Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum do you help students with extra music

"extra music" meaning: student decides to take on a gig playing in a jazz combo group at school, or an accompanying job for a soloist at school, something like that. Student asks you to spend his regular lesson time with him on this "extra" music. You have a curriculum you normally teach.
Do you say yes?

Absolutely! I have done this with several students.

In *my* opinion what they're working on outside of our lessons is valuable too.

Curriculum will be there next time

I say yes, too. But just about every teacher in my community whom I've asked this question to says "NO" firmly. They say this extra music is in most cases a waste of time and keeps the students from their progress. I don't share their opinion, however I do not have students in competitions so perhaps that is why it is not a waste of time for me and my students. I have actually been asked to help students with such "extra" music who take lessons from other teachers. No has been my answer in those cases.

As a student I guess I either never asked my teachers whether they would listen to my "extra" music or they may have discouraged it - I don't remember. I always had my "lesson" music, my accompaniments or sc

Assuming my students brought extra music to lesson, not only would I go over it with them, I'd encourage them to explore and find more. Unfortunately, all my students are beginner and not at a level where exploration of other piano music would yield much that they could play yet, but if it encourages them to try harder, all the better.

My current teacher does not discourage other music, and being in the college environment it's expected of pianists to do things other than their private lesson pieces. As in my signature you can see I'm not just working on solo pieces, though unless the piano figures prominently I won't put it down there.

Absolutely yes!!!!!

I completely support my students if they decide to join a performance group of any kind (band, choir, orchestra, etc.).

However, in my experience, their "extra" music is usually so easy for them, they can handle it themselves.

ditto

Of course. The point of lessons is to enhance their musical lives, not sequester a curriculum.

Certainly - Whatever a student is playing is important to them. Therefore, it should be important to the teacher. Teaching isn't about beating a student into submission. It is to help them advance their skills and to enjoy playing.

If a student comes in and says that he/she has been asked to accompany such-n-such, we work on the piece. It builds the confidence for an upcoming performance.

Yes of course! I even have helped them find "fun" music. Summer lessons are our time for such music, and I even wrote an easy version of Raider's March for a 1st year student last night on Finale for him to learn.

I always help with extra music. Students who only want to play what *I* suggest are just "following the rules", which really shows they are just "following orders".

Yes, I was encouraged to do so by my teachers, and I see it as a good sign of a student's motivation if they bring something I didn't assign but they want to play.

Meri

It is great a student felt comfortable with you enough to want your help to learn some other music they are performing with another group. Also that the student wants to perform well and correctly which is why they asked you. As long as the extra music doesn't totally take over everything else it's wonderful and adds yet another dimetion of learning to their music. Learning something else that stretches one in a different way either accompanying, style, working with others causes one to expand their performance capabilities. I think it's great that you help them and encourage them.

Absolutely! Building a love of playing is so important; if students are involved in other playing groups and I can help them excel there, that's terrific. That builds musical confidence and also builds confidence in me as the teacher, which helps to motivate them to work hard on the music for their lessons!

Best,

Kim

NO DAMN WAY!!!!

If they want HELP WITH EXTRA MUSIC, THEN. . . PAY ME!

I'm kidding of course! Actually, I have collected great music cause of all the new music students have brought to me! This just builds my repertoire as well!