Choosing a teacher

[melia]

Apart from looking at qualifications, what major factors would influence your decision in choosing a teacher? I wonder why some teachers and students don't mix? I am saying this cause my previous teacher was very nice but somehow I didn't progress that much. I've asked myself is it me or her? Maybe I need a strict one 

[robertp]

I've long pondered the issue of why some students/teacher's just don't mix. Not just for piano, but in my day job (university professor in a quite un-music discipline  ). Over the years I've found the stray obvious reason, but the big majority of the cases I've had to assign to...chemistry. "You know it when you feel it." This, of course, apart from the obvious gotchas in choosing a piano teacher, much discussed here.

I've also been pondering this because after a modest lapse of time I'm evaluating possible new teachers, and I realize I can be a bit hypercritical since I, obviously, have a philosophy/method of teaching and I'm not comfortable with anyone who's a total opposite.

Here are some random thoughts I wrote up, and I got some very good ideas on how to put my feelings into words with some of the ways Garrick Ohlsson described his teachers in an inverview for Clavier a long time ago (including adapting a few of his phrases):

1. I am totally suspicious of anyone totally beholden to a “method”.
2. I am uncomfortable with the cookbook/rote approach, i.e. “Everyone at this stage plays piece X. Play it this way, finger it this way. You must start all over. No discussion”. It’s rather a matter of diagnosis, building of what’s there and reducing the weaknesses.
3. Instead of “this is all wrong — play it this way” I do better with “What’s going wrong here? Why is your wrist stiff? Why isn’t this run going evenly up to tempo?”
4. I expect to work hard, and I’m very much of the “You usually only need show me once — I’ll wash my dirty linen at home” approach.

Hope this helps you think about it!

%%robert

[kghayesh]

I think the most important point to take into consideration while choosing a teacher is that he/she plays the piano very well (much much higher than your level). By this, you will ensure that you will learn properly and with specific goals set. Maybe at first you may feel uncomfortable with this new method of learning, but always trust in someone who is much better than you. Moreover, don't just go for a cute or charismatic teacher. This has no relation at all with what u r gonna gain with him/her.

Actually, i have my own experience with that. About 6 months ago, i began to take lessons with a Georgian teacher who teaches at the Conservatory. I nearly couldn't communicate with her at all due to langauge barriers. All communication between us was in musical terms (legato, pianissimo,...etc.)
At first, i felt that her way of teaching was so strange. She made me play pieces that were a bit lower that my level, but what was different is that she noticed everything i did while playing and was almost stopping me every couple of seconds to tell me about my mistakes, which i thought were not that critical!!! I thought what the hell is that, i can't continue like this.
But, it turned out that in this short period of time, i gained what i will not have gained if i spent two years with my previous teacher. My playing became much more sensitive and my performance became much better in terms of expression. And all this although there was almost no talking between us....

[m1469]

Yes, those are good points kghayesh.  What caught my attention particularly was that you did not talk very much with you teacher and that your talking was kept to musical terms.

I think some of the most amazing lessons are those where there is little need for vocal conversation.  If much of the communication can be done through musical means, or things like a lifted hand or even just a shift in body weight, there is much to be said for what can be learned from a person who can communicate their intentions this way.  It is definitely helpful to have somebody who can play well to aid in these matters also.  Teaching by demnostration is one of the most powerful tools there is imho.

Some of the most profound lessons I have ever recieved were the ones where there was very little talking, although there was much communication.  I have also had rare moments in my own teaching when I can actually teach this way, mostly with my very little ones.  I find with music it is the most direct way to communicate something that is inherently difficult to talk about.

I also had  a teacher who was on the complete opposite side of the spetrum.  He would literally be about 2 inches from my face and would literally yell at me for the entire lesson.  Sometimes lasting over 2 hours.  It was a different approach altogether.  He believed in bullying and scaring the student into submission, striving to break them, and then the "real" teaching would begin.  I get the philosophy and I learned some important things from him for sure, though I am not willing to bet any money that this is the best form of communication.

I guess my point is that I believe one of the most important things a teacher should have is the ability to communicate with you as an individual.  It is a good sign if while you are in the same room, there is little need for vocal communication, yet if there is a need to talk, to be able to communicate in words is a definite plus as well.  Having something helpful to communicate about is the second most important thing, or some kind of tie for first.

m1469