how should I get my teacher to make me do harder pieces

[asianpianoer]

I've just started with a new teacher for less than 2 terms. my teacher is good but how do I get him to push me more?

[jesc]

A teacher will push you more if he/she thinks you are ready for it. Hence you must prove yourself to him/her by either completing pieces very quickly and playing them perfectly which is a sign that you're having a very easy time.

Usually, if you have a passion for the piano you don't need anyone to push you further. Umi Garret, a prodigy, had to be given strict schedules on when she could play the piano cause she has a tendency to play it all the time.

In my case though, I usually surprise my teacher with new, more difficult pieces I learned on the side. I remember in my early teens when I completed Revolutionary Etude, Liebestraum and Moonlight Sonata 3rd mvmnt, etc. outside my usual lessons. These are piece my teacher wouldn't have given me at the time. However time and again I proved that I could play the pieces I wanted to play. This will open your teacher to see your actual capabilities.   

[qoogla_55]

 

[liordavid]

take a piece that you want to study, play it for your teacher, and see what she thinks

[faulty_damper]

I must disagree with the advice previously given, especially about doing things behind your teacher's back.  This is an insult for the teacher.  If he is really as good as you say he is, it is best to follow this advice which is to not insult your teacher.

As I interpret your words, what you are really saying is that you do not have the confidence in your own abilities; you are reliant on your teacher's advice and guidance.  This is such a great opportunity for you!  Communicate this to him and a world of possibilities opens up for both your teacher and yourself, if your teacher is as good as you say he is.

Last comment, perhaps the most important: why is it that you are comfortable communicating your thoughts to people whom you have never met as opposed to someone you've had an actual relationship with for the past two terms?  Communication is key to getting your wishes fulfilled.

I say this as someone who has had poor communications with past teachers.  I realize now that what I could have learned from them could have been much more than I had learned.

[faulty_damper]

Let me guess your ethnicity: you are Chinese or some other rice-staple derivative.
Your teacher is Caucasian.

Asians and Caucasians have different communication styles.  He's probably older so don't expect him to learn how to improve his communication skills because he may not be aware he needs it.  But you do.

Asians tend to have some weird thing about regarding teachers with respect and stand to be distant from them because they are viewed with reverence.  This is a mistake in Western cultures.  Westerners like the status but they don't like the behavior Asians use for reverence which is to speak little and do everything they say.  Instead, they like to be complimented for their knowledge and abilities and use chit chat to communicate.

Here is how you'll improve your communication skills.  Ask him about how he started playing the piano.  If he said his mother made him, tell him your mother made your play, too!  (But only if it's true.)  Try to get him to talk about difficulties he's had in the past and what he did to improve his abilities.  If you can make a transfer from his response to how you would like to improve your own abilities, and be challenged, make it known.

During the conversation you can prime him by using these terms: excel, strength, speed, dexterity, facility, technique.  Priming is the insertion of an idea that relates to a larger piece.  Notice that these priming words relate to the playing aspect of piano.  What will happen if you use these words in conversation is you steer it toward this topic.  This is where you can build up an idea in your teacher's mind and then when the opportunity arises, you transfer these ideas onto yourself, and how he can help you improve them.

Communicate!

[thalbergmad]

I must disagree with the advice previously given, especially about doing things behind your teacher's back. 

Yeh, I go along with this.

What is the point in having a teacher if you are not going to follow their instructions.

Thal

[lostinidlewonder]

If you read the original posters other posts it says that he is doing AmusA and doing 2 hours a day.  Why are you so worried about not being pushed enough if you are already preparing for an examination? If you where not doing exams then I could understand that you may feel unchallenged. You are never prepared enough for exams so you better start rethinking the respect you give to them.

[amelialw]

talk to your teacher about it....and tell him/her that you want to be pushed more...there's no harm in it.

[liordavid]

Let me guess your ethnicity: you are Chinese or some other rice-staple derivative.
Your teacher is Caucasian.

Asians and Caucasians have different communication styles.  He's probably older so don't expect him to learn how to improve his communication skills because he may not be aware he needs it.  But you do.

Asians tend to have some weird thing about regarding teachers with respect and stand to be distant from them because they are viewed with reverence.  This is a mistake in Western cultures.  Westerners like the status but they don't like the behavior Asians use for reverence which is to speak little and do everything they say.  Instead, they like to be complimented for their knowledge and abilities and use chit chat to communicate.

Here is how you'll improve your communication skills.  Ask him about how he started playing the piano.  If he said his mother made him, tell him your mother made your play, too!  (But only if it's true.)  Try to get him to talk about difficulties he's had in the past and what he did to improve his abilities.  If you can make a transfer from his response to how you would like to improve your own abilities, and be challenged, make it known.

