Need to improve my playing

[faa2010]

I have been playing for almost 10 years with the same teacher, but I needed to face the reality: my piano technique has staled at some point of the way.

I started to get serious with my piano three or four years ago, but I felt that I am getting backwards at some way instead of getting foward.

I felt first I was in level 6 in piano (according to the standards of the site), but I am moving back to level 3.

I started with Hanon so I could go to scales but I stopped it and I am putting more emphasize to Bach Inventions 1, 4, 7, 8.

What I think is an improvement is that I play between 1 and 2 hours per day (I am with my teacher once a week, while I try to play on my own the rest of the week).  According to some piano learning, one doesn't have to play more than 2 hours per day because it will only harm your hands. 

Do you have any suggestions so I can improve? My goal right now is to play at least as if I have learned between 5 and 7 years.

[Bob]

Maybe up your practicing time.  Over two hours shouldn't kill you, unles... you're pushing them technically for a lot of that time.

Maybe get a new teacher.  After ten years, you've probably absorbed enough of their philosophy.  And if you're not making the progress you want... It doesn't sound like they would be pushing or directing in the direction you want to go.

[faa2010]

Hello,

It has been a year since I put this post, so I am going to update it:

Since September, I started to go to some workshops,  I improved at some point, but I couldn't get adjusted to the teachers' personalities even though they teach and they have already finished a major in piano: with the first one, I felt that he invaded my personal space (it can be natural to him, but not for me).

With the second one, I felt that he didn't give me enough time, he was paying more attention to the other students and when I was with him, he was always telling me that I am very tense and that I had to relax my arms.  Ironically, he was making me feel more tense and nervous.

And neither of them helped me on improving neither with following the tempo nor the rythym.

During the workshops I met someone who is studying at the school the Major in Piano, he has given me some classes and I have been fine with him.  I am thinking in studying with him for a year.

During the last months, I presented some exams at the music school in order to enter formally to study, however, I think I will have to get prepared and repeat them in one year.

Despite all this, I am still with my dear teacher.