Asking for goals....

[bernadette60614]

I'm a student posing this question to teachers:

I've always set goals for myself, but I don't know if that is appropriate in becoming a better pianist.

Is it appropriate to ask my teacher?  I think I can surmise some goals, but perhaps that isn't the best approach.

[hfmadopter]

I'm not a teacher in the sense that I have no credentials. On the other hand, I have taught a few people introductory piano and music up to lower intermediate level. So I'll answer your query from my perspective as both teacher and student. First of all, I think we are all students at any level. Nobody knows it all ! I really don't know where the chain ends but be all are learning music and how that applies to our instrument.

Let me point out that you have stated your first goal right within your query. To become a better pianist. Thats a goal just as real as any other goal. You want to become a better pianist and good for you because that is a great goal for anyone..

You could set other small goals around that main goal. Perhaps in the form of just learning something today about a piece that you didn't know or couldn't do yesterday. Anything, no matter how small. Nobody here is going to take you to task on that.

You could set a goal of learning a certain style of repertoire along the way.

Those are common things to work towards.

When I took lessons years ago I had a goal to be able to perform in public. My teacher knew this. Not that I was going to become a great concert pianist but just to play out someplace sometimes and not make a fool out of myself. I accomplished that at about the eight year mark with the help of my teacher and a heck of a lot of practice. But her teaching was pretty structured, in that she had monthly work shops. That was a goal automatically, to be able to play something in those work shops. Maybe 3 months running before it went off well, so that was another goal, not to just play it but to play it well and again not make a fool out of myself by that third month. I really pushed myself and she was the willing accomplice ( she pushed even harder) ! SHe pushed and suggested some recitals. We did that complete with a program. They were fun and challenging and helped gear me up towards my main goal..

Certainly not everyone needs or wants to work like that but on a smaller scale I see nothing wrong with it. Others are free to not agree.

I look forward to other peoples views, hope you get lots of replies !
David

PS: I don't work that hard at piano these days. I have a more relaxed mind set about it.