Piano instructors: at what level does the teacher's education background matter?

[mathnerd]

My son has been with a new piano teacher at his piano school for the past 5 months. I sit through his classes - though the teacher is really good (and very nice), I saw her making mistakes several times in the class while playing a piece and then she apologizes and corrects herself and plays it right the second time. She seems unable to play "Advanced Intermediate" level pieces correctly by sight reading them. But, I was told that she has a background in Performance and that she was excellent. I recently looked her up on Linkedin (why did I not do this before?) where it says that she has an advanced degree in Flute performance. I feel that I was misled that she was a piano performance expert.

DS is doing Intermediate pieces and there have been comments from other teachers (substitutes who filled in on absences) that his technique is not perfect. Is it time to look for a teacher who is a specialist in piano technique? WWYD?

[Catherine]

I think it depends on your goals.  If you and\or your child are driven, and the teacher is holding him back from progress through shoddy technique\teaching, then it's time to move on.  If you have more modest goals, and your child is not that driven to become a really excellent player, then it probably doesn't matter, IF you otherwise like the teacher.  

[Orthodox6]

I would switch as soon as possible to a teacher trained in piano. Proper technique for any instrument starts with the very first lesson. Don't close doors. Correcting a poor foundation can be very difficult.

 

When I was in graduate school, I wanted to move on with advanced recorder music. My instructor was an oboist. That did not matter because I was taking for fun, and it did not matter that recorder was a secondary instrument for him.

 

Had my viola teacher been a performance expert on harp, well, that would NOT have passed muster!

[catz]

I would switch teachers for sure if you have a kid playing comfortably at an intermediate level that was practicing and progressing well. My son has always been with PhD performing pianist and I have never regretted it.

[Guest]

I find the pedagogy training of the instructor is the absolute MOST important at the primer level and early years. Habits created then can plague a student for decades and cause injury, frustration, and arrest progress beyond a certain level.

 

I am way, way pickier on my lower grade teachers than most parents, but as a pianist, myself, I can attest to how crucial it is to have an excellent teacher. I don't require PhDs. But I do require solid credentials, methodology, and ongoing education to consider a teacher qualified.

 

We have the bestest piano teacher in the world, I think. She's like Mary Poppins with a mean Liszt.

[catz]

I find the pedagogy training of the instructor is the absolute MOST important at the primer level and early years. Habits created then can plague a student for decades and cause injury, frustration, and arrest progress beyond a certain level.

 

I am way, way pickier on my lower grade teachers than most parents, but as a pianist, myself, I can attest to how crucial it is to have an excellent teacher. I don't require PhDs. But I do require solid credentials, methodology, and ongoing education to consider a teacher qualified.

 

We have the bestest piano teacher in the world, I think. She's like Mary Poppins with a mean Liszt.

I do agree with this. The next teacher we are starting with next month is actually a MM holder and not a PhD, but she has done more ongoing pedagogy work than most. I know motivated kids that are excited. They outgrow the grandma down the street. And then they almost have to start over because their set up was poor.

[Guest]

Yes, the piano teacher down the street has done more to injure a real love and skill with the instrument than almost anyone else. I hate to say it, but it's true. Some of them are absolute gems and highly skilled in teaching their students, but most, even those who play beautifully, lack the skills to assist their students as carefully and intentionally as they should.

[solascriptura]

I would switch to an experienced piano teacher. Music lessons are too expensive to accept a teacher that does not teach well.

[HSMWB]

So how does someone who has never had piano lessons know if they have the 'sweet lady down the street' vs. someone who has the skills to teach carefully and intentionally - teaching their kids??

[Guest]

So how does someone who has never had piano lessons know if they have the 'sweet lady down the street' vs. someone who has the skills to teach carefully and intentionally - teaching their kids??

Good question! I find the best starting point is your music teachers association - almost all cities, including my own, have an MTA branch that is active.

 

Second best place to look is your local college. Figure out who teaches piano in their department and call those people asking for either their studio hours/policies or if they can recommend anyone.

 

Finally, read this book, as it will help you evaluate your potential teachers much more effectively:

http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Play-Piano-ebook/dp/B00C4EMAGW/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

 

It's worth every penny.

[Donna]

I would say an experienced teacher is preferable right from the start. Good technique and teaching skills make a huge difference.

 

I had the "sweet lady down the street" for 10 years. My dd knew more music theory at 5yo than I did after 10 years of learning piece after piece on piano. I can read music but I never learned chords or scales or how to practice.

[wintermom]

Yes, I would agree that hiring the best instrument specific teacher for your child as soon as possible in their education is better in the long-term. But it's also really important to find a teacher that is good at working with different personalities, and can bring out the best in your child. 

[mathnerd]

Thank you all! This is the kind of advise that I was looking for. 

 

The old teacher who taught DS for the past 3 years quit. She was an MM in piano technique. The new one has been teaching DS for the past 5 months. I am now noticing that the school always mentions that she is an "excellent music teacher" and not that she is an "excellent piano teacher". Our music school is trying to make the maximum $$ by using the same teachers to teach multiple instruments. I only started doubting if she was an expert when she played a piece that DS is comfortable with wrongly. And she frequently makes such mistakes.

