Piano Forum



Rhapsody in Blue – A Piece of American History at 100!
The centennial celebration of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue has taken place with a bang and noise around the world. The renowned work of American classical music has become synonymous with the jazz age in America over the past century. Piano Street provides a quick overview of the acclaimed composition, including recommended performances and additional resources for reading and listening from global media outlets and radio. Read more >>

Topic: Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.  (Read 1917 times)

Offline megadodd

  • PS Silver Member
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.
on: December 16, 2011, 12:24:31 PM
I've been wondering this for quite some time, perhaps there is no deffinite answer.

Do the teacher generally have a "plan" or a goal for each student?
Can you list some examples please.
What is usually the goal of assigning alot of new repertoir, and is there a thought behind each piece other than; "Every pianist plays Bach, you must play Bach"? (Not really that broad strokes but you get the idea I think.)

Also, I'm a first year student at music college, me and my teacher are working towards alot of things. It's hard though, to keep track of ones own improvement when you are in the middle of all of them at once, so I basically don't know if I am improving on other parts than theory and sightreading which are the easiest to spot succes in imo.
Is there any way of seeing improvement that I could keep in mind?

And I really love my teacher, she is extraordinary.
I dream of become a great teacher one day, so after 2 years on the pianist edjucation I will try to get into a music teacher school. The one she suggests are a far bit from my current resident and so I will have to switch teacher.
I really want to be her student for life, can this be a possibility in any way?

And you as a teacher, would you feel it would be a good thing (for the student & you) to have one pupil for the entire time of his/her life, well atleast for a long time (10+ years) on a intermediate-advanced level?
What would be the possibilities here, that wouldn't apply to a 3 year long student.
Repertoire.
2011/2012

Brahms op 118
Chopin Preludes op 28
Grieg Holberg Suite
Mendelssohn Piano trio D minor op 49
Rachmaninoff Etude Tabelaux op 33 no 3 & 4 op 39 no 2
Scriabin Preludes op 1

Offline mcdiddy1

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 514
Re: Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.
Reply #1 on: December 16, 2011, 03:45:04 PM
All good teachers have a plan or goal for their students. I am sure there are poor teachers that do not plan.  Why not simply ask your teacher what their goals are? Generally for my students I want them to achieve musical literacy and independence meaning they learn enough to have the tools to figure out the pieces they want to learn on their own  and have the tools to practice. I think the best thing a teacher can do is teach themselves out of a job.

When teachers assign repertoire, thoughts that are behind it should be allowing the student to learn the different style traits of different musical periods, musical practice of different historical periods, as well as benefits to technique. Teachers assign Bach because they musical content is exceptional and they are great pieces to work on finger technique in way that is interesting to listen to yet beneficial to learn.

To see improvement, why don't you record yourself. I still have recordings of my first year of piano lessons and it is striking the development I made from then to now. If the piece you are playing feels easier to play and sounds better that is a good sign you are improving.

I think that feeling of wanting to be a student for life is common when you come to a great teacher but is not beneficial for the student in the long run. I think it is great to keep a good relationship with your teacher after being a student but at a certain point it is time for the student to move on from being a student to being a professional. Nobody knows everything about music. Because you cannot teach what you do not know it is better to continue on and learn from a variety of extraordinary teachers to get a broad scope regardless of how great the teacher is.

Offline megadodd

  • PS Silver Member
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
Re: Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.
Reply #2 on: December 17, 2011, 12:02:45 PM
That is a very helpful and insightful answer mcdiddy, thank you.
Repertoire.
2011/2012

Brahms op 118
Chopin Preludes op 28
Grieg Holberg Suite
Mendelssohn Piano trio D minor op 49
Rachmaninoff Etude Tabelaux op 33 no 3 & 4 op 39 no 2
Scriabin Preludes op 1

Offline amelialw

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1106
Re: Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.
Reply #3 on: December 21, 2011, 04:49:04 AM
so far my good teachers always have goals in mind....they always have clear idea of what needs to be done next and spend time taking time to discuss what I want out of my lessons as well. My only teacher who doesn't need to do that is my lifelong mentor (who's been mentoring me for 8 years!!!) so she knows me so well that she always knows what I should do next.

You could always go on taking lessons from her when you have the chance to return to wherever she lives? Moving away doesn't mean that she can't continue to mentor you!! In my case I haven't stopped lessons with my canada teacher since I moved back home to Singapore; it just happens that singapore is her homeland and that I was a PR in canada so things worked out and I take lessons from her whenever we meet. At the side she still assigns me pieces, guides me in regards to decisions I need to make etc. Let me just put it this way that she will always be my mentor!! :)
J.S Bach Italian Concerto,Beethoven Sonata op.2 no.2,Mozart Sonatas K.330&333,Chopin Scherzo no.2,Etude op.10 no.12&Fantasie Impromptu

Offline m1469

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6638
Re: Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.
Reply #4 on: December 21, 2011, 05:20:10 AM
Always a plan, yes and no, I guess.  I always have hopes of some sort, and I work towards helping an individual build into living what I see as their potential, but that is also very dependent upon the student.  

Regarding a teacher and student working together for many years ... I believe that for each to be living their potential and for there to be continued growth and maturity, there must be a deep kind of compatibility that isn't the same as simply showing up for lessons and going through the motions.  But, it's growth, maturity, and living itself which defines that.     
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving"  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline pianoplayjl

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2075
Re: Questions for teachers, and pupils with teachers.
Reply #5 on: December 21, 2011, 06:07:11 AM
Yes teachers do have a plan for us, thats why they can teach us all year and we can learn something new each week. Generally I think teachers are more focused on the better students and concentrate their energy on them, assigning them harder pieces from each grade.  :-[ :-\ I think  teachers assign repertoire that they think are suitable for the student or the repertoire is something the teacher is familiar with enough to teach the student to a reasonable standard. Usually I think it is the student who thinks they must play the specific repertoire (e.g. every student/pianoplayer/pianist  must play Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Bartok,etc). You can keep your teacher for a bit more but IMO one must eventually develop a degree of autonomy. I've had the same teacher for 6 years and he is still good.

JL
Funny? How? How am I funny?
For more information about this topic, click search below!
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert