Being asked to Sight read a piece for a student (which is too hard!)

[green]

I have an adult student who just contacted me, 44 years old, played from 7-18 then stopped all those years. She wants to work through the Goldberg variations, can play a mozart sonate, rachmaninoff prelude, schubert impromptu. I suspect I will be asked to sight read some of these, and must admit that while I can read through slowly, it will not make a good impression. I also suspect that I will be judged based on this ('little test'). Has anyone else encountered situations where they are asked to sight read a difficult piece, which, well, you cant do to a very high standard? I would like to just be honest and say that I would need to take a look at it first, but would you not accept a student on this basis? I have had teachers who are amazing sight readers, I remember how impressed I was, and it really was the mark which left the greatest impression. So Im a bit concerned that this may be an issue.

[quantum]

In my experience as a student, there were instances where I was studying advanced level pieces and my teacher did not really "play" the piece in question.  However, when they did need to demonstrate a particular technique or musical expression at the piano they did not hide that fact.  One of my teachers used to say: please excuse the wrong notes and focus on the technique being used.  As a student it did not make me think less of my teachers ability.  I was very thankful for the demonstration, and still very much in awe to how someone can play at sight the same music that I had been working at for weeks.  

I personally would not sight read for the sole purpose of proving your abilities to your student.  If you are going to sight read do so with a particular focus, and make sure your student is attentive to that focus.  If you feel a particular passage is difficult for your current reading abilities, isolate the focus: maybe only play one voice.  You could also divide the work between student and teacher.  Have the student read the part they need to be focusing on, and the teacher plays enough of the remaining parts to fill in the framework.  


Sight reading difficult music is also a very real scenario encountered by both professional musicians and students.  Difficulty doesn't just disappear in a puff of smoke when you reach a certain level.  You have to know how to deal with the problem when it is encountered.  This would also be an excellent opportunity to teach your student how to read in such a scenario.  Admit that it is indeed difficult music to read at sight, and demonstrate how to overcome this problem.  Work out the solution with your student.  This usually means setting out priorities.  You may need to dedicate your faculties to the most salient aspects of the music, while sacrificing others.  The phrase I like to use is: rhythm trumps pitch, pitch trumps text.  

Your student will have learned far more if you admit to the difficulty and work to find a solution with your student, then if you took the music home and, to the perspective of the student, magically were able to play it the next week.  

[green]

Thanks for the reply Quantum that makes good sense.

[jknott]

I would agree - I am in a similar position to your student (though even older) and have been with a teacher for nearly a year.  I would not expect him to sit down and sight-read my pieces as a test!  If he demonstrates passages and it's not perfect that's fine - he generally says something like "or whatever the notes are...!" and it's still helpful.

[virtuoso80]

I have plenty of moments where I can't sit down and play perfectly what my students are playing. If I think it's important, I'll take some time to look at the piece at home between lessons. Other times, I'll simply turn it into a lesson: "See, I can't play it either right now. You know why? I haven't been practicing it! Practice is what gets you there."

There's also nothing wrong with just playing one hand if you want to demonstrate a particular passage, nor is there anything wrong with slowing it down - in fact, I often have to remind myself never to 'show off' for my students, ie play something up to speed just because I can, because then they feel expected to play it like I just played it right away, and that doesn't help.

[mcdiddy1]

I agree with everything said. After all the student is there to learn from you not to see a performance of it. For my advance students, I will rarely play it for them unless I am confident I still have it under my fingers and will often play with only hand how a passage will sound or a measure or two to show them how it sounds together.

For concertos or hard showy pieces, I would bring my laptop or IPad and show the student how the performance sounds when it is completed, well played, and how it interacts with the orchestra. I have played many difficult challenging works but if I am out of practice on them, I will not be able to play them to as high a standard as I used to. It does not mean that my teaching would not be effective because I knew what it took to be able to play, tips that made it easier, and I have experience breaking down challenging pieces in being more manageable and playable. if it is an issues than be honest and tell them what you have to offer. Honestly the number of people who can play the Golderburg variations correctly and on a musically high level are few and if that is the only criteria of being able to teach it that student is going to have a hard time finding a teacher.

[tdawe]

I highly doubt they will be concerned. As an advanced student they will comprehend the difficulty of sight reading a challenging piece. When I am with my teacher, I never expect them to simply sit down and play through a piece for me. Rather, as the first person to reply said, they will show me specific parts of technique (and I am always impressed with his ability to sight read them!). Also, if your student is aiming to play more challenging pieces, they should be able to have their own feel for how they want it to sound - you can't instruct musicality.

It's also worth remembering that sight reading to a very high level requires different skills than standard performance.

[stanleyy]

I have slight different experience as a student. My previous teacher was graduated from Liszt Academy in Budapest. She is a fabulous sight reader - also plays everything like a CD. She would play and explain the technique from the second piano ALL FROM MEMORY (while I was struggling reading the notes) all chopin Etudes, Beethoven sonatas, Bach WTC 1 & 2, partitas etc... Not to mention all other repertoire. One day I had to perform piano duo piece Scaramouche by Darius Millhaud. I got a phone call on the day before I have to perform that night from my partner who supposed to played the 1st piano! She had a motorbike accident and couldn't play. My teacher performed the whole piece in full tempo that I indicated to her at the concert that night SIGHT READING. We can only practice together in the changing room without a piano. Just on the table.

My current teacher is a Juilliard graduate and also a composer, he could play anything I learn with perfect sight reading.

Apart of all these facts, I still find UNTIL TODAY, my other teacher (manhattan School of music graduate) who couldn't sight read well is the one who gave me most useful training so far!!! He taught  me with full dedication passion and patients, he motivated and push me to my maximum ability! With no meaning to underestimated my other 2 teachers who sight read really well (as they are also very generous to me), I believe sight reading could come handy but not crucial to certain extend. I hope this could make you feel better...even tho I might not be a great pianist or anything like that. I think dedication is more important...

[m1469]

I think dedication is more important...

Agreed.

[pytheamateur]

This leads on to the next question: are teachers expected to practise a piece that his student is learning?

Especially, if it's a big piece like a Sonata, which is being studied with the teacher for 1 year.  Surely it would be good of teacher to make the effort to learn at least some of the passages, rather than keep saying things like I have never played this piece, excuse my wrong notes, or it's been a long time since I played it, or I am just sight reading.