learning new pieces and never polishing them... :((

[fe2008]

Well, something is really bothering me regarding my teacher...

She keeps giving me new pieces (every week) but never helps nor ask me to polish them...

My lasts were:
- The wild horseman
- The Happy Farmer
- Small Prelude in C by Bach (this one was assigned to me alst week, I'm now barely playing it slowly)

And now (today) she assigned me a Clementi Sonatina (nš3) :
https://www.pianostreet.com/clementi-sheet-music/sonatinas/sonatina-op-36-3-c-major.htm

She just asks me to 'keep' playing these pieces so I don't forget them.. lol

Problem is although I can play them (or hit the right keys) I don't feel anyone of them are ready for even present to my family :/

I don't think this is ideal, so I'd like to know what are your thoughts, and how can I approach her and express my feelings that I really want to learn deep a piece.

Thanks..

[louish10]

I think what you need to remember is that your learning for yourself and not for your music teacher. If you wish to learn one piece perfectly then move on im sure she will understand. My music teacher does exactly the same thing however im not bothered as I am able to polish them myself and by playing many varying pieces I feel that my technique improves massively very quickly. At the start of the summer I was just able to play fur elise after two weeks of constant learning myself and struggled learning anything (even grade 1 pieces!) However now I'm able to play a bach invention and the first movement of mozarts sonata no.16 . If you do not wish to directly confront your music teacher nothing is stopping you from polishing individual pieces at home by yourself and also working on the stuff your teacher is showing you. Hope I've helped!

[j_menz]

At your stage of playing, the time spent on polishing a piece is generally better spent in moving on to a more challenging piece.

That said, if you want to have a piece or two up your sleeve to perform for friends or family, discuss this with your teacher. It may not have occurred to her that you wanted this.

[flyinfingers]

I have to disagree with the previous comments.  I think a teacher should stick with the pieces until they are refined.  Just my opinion.  I had a teacher assign me Prelude by Bach.  I spent hours learning the piece in one week.  I played it for her all the right notes but it was in such raw form.  After I played it, she said, "Well, I see you learned all the notes."  HELLLLO!!!  Shut the book and that was the end of it.  I was in such disbelief and to this day, three months later, I am still refining it and memorizing it, and I am playing it with much more emotion.  I don't think that's good teaching habits.  
Maybe I'm just too much of a perfectionist, which can be a bad thing, I guess.  I personally don't like leaving things half-assed as with anything else in my life.   Maybe the OP is the same Type A as I am.  A tiger never changes its stripes!!

[danhuyle]

If you ever studied music in university, you get assigned a set of pieces

- Bach Prelude and Fugue or 2 Scarlatti Sonata
- Complete Classical Sonata
- 19th Century
- 20th Century

After you choose the pieces, or teacher assigning, you have to memorize, then you have to polish it. You work on rhythm, tempo, dynamics and interpretation of those pieces for 8 whole months. You don't get to learn other pieces until you can play your exam pieces perfectly. Unfortunately I never got to so I go self learning some pieces.

While most piano students are confined to their exam pieces, I slack it meaning I spend very little time on it and I play it to make I can get through the program. As for refining, I got the piano teacher to help do that, no need to waste time. Better spent acquiring more pieces.

As for polishing pieces, you pick the ones you like most. Then you learn it, leave it and come back to it numerous times. I've got some that are like that and some that need to be re-learned as if I've never played it before.

[costicina]

pick the ones you like most. Then you learn it, leave it and come back to it numerous times

This is the refining method that seems to work better for me, too...

[cjp_piano]

I think a good blend of learning/polishing, is good. Maybe you should ask your teacher why she wants you to just keep learning new ones! Maybe she has a reason like she wants you to improve your reading skills or variety of pieces or something.

But you should also tell her that you want to polish a piece or 2 as well. Or just do it on your own and then ask her opinion. Say, "I worked on polishing this old piece I already learned, can I play if for you?"

[roseamelia]

You could play them every now and then at one of your lessons.

and then that would be a good time to ask her if you need to polish them.

[fleetfingers]

Is this a new teacher for you? It is possible that she is in the process of figuring out exactly what level of pieces you should be playing. Meaning, each week when you bring back your work, she could be saying to herself, "That was too easy . . . here let's try this one." At some point, you have to find a piece that is somewhat challenging and work on it until it is polished. Starting a new piece each week will be good for your reading abilities, but there should be at least one that you are working on thoroughly. If you are serious student, then more than one.

[pytheamateur]

I have been spending more than 6 months on Mozart's A Major Sonata K331 with my current teacher (and this was not a wholly new piece either but was something I learnt superficially 12 years ago with another teacher).

The amount of time spent is exceptional in the history of my piano learning.  I'm a bit surprised at my patience.  Actually, recently I've grown to love this piece and have even gone on to memorise it.  Considering the amount of time and money spent, I'd better love the piece.

I think it is also good to play more pieces at the same time without polishing them.  This apparently helps with sight reading.  I'm trying to do that in my own time.