my previous piano teacher, whom I respected, but couldn't work with. I really appreciate her open-mindedness.

[Bob]

I also found they generally disliked modern music, although I ran across one who was really into that and that was pretty much the only thing they did.

In terms of 'those who can't teach,' I do see that, but those college jobs sound pretty good if you can handle it.

[communist]

I would suggest you get a new teacher. Maybe the composer just needed a ninth or tenth to get the harmony they want, just because she can only reach an octave does not mean that the composers have to totally change there music. 1860!?! that's as far as she goes! is this a joke? like.....lol......most of the middle romantic composers composed past than and how can anything be to modern? she also seems very sexist.

[Bob]

The teachers I've met seem to generally lean toward Bach and counterpoint or the Romantic period, usually Chopin.

[rc]

You've found some wacky teachers! 

I had a teacher, briefly, who didn't seem to like classical at all.  He was a jazz man.  When I brought some Bach to him he took a disparaging tone "He's just taking this theme and mixing it all up, that's all there is to it".  I decided this was a match that wasn't going to work, heh.

Next teacher was pretty open minded about music.  Only two complaints - too much coffee!  The guy was WIRED, it was hard to keep up.  Also had this unfortunate idea that being a musician was an excuse for being late.

Current teacher is very professional, she seems to love it.  I'm sure she's heard every piece 100 times, but still is as enthusiastic about it as the student who's learning it for the first time!  Only once did I get a glimpse of her political persuasion, which we shelved right away - to get into it might turn the lesson into a long debate/arguement.

It wasn't so much his hatred of Schumann (everyone has their dislikes, even of beautiful music like Schumann's  ), as the way he managed to twist every discussion around to it.

Well, I know a few people outside of music who are like that.  One friend is quite a curmudgeonly fellow, most discussions wind up moving into his bitter resentment of society at large.  An innocent conversation turns to anger at how awful people and the world are   His mind must be circling around that theme most days, finding reasons as he goes to support the disposition...  (Having known him for some years, even being roomies for a while, I think the real cause of his misery is a direct result of his irresponsibility.  Instead of taking charge, he shakes his fist at the sky.)

My stepmom is good at turning regular conversations morbid.  I know a few horny people who direct everything to sex...

[ahbach]

My old teacher hated the Canon in D she always said it was too over done....she also had a very strong dislike for modern composers she felt that they strayed away from the real art of music...I disagree....and I happen to love the Canon in D 

[n00bhippy]

russian piano teacher...hates kabalevsky. brought in some of his music once, and was given a very big lecture about how Kabalevsky was a bad bad man.

[imbetter]

My teacher generally leans toward Bach and late Russian romantics (Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev ect....) but he generally assigns a good balance and is willing to drift away from those.

[pianochick93]

My piano teacher thinks that Rachmaninoff had serious issues, and so she doesn't like any of his pieces. She shakes her head at me when I bring in some, but still helps me learn them.

She also dislikes most modern music, but I can't say I blame her.

[amelialw]

heh...fortunately my canada teacher who I studied with for 5 years(she's still my teacher to me and will never be my ex-teacher...haha...she still gives me advice& helps me secretly*shh*. The only piece she ever seemed to be against teaching me was Haydn's C major Sonata Hob.35 when we were picking my Grade 10 Haydn Sonata(was'nt going to pick it anyway) but she seemed so panicky when we flipped past it and she said please don't ask me to teach you this cauz i've already taught so many students this same piece...poor her. She loves giving me pieces that none of her students and sometimes she herself has never learnt and she goes through the whole process with me which is really fun.

my teacher now, assigned by the school...i once played Beethoven op.10 no.2 too fast when i 1st met him, he just constantly picked on that fact which caused me to dislike him instantly...when he used that as an excuse for everything. He seems terrified of teaching anything of the advanced level, constantly tries to give me pieces below my level and can't sight-read at all. so it's good i another teacher who preps me for competitions, recitals etc.

[artsyalchemist]

heh...fortunately my canada teacher who I studied with for 5 years(she's still my teacher to me and will never be my ex-teacher...haha...she still gives me advice& helps me secretly*shh*. The only piece she ever seemed to be against teaching me was Haydn's C major Sonata Hob.35 when we were picking my Grade 10 Haydn Sonata(was'nt going to pick it anyway) but she seemed so panicky when we flipped past it and she said please don't ask me to teach you this cauz i've already taught so many students this same piece...poor her. She loves giving me pieces that none of her students and sometimes she herself has never learnt and she goes through the whole process with me which is really fun.

my teacher now, assigned by the school...i once played Beethoven op.10 no.2 too fast when i 1st met him, he just constantly picked on that fact which caused me to dislike him instantly...when he used that as an excuse for everything. He seems terrified of teaching anything of the advanced level, constantly tries to give me pieces below my level and can't sight-read at all. so it's good i another teacher who preps me for competitions, recitals etc.

I'd suggest switching teachers.  I've been in your situation before, and it's really hurt me as a performer because my self-esteem went way down.

[jpowell]

russian piano teacher...hates kabalevsky. brought in some of his music once, and was given a very big lecture about how Kabalevsky was a bad bad man.

Kabalevsky was a great politician (i.e. a great favourite and appeaser of the Soviet regime) - and so made enemies not for musical reasons alone. Perhaps you should bear this in mind, and this might explain your teacher's (quite understandable) opinion of him.

[quantum]

Recently found out that the priest for the church I play at has a very strong dislike of Amazing Grace.  As it is a hymn that is heavily overused, I've only programmed it twice in the last year.  Yet it is probably the most requested hymn by the congregation.  Anyways, this priest tends to dislike any "old" music in general. 

[n00bhippy]

Kabalevsky was a great politician (i.e. a great favourite and appeaser of the Soviet regime) - and so made enemies not for musical reasons alone. Perhaps you should bear this in mind, and this might explain your teacher's (quite understandable) opinion of him.

oh yes. he explained this to me, said he played "bad games" with the government i believe Because of this i am actually not fond of Kabalevsky either...i actually felt a tad guilty when another teacher had me play a work by him.

[mr music]

One of my earlier piano teachers was a bit strange, whenever you began a conversation about a classical pianist/composer/musician who had dabbled into jazz or something other than mainstream pianist/orchestral/song repertoire he would just smile and look away or stop talking all together.

It was very strange because I was dropped of early one-time for a lesson and I could hear him playing 'Take Five' on piano but not just the song he was putting all these jazzy variations into it. I never let him knew I heard this and rang the doorbell much long after he had finished. And when he came to the front door the first thing he said to me was “Your late”.

For someone who had a prejudice to jazz (random or not) or just didn’t like it, he sure played it exceptionally well.

Mr Music.