During the conversation you can prime him by using these terms: excel, strength, speed, dexterity, facility, technique.  Priming is the insertion of an idea that relates to a larger piece.  Notice that these priming words relate to the playing aspect of piano.  What will happen if you use these words in conversation is you steer it toward this topic.  This is where you can build up an idea in your teacher's mind and then when the opportunity arises, you transfer these ideas onto yourself, and how he can help you improve them.

Communicate!

Thanks for guessing my ethnicity. . You were very wrong. MI am American and Jewish. My ancestry comes from eastern europe.. I cant belive that you streo-types to guide you through life

[go12_3]

Whoa there!  I think this thread isn't about ethnicity, liordavid.  The post isn't about YOU, it's about a student,  posted  by asianpianoer , that just started a subject "How should I get my teacher to make me do harder pieces."   

[liordavid]

thank GOD it wasn't about me. (need relief emoticon)

[wert718]

Well then, forget ethnicity.

[jesc]

Good thing this thread became active again cause I see lots of misunderstandings, stereotyping and outright knee-jerk reactions.

First off, there are the regular lessons and pieces that your teacher has assigned to you. My first paragraph above emphasized the importance of finishing all the tasks the teacher has assigned to you (especially in a very satisfactory/excellent manner). This is important before you get the right to study a piece outside the usual lessons.

There will be a "disrespect" to your teacher IF you don't complete the tasks assigned to you and you suddenly introduced a piece you wanted to play. Which means you don't care what your teacher thinks is good for you. This is bound to destroy the pedagogical relationship and will make matters a lot worse. Don't introduce a new piece until you've accomplished all the "official" things your teacher wanted you to accomplish.

I should emphasize, my post above when I finished Moonlight sonata 3rd mvt, Revolutionary, LIebestraum 3, outside the usual lessons, I completed and played flawlessly all the tasks originally assigned to me by the teacher.

So what your teacher would be thinking is, "Ok, you've finished quickly and played all the things I've assigned to you and you've also learned an ADDITIONAL piece on the side."

Instead of

"Why did you study that piece INSTEAD of the ones I've assigned to you?" Which will be the normal reaction since "Instead" is the right word because you didn't finish the task/piece assigned to you.

BTW I like amelialw's advice. If you can establish a direct/frank relationship with your teacher, the better.

[april]

I really like your reply to this jesc. As a teacher (and student) - I've been there.
I found it really frustrating as a teacher when students would do this - especially when not having learned what they were assigned. Often is was just a whim, and they would find they weren't ready for the more difficult pieces - no matter how much they wanted to play them.
As a student - I would always learn my assigned pieces first. And then present the harder piece. I found that I progressed quite nicely.
The teacher/coach I work with now is pretty supportive and encouraging - but I will listen to his opinion most of the time. He knows me pretty well and knows what I can and can't do easily. Nice to be an adult though - cuz sometimes I just want my own way! lol

[asianpianoer]

@faulty damper
thanks for the advice. yeah - asian. i like the rice bit.

um. we talk quite a bit. I'm not the normal quiet asian though.
I think I have sort of found out why - he wants me to get a better piano. - expensive grand

@jesc. Yeah i work on a lot of pieces myself, that i'm sure i wouldn't be allowed to do because of the piano. I can't help it.

[mcdiddy1]

I've just started with a new teacher for less than 2 terms. my teacher is good but how do I get him to push me more?

My teacher would assign me three pieces: one the teacher felt I would be required to do to develpe technique, usually Bach, a piece that I wanted to learn and loved, and a piece that would I would pick after my teacher played for me and asked which one I wanted to learn. You really get the best of both worlds that way.

You should try and communicate with your teacher and find out why your teacher wants you to play certain pieces. I would assign certain pieces to particually pieces to improve techniques that would aid them in more advance pieces later on that were seemed simplier.

During the summer I learned a Liszt Transdental Etude so well the teacher had me played for a many performance. The teacher even helped me with it. I think our relationship worked because there was a lot of freedom to grow but still a plan to get better. I am a teacher and I know I don't know everything about my students potential to grow and desires. When  I give students the freedom to pick their own piece they usually come up with something that is beyond their level anyways. I dont belive in just blindly following teachers perceptions because it can stifle a student's growth. There is no way my teacher would have given me such a difficult piece but i was very successful and I got a lot better from playing it.

I would say work on the pieces that you are learning and in the meantime learn something more challenging you had in mind and at a certain point ask him to listen to it and help you with it...I am sure if hes a good teacher he wouldnt refuse and might see you have the potential to handle pieces like that.