 

My DS is now playing Late Intermediate level pieces. He has problems with complex pieces that have a fast tempo - which is where the imperfections in his techniques are showing up. He is very driven and has competed and won in a few national level piano contests already. He hopes to do more competitions in the future.

 

I had an interview with a good piano teacher with 25 years teaching experience and a MM and DS auditioned with her today. She says that she will focus on correcting the techniques and making sure that his foundation is good before tackling any new repertoire. Her opinion was very similar to what you all have said on this thread - that imperfect techniques will eventually stop progress in learning or cause injuries. She said that at that point, the student will quit playing piano. I have decided to switch to this teacher. Your input helped a lot to come to this decision.

 

DS has been with his old music school for several years. I was feeling a little sad to make the decision to move on when I posted this thread. I realize that I need to set up DS for success since the piano is very important to him. You all helped me think this through. So, thank you!

[G5052]

It really can vary, but I'd want someone who has focused on piano.  IMHO the degrees are less important than the focus.

 

We had a piano teacher in her late 80's for a number of years who had only two years of conservatory.  Her father died suddenly, and she had to support her mother, so she got a bookkeeping job and kept on with her studies as much as she could.  She always taught piano on the side, and did as much reading and as many workshops as she could.  When she retired, she taught piano full-time and was the chair of the music teacher's association and ran a large regional music competition.  Up until she developed Ahlzeimer's, she was an outstanding teacher and pianist herself.  We changed teachers because she just wasn't tracking very well any more and missed too many lessons, but she still is a brilliant pianist and plays at our church and at weddings and funerals.  The grand piano in one of the concert halls at a 4-year university in our area was bought in her honor.  IMHO not having a degree wasn't an issue at all.

 

Our current teacher only has a B. Mus., but she'd also a dedicated teacher and took over as chair of the music teacher's association from our previous teacher.  She's been teaching for 20 years and has connections to various college-level music schools and professionals who offer master classes.

 

But a flute performance degree?  That doesn't quite sound right unless it was years ago, and they've done a lot of studies in piano pedagogy and proven themselves.

[mathnerd]

G5052, your teacher sounds awesome. I would consider such a teacher to be having a strong piano background. I would be more than happy if she were my son's teacher.

 

 

But a flute performance degree?  That doesn't quite sound right unless it was years ago, and they've done a lot of studies in piano pedagogy and proven themselves.

 

You are right. This piano teacher graduated with a Flute Performance degree 3 years ago - it seems that she developed a hand injury and switched from piano to flute midway in college because of it. So, she might have a good piano background after all, but, I don't want to entrust months and years of piano training to someone who is not a specialist any more. And she looks very youthful and talks like a teen (slang and general language usage) and texts a lot during the class (only to her next students to tell them when she will be ready for the next class, but it annoys me).

 

The reason that I am in this predicament is that, I go to a well established local music school so that I can get access to Theory Exams, national auditions, master classes etc onsite. And these schools use staff that have a Major in flute or viola and Minors in piano or music composition etc and teach more instruments using the same staff. I am just now understanding how the lucrative "music school" business in my area works. I would be in the dark without Linkedin.

 

I have decided to approach piano teachers from MTNA directly for an audition rather than to call a music school and ask them to assign a good teacher to my DS. Also, I have followed some local kids who perform really beautifully in the piano festivals and competitions. The new teacher I am considering teaches a few of them and her students have excellent technique. She also has a good reputation locally. The irony is that the music school is charging me more than the new teacher that I am considering.

[Sara in AZ]

I think you have a good game plan. My theory on this, completely unscientific but based on personal experience, is that I always mistrust teachers who are teaching multiple instruments (unless they are related, like strings) as well as teachers who have amazing websites (because the level of teaching doesn't often match the amount of effort put into selling the product). I would absolutely expect to be receiving piano instruction from a specialized pianist at a music school I was paying high prices for.

[catz]

 

I have decided to approach piano teachers from MTNA directly for an audition rather than to call a music school and ask them to assign a good teacher to my DS. Also, I have followed some local kids who perform really beautifully in the piano festivals and competitions. The new teacher I am considering teaches a few of them and her students have excellent technique. She also has a good reputation locally. The irony is that the music school is charging me more than the new teacher that I am considering.

 

Oh, you are absolutely at the point where you should be hand picking a teacher!  Our teacher is retiring at a large music school and they had this whole procedure about how they were going to reassign students new teachers.  I just sent e-mail and said, oh sorry, my kid is advanced and we need to audition and chose a teacher.  Especially because my teen really needs a certain kind of teacher and approach right now.

