How to go about choosing a good teacher

[cassiato]

hey all,

I am 20 years old, have always wanted to learn piano but never had the time/money.  Ive been having lessons for 3 months now but I am very unsatisfied with my current teacher.  For one thing, he is 23 years old, and to me that just does not garner any good amount of respect for his abilities.  But, more importantly, I feel that his teaching style does not mesh very well with what I would like to accomplish.  

He has had me do Book One of the Bastein Adult series, but in all honesty I simply cannot stand it.  Nothing in there is musically satisfying in the least bit nor do I feel I am making any sort of reasonable progress.  Furthermore, we have not even started scales.   I've actually had to suggest some pieces to play myself (some beginner Bach).  Also doing some stuff on my own.  

Also, the "kiddie book" style of this book is ever so frustrating because before I ever took lessons I've messed around on a keyboard and so have a decent sense of relative pitch (can figure out melodies in any key if I have them memorized- how they sound that is, since before lessons I have not learned notation).

Anyway, the point is, I plan to change teachers but

I am not sure what would be the best way to go about making sure that a teacher I do take lessons with is thoroughly knowledgable and can help me advance quickly.  As it is, I've lost a good deal of time, and have a pretty loaded college coursework (not the summer though).  I really dont want to waste anymore time than I have to.  

So I am asking for suggestions on things I could maybe ask prospective teachers, what sorts of answers to look for so I know I will be in pretty good hands.  

Any input I can get from anyone is appreciated...

particularly from Barnhard, if you're reading this.

thanks.

[m1469]

Well, I am definitely no Bernhard, but I am m1469  , and I have a few things to say...

Things for you to consider before talking with another teacher:

What exactly do you want from a teacher? Do you know?  (I think it is okay not to know exactly)

What kind of music do you want to learn? (you mentioned Bach, so I assume Classical, is there anything else?)

How committed are you willing to be toward practicing what your teacher requests?

What are your goals? (Do you want to perform on any level?)

How committed are you to reaching your own goals?


Questions for Teacher:

Why do you teach piano?  

(you will learn most of what you need to know by asking this question (if you are observant); whether they are comfortable or not with this question can tell you MUCH!)

Do you have student performances?

(other questions related to your specific goals)

What style of music will you help me learn?


Other things to do and observe...

Tell this person what you want to achieve... then watch them closely... Do they really listen to you and what you are saying?  Do they seem to have a personal interest in helping you to develop as a pianist and a person?  Are they discouraging in your goals, or encouraging?

Do they seem passionate about their work?  Do they seem genuinely excited about music and the instrument itself?

Play for him/her... does s/he have any thoughts about how to help you?

Do you feel inspired by this person?  Do you feel comfortable with this person?

Or, perhaps you don't feel comfortable asking a certain person any of these questions, why not?  

ALWAYS observe closely.

Credentials can tell you suprisingly little about how a certain teacher will work for you!  DO NOT JUDGE a teacher strictly on their biography or what they tell you they have "accomplished" (which is often not exactly as shimmery as it may seem)

There are really great teachers in the most surprising places, and with the most surprising backgrounds.

In my opinion, a good fit for a motivated student, is a teacher who is motivated to help a good student learn.   And, you can figure out fairly quickly, with some of my suggestions above, whether that is the case or not.

Ultimately though, what you get out of your lessons depends on what you are willing to put in.

m1469  

[Saturn]

I agree with mostly everything m1469 said, but especially this:

Credentials can tell you suprisingly little about how a certain teacher will work for you!  DO NOT JUDGE a teacher strictly on their biography or what they tell you they have "accomplished" (which is often not exactly as shimmery as it may seem)

Do NOT trust a teacher that relies on their credentials as proof of their teaching ability!  If the only evidence of their worth as a teacher is a title after their name or a degree they earned many years ago, then you'll probably want to keep looking.  A good teacher won't need to impress you or sell themselves to you like a salesman markets pianos.

Here are a couple good ways to find good teachers:
1) Find good students.  Good students require good teachers.  If you see a good pianist, ask who his instructor is.
2) Get teacher recommendations from the music department of a university or conservatory.

Be observant and be sensitive to your first impressions.  You probably have a pretty good idea of what kind of teacher you want, and you will probably know, upon a single meeting, whether or not a certain teacher is for you.

- Saturn

[cassiato]

m1469, thanks for your reply.

What I want out of piano:

To reach a point where I am able to tackle just about any piece I would like to play.  I am basically interested in classical, I'd love to learn many of Beethoven's sonata's some of chopin's works, a good deal of Bach, Mozart, Grieg, Hayden, Liszt.  Point is I want to be technically profecient enough to be able to do these things.  

How much work am I willing to put in?  As much as it takes.  I pay for my own lessons, I pay for my own instrument, this is something that I am very passionate about..

this is why I want to make sure I get the best teaching I can, so as not to waste time.  

[m1469]

Okay Cassiato, GREAT!

A few things to think about...

You having the desire to be able to tackle just about any piece you want to play is FABULOUS!  For you to have this particular desire, means to me that you must know you can do it, and that you have some sort of vision about what this means to you.  

This is great, but you must think sincerely about one thing... should you embark on this "journey" (I know, a little corny  ) you will not see the last vision first.  Don't let your current idea of what it means to you to be able to tackle whatever piece you may want, cloud the need for attention and detail every step of the way (and infact, stunt your growth).  Do you understand?  Inevitably, anybody's current view of a distant goal, is limited by circumstance and relative ignorance.

You have said that you are willing to do whatever it takes, and this is great!  But, rest assured, you will have to make good on this statement as you go along your way, over, and over, and over again.  Sometimes consciously moment by moment.

So, always keep your life-goal in mind, but allow it to grow and change as you take the steps toward it.  You cannot truly imagine what lay ahead of you.  In essence, you must allow your life goal to become impersonal and unfold its own meaning and purpose in the world and in your life.  And, it will!!!  True and heartfelt desire is a gift in and of itself, and you must learn how to focus this in the most efficient ways, without getting in the way of it.

As far as advancing quickly, the most deteriorating force in the efforts toward proficiency, is ego of any kind.  The more your thought is focused on you and what you want to achieve, or are achieving, or have achieved (or havn't) in a personal sense, the more time you waste.  This little devil can be incredibly beguiling and extremely difficult to detect sometimes, so always check in mentally!  Self-pity, envy, pride, etc. etc.  Once these take over, you lose the battle.

When your thought is purely open to the Music, you will gain at rapid rates (but don't pat yourself on the back unless you are ready to stop progressing for a while).  Your goal should always be in selfless servitude to the art.  Or, should I say, if this is the case, your steps will be much more rewarding and meaningful and your "end" results will be deeply satisfying (I don't really believe that there is an end).

So, you want to find a teacher that is not too caught up in him or her own self, you want a teacher that also puts the Music first.  A teacher who serves the Music, will serve a student wanting to learn about the Music.  You want somebody who can relatively share your distant vision, but has ideas about the steps you can take to get there.  And, they should be willing to go there with you!

This is the ideal.  The fact of the matter is, you do not need the ideal to learn a lot!  You simply need a willingness to learn whatever you can, from whomever, and not let your ego get in the way of this (by the way, I am not suggesting to maintain a self-imposed lack of confidence, ego and confidence are very different things!).

The truth of the matter is, you will have to reckon it all out at the end of each day.  It is you who will have to bush whack at times to make out what you are to learn from each situation.  Don't waste your time with worrying too much, just thoughtfully point, and intuitively walk.

m1469