I will have to say bye to my teacher in about 3 months. I am now thinking of preparing something memorable for him before I go. Do you think these are too much??

1. (I probably can't do it) Compose a piece dedicated to him and play it during my last lesson
2. (alternative to no. 1) Learn a piece about farewell by myself without letting him know. Play it for my last lesson
3. a gift
4. a thank you letter/card

Plus, I don't know what to prepare for my secret repertoire and my gift. So please do give me some suggestions










I don't want to leave him

Why do you have to leave him?

A card is always a nice gift, as simple as it is... And maybe you could play Schubert's Farewell (Abschied) (if you can sing, you could even sing it).

PS: I know how it is. I always hated to leave teachers I loved.

How about recording a video of yourself (maybe your most polished piece, or the one you're most proud of) and put it up on youtube -- something you and your teacher had worked on together?

To me its like a musical photograph, something s/he can look back upon with hopefully fond memories. I think your teacher will have a sense of gratitude knowing s/he had something to do with your fine performance and development.

It is because I am going to music college after this school year. It really should be a happy thing - he helped me to achieve what I thought was impossible. Having lessons with him is always the most enjoyable thing in the world.


The Schubert (I looked at the transcription to piano by Liszt) is a little bit too hard (After all, I need to learn it without my teacher's help). But I have come up to some random ideas
- Chopin Impromptu Op. 29 No. 1 in Ab major
- Chopin Nocturne in C# minor, posthumous
- A selections of 2-3 pieces from Mendelssohn Songs without words

Write this in a card to him. It will mean to world to him! Preparing a piece for him is a very thoughtful idea as well.

Who is his favorite composer? I would think one of the Chopin ones would be good (dont' know a pianist who doesn't like Chopin!), but really a card would mean a lot to him too.

Do a combination of a Card with something nice written like kissyana suggested AND

options:

1) Recorded Music: some jazz maybe, I gave a CD of Diana Krall to my teacher and she really loved it

2) Written music with your note on the first page

3) A nice thing to put over the piano, for example something like this:
http://www.pianosupplies.com/pianos/Upright_39103.html
http://www.pianosupplies.com/pianos/4_5C1.html
http://www.pianosupplies.com/pianos/PencilSharpener_3001.html
http://www.pianosupplies.com/pianos/420005_MT.html

Good luck !

Thanks. Maybe I will surprise him by giving him the link of my youtube channel on my signature

I have just found out his favourite pieces through his friends - beethoven waldstein, chopin barcarolle, b minor sonata - too hard for me to learn in 3 months. I will just concentrate on my current repertoire

But I have just started writing a piece for him and have gone to about 50 bars. It sounds awful but hope he doesn't mind.

I think that is a wonderful and thoughtful idea.

A peronsalized gift from the heart, such as a song you wrote for him, will be appreciated a thousands times more than any store-bought gift. Doesn't mind if it sounds awful -- it "really is" the thought that counts the most.

I am sure it doesn't sound awful at all and that he will be proud of you. I would be very moved if someone wrote a piece for me.

Is this waltz by Chopin in your repertoire? It is called L'Adieu too, so maybe it is appropriate.

I kept in touch with some of my teachers. I even got birthday wishes from one the other day!

Buy him a nice two set hardcover Beethoven Sonata from Henle Urtext, and write that you really appreciate all his teaching blah...blah....blah....Don't just give a card, it is not mean too much. Give something good....If you really like him as a teacher, you want to give something meaningful.

And don't you think sincere words written with gratitude are meaningful?

If I were the teacher I'd love the hardback Henle Beethoven, of course (though it would set you back nearly two hundred dollars here!) - but perhaps he already has it.

PS I love the writing him a piece idea!

Nope...everybody can write nice words! But the willingness to give or spend on something is the sign of deep gratitude, and appreciation.

I would have said anyone can spend money on a fancy gift, but taking the time to think and frame a sincere written message is a sign of deep gratitude.

Of course either, neither or both can be a sign of deep gratitude. It depends on the attitude of the giver.

Go to a market spend $2 for a card and write blah...blah...blah.
Go to the internet and spend $100 on whatever hard cover Henle Urtext....Which one is the bigger sacrifice? Lip service is easy...real sacrifice (spending serious money) is not....only when the receiver means a lot that people want to sacrifice.

There are plenty of other reasons for people to spend big on a farewell gift - guilt, feeling of obligation, desire to look good or generous etc. Pity about anyone who can't afford an expensive gift if that's the only way to truly show gratitude.

Anyway, it doesn't sound like I'll convince you, so I'll just say again: Either, neither or both can be a sign of deep gratitude. It all depends on the attitude of the giver.

I personally would rather have sincere words on a card than an expensive present bought out of a sense of obligation.

Me too...

Me three!

Actually, I'd love to have my student write me a piece of music and perform it for me. That will speak louder than any Henle Urtext volume. I have all the Henles that I need, and then some.

It is really a GREAT one! Thanks, I am going to learn this one

I will look at the Henle idea! My teacher has already got one. But the book is on the edge of parting into pieces even though I helped him to make a dust jacket. I guess maybe he would like a new one.

If you make a video, you could also use some video editing software to add some text... what you would like to tell your teacher...
Keep us updated!

it it likely that he will miss you as much as you'll miss him. I've gotten quite attached to a few of my students over the years, which means mostly all of them because I've had so few. It would be neat if you could get a photograph of the two of you together..

I like the idea of writing him a piece (and recording it with the photo perhaps on the jacket).

Excellent idea. And you will be happy you have a copy of the photo too! I treasure the photo I have displayed in my studio, of me and my teacher, taken in 1967

I actually wanted to ask him to play a piano duet with me and make recordings or perform it. But unfortunately, he doesn't like piano duet because it makes him feel uncomfortable (too little space)

Where did the obligation come from? There is no such obligation. You just made up all the excuses for the sake of your argument.

Think this way, suppose you know that your student who is leaving does not have a lot of money, and give you a Henle hardcover edition. You know that this person made sacrifice more than just bought a card in the neighborhood market and wrote flowery words. Everybody can just buy a card, but not everybody is WILLING to sacrifice. It shows the three of you are not willing to part with your money. That is why there is an adage "EASIER SAID THAN DONE (spend)"

And where did the flowery words come from? I was talking about sincerely expressed gratitude. You're not listening to my point of view and I think I've listened to yours for long enough, so let's just agree to disagree. Over and out.