 

I think you can often tell a lot about a teacher by attending a recital for their studio or observing lessons of students.  My nephew has a piano teacher where the most advanced kids are intermediate level high school students who have been studying with her for years and years.  I think that is fine if you are doing it very casually, but a motivated and advancing kid, not so much.  I would definitely not have an advancing pianist with a musician who is not primarily a pianist.  I would also say a good beginning piano teacher will alert parents when their student is starting to "out grow" them (not that it's relevant to the OP at this point).  I think some teachers can be good at set up, but not with advancing kids too.  If a studio has lots of beginners and some move on to a teacher that works with more advanced students, I do think that can be ok too.  We have some teachers at our studio that will ONLY work with advanced kids playing 5+ years.   Asking questions about the kinds of exams and events students prep for can be a good indicator.  Does the teacher have students that go on in music after high school?

[mathnerd]

Does the teacher have students that go on in music after high school?

 

Thank you for the suggestions. This is a question that I had not thought about. I will be sure to ask this teacher.

[G5052]

Does the teacher have students that go on in music after high school?

 

Yes, that's a very good question.  Even if yours doesn't plan that, it shows a depth of teaching that they could prepare them for that level.

 

Mine talked about that at one point, but has changed academic interests since.  She still loves piano and plans for it to be a "hobby" in adulthood.

[mathnerd]

Does anyone know what exactly the "Russian Method" of piano teaching is? I have located 2 good teachers whose students play beautifully. They both say that they teach piano using the "Russian Method". When asked, they mention that they emphasize more on technique and finger strengthening.

I never paid attention to what the piano "method" was until now, and always thought that the way that my DS was taught was the "traditional method" - shows that I am a true slacker mom. I am now researching what the Russian method means and what my DS has been missing. Googling leads to inconclusive answers. Is there such a thing as a Russian Method of Piano teaching? Is it vastly different from the American way and the Chinese way of teaching piano? Again, thanks for your wisdom.

[Guest]

This is an interview with my previous teacher, Shirley, and a Russian style pianist. I'd actually classify Shirley's style as more Russian than American in terms of rigor, but it's not a clearly defined thing. My current teacher is a better fit for my goals than Shirley, but she is an incredible and passionate pianist:

 

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=69252

[mathnerd]

This is an interview with my previous teacher, Shirley, and a Russian style pianist. I'd actually classify Shirley's style as more Russian than American in terms of vigor, but it's not a clearly defined thing. My current teacher is a better fit for my goals than Shirley, but she is an incredible and passionate pianist:

 

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=69252

Thank you for the link. it is very informative.

 

PS: I am familiar with Shirley's blog - when my son had trouble with some Bach and Gillock pieces, we used to watch her tutorials on those pieces and learn a lot. You are lucky that she was your teacher :)

[Guest]

She is great and I don't hesitate to recommend Skype lessons for intermediate and advanced students. It worked surprisingly well.

[Ausmumof3]

I went to a music school for a while as a kid and it was the worst thing really. The teachers all taught two or three different instruments so they could cover all bases and often wouldn't remember you or where you were at. I wasted several years there on organ, though I did progress with flute because we had the luck to get a good teacher.

 

You should be able to take exams without being attached to a music school. Here you just book in and train - the exams are run by an independent body. That said, they can be a bit of a soul sucking experience with months and months of perfecting one piece that you are really bored of.

[mathnerd]

She is great and I don't hesitate to recommend Skype lessons for intermediate and advanced students. It worked surprisingly well.

Thanks! I will keep this in mind - I am very impressed by Shirley's method of teaching.

[mathnerd]

I went to a music school for a while as a kid and it was the worst thing really. The teachers all taught two or three different instruments so they could cover all bases and often wouldn't remember you or where you were at. I wasted several years there on organ, though I did progress with flute because we had the luck to get a good teacher.

 

You should be able to take exams without being attached to a music school. Here you just book in and train - the exams are run by an independent body. That said, they can be a bit of a soul sucking experience with months and months of perfecting one piece that you are really bored of.

You described my DS's music school. The teachers being so overbooked that they have trouble remembering details. I am glad that I woke up and am rectifying the situation now.

 

Thanks for the info about the test centers. The current school is a test center and hence it was very easy to take the exams. I have just learned that our local university is also a test center and as you say, my DS just needs to prepare for it and take the test at the university. 

[Guest]

Thanks! I will keep this in mind - I am very impressed by Shirley's method of teaching.

You can say Taryl up in Alaska recommended her highly. My biggest issue was that I needed more time off after my fourth baby and was struggling with practicing enough, and she wanted more progress and time put in than I could give. When I was able to work, consistently, for an hour a day most days per week, we did wonderfully. But her studio was SO busy and she had other students wait listed, so we agreed it was better to part ways so another student who could put in more time could take my spot.

 

She has students of all ages, but primarily teens and adults these days, and if a student has a passion she is THE teacher for it. A kid or adult who doesn't want to be pushed and needs a more relaxed schedule may be better off with someone else. But that is no reflection of her teaching, just that she is the best match for an intense student looking to grow.

 

My current teacher is a match made in heaven for me, perfect fit for where I am at and my kids, too. It's just a atter of finding the right balance for your student's needs and desires.