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Hello All!

I'm so sorry to have dropped my question...seemingly. I got called away right after my post and couldn't get back to it. I had so much trouble finding it, didn't see it in the posts in the forums, so here's the link to my original post and the responses.

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/32/6915.html#000000

I want to thank, again, so many of you for your encouragement and sharing of personal experience. It makes a huge, massive difference for me to know how others' lessons go. Because of this forum, I am much better informed.

What I do notice, though, is there is a multitude of opinions, some which directly contradict. This is also valuable, for what it really tells me is...what works for me is what I should be looking for!

I was particularly taken with Gyro's responses. I think it's important to allow in others' views that differ from my own. I don't know how many times I've learned from differing viewpoints, so I went with Gyro until the idea that computers are the best piano players. That was when I knew I would move on, for I completely disagree. They make the fewest mistakes, I agree, but the best piano players? To whose ears? A computer's, I imagine.

Feelings are what draw me to learn to play the piano. Without feeling, I have no desire to make the effort to learn, to practice, to feel the inevitable frustration at times. I see that much in music is indeed technical, but I do believe the two can coexist comfortably. It's all in one's approach and choice of focus.

Gyro has helped me realize how different we all are, so it makes sense that I might have to look for a while before I find the right teacher. I tell you, it's especially hard where I am, about an hour north of Seattle, in the hinterlands. Nope, Donna, not in MA, so unfortunately, there are at least two teachers out there like I described, one on each coast!

Last week, I got a call from a teacher whom I'd called right when I posted here July 21. She'd been on vacation, hence the delay. I want so much to to into detail because it was actually funny what happened, but enough is enough. I had my list of questions ready, many that I got from this site, but I never got a chance to ask more than one or two.

I actually had a similar experience with the second as I had with the first: very chatty, talking primarily about herself, asking me one question only: how well do I play. So, that's two down, how many to go? I usually have good luck when searching for someone new, so I'm thinking, "Third time's the charm!" I'm going to drive to a university to talk to people in the music department to see if they can give me any leads. I'm not having luck with references.

Physics Teacher - A teacher after my own heart! As a college English teacher, I concur with your post, exceedingly, I might add!

What you mention, as well as do several others, is the importance of adapting to the students' learning styles, and that is the responsibility of a good teacher. I agree.

A good teacher knows about learning styles, not always overtly, but sometimes intuitively. Therefore, one can find good teachers who've not been through teacher-training programs, such as some piano teachers, for example.

PianoExcellence - aw, just across the border. Maybe I'll go so far for my lessons - a good excuse to visit Vancouver, anyway! You sound right up my alley. Point #5 was well stated.

However, I want to add that students also have responsibility, not only the teachers. Although the teacher's responsibility is to get through to the student in whatever way necessary, the student must come ready to learn and willing to do the work. A teacher can only do so much. It's a partnership.

Thanks again for all views, all valuable and mostly, interesting.

Fingers crossed - third time's the charm! I'll let you know how it goes.

My fingers are crossed for you too! I hope you get some awesome leads at the university!

Good luck!!!

You're misunderstanding me. Of course emotion
is essential in piano playing; one cannot
sit down and pound an awkward device
of wood and metal that weighs a ton for
hours on end without some emotional spur to
motivate him. However, the actual process
of playing requires great mental
and physical discipline and the development
of the right kind of strength, like in
athletics. But when one lets pure emotion
take over, he lowers himself to the level
of an animal or savage, and civilized
activity and discipline go out the window;
thus, playing cannot be approached from
a purely emotional perspective--your
statement about the piano making you sick
when you look at it is typical of a
player who is trying play by emotion only.
You won't be able to play the piano that
way, as you will then have no discipline
and discipline is essential in playing.

Thus, one needs to remove emotion as much
as possible from the playing process.
However, there is no danger of this
preventing your inner being from expressing
itself in your playing--once you have
the purely mechanical aspects of playing
in hand. We humans are emotional creatures
through and through, and there is never
any danger of us becoming empoverished of
emotion in any activity that we are involved
in.