Playing a piece to more than one teacher

[pytheamateur]

If you have learnt a piece with one teacher and got it to a reasonably polished state, and then decide to play it for another teacher in the hope of further improving it, is it common for the second teacher to pick up on things that have not been noticed by the first teacher?  It sounds like a rather silly question, as that's the whole point of going to the second teacher, but would this reflect badly on the first teacher?

[overcore]

At least intuitively, it seems that it would depend on what the second teacher picked up on that the first teacher missed. Was the second teacher going on and on about how much you did wrong, or were there only a few minor points? Were your mistakes technical and invariably wrong, or did it seem like the second teacher simply had a different interpretation of the piece? Did it seem like the second teacher was giving advice and/or opening you up to different ways of interpreting the piece, or was he/she telling you flat out that ______ was wrong?

If there was stark and alarming contrast between both teacher's comments, I would be worried. If this is the case, remember that it's equally possible that the second teacher could be a bad teacher (don't just worry about your own). Also, I'm sure at least some difference in comments could be because of your own personal qualities (in which case your own teacher would probably be correct, as he/she knows you better).

[aindavou]

Per 3 months I had 2 teachers. Is impossible work same piece with both... because that I gave up. The both teacher entering in a conflict all the time. Nothing thinking on me or mine technic! Left time and I left confidence in both. I think is not good. Or, in my history it not become good.

i trying in english, sry anything

[rachmaninoff_forever]

If you have learnt a piece with one teacher and got it to a reasonably polished state, and then decide to play it for another teacher in the hope of further improving it, is it common for the second teacher to pick up on things that have not by noticed by the first teacher?  It sounds like a rather silly question, as that's the whole point of going to the second teacher, but would this reflect badly on the first teacher?

I had to do this when I was transitioning teachers.  One teacher did some work on certain passages, and the other teacher would do work on whatever the first teacher didn't cover.  They didn't really conflict.

[danhuyle]

I studied at university and we had weekly piano workshops. Basically, you play exam pieces you learn from your teacher in front of another teacher. Nothing unheard of here.

[pytheamateur]

Thanks for all your responses.  In my case, I don't see a great conflict between them.  The general impression is that the second teacher is picking up on things in more detail, such as phrasing, dynamics, etc.  To be fair to my regular teacher, I have never indicated to him that I wanted to study pieces in great depth.

Another point picked up by the second teacher, which is potentially more worrying, relates to the my use of the damper pedal, which was not clean enough.  I suspect it might have something to do with my regular teacher's piano, which by his own admission, is quite bad: for example you have to press the pedal about half way before the dampers move.  I hate to think this might the cause and I don't want to come across as being too materialistic.  Surely, you don't need to learn on a Steinway to be a good pianist?

[naaga]

last year I started studying with more than one teachers in the same time and on the same pieces: what I noticed is that the other teacher care more about the interpretation and the datails of the technic, while my usual teacher is more careful on the new difficulties, or however new problems I find. I think it's because he'll have to "grow" me to be a pianist while the others just try to make me play a certain piece better..
It was my teacher at first who encouraged me to try studying with others as well, saying that everyone makes mistakes of his own!
I found it really interesting and useful to get better.

[danielekstrom]

You don't need to learn on a Steinway to be a good pianist?

Nope, you need a Bosendorfer with a minimum of 92 keys. jk

I'm actually in the process of having a unique situation of having two teachers. I go to school at a community college and I take piano there, but I'm tired of my teacher there. He isn't really a classical pianist, so he isn't familiar with all the repertoire I want to learn and what to do with it. So now I've found a teacher privately to suit me needs better who is great. Anyway, I'm going to take piano lessons at school still because it's an easy A and I want to bring my GPA up more. But anyway, he noticed things right off the bat with Grande Valse Brilliante (18 Opus). He though my pedaling was nice my phrasing and bringing out the melody, but apparently my left hand was a little too loud, but it had never been pointed out to me. Now it's made a world of difference. I just feel so little that I was playing it that way the whole time. I also had read a Bb as an Ab and it had never been pointed out, I felt so silly. At least it was a very minor error. But the dynamics thing is big and I feel kind of annoyed that it didn't get pointed out. But I guess all's well that ends well.