Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Do you ever let students choose their songs?

If you listen to From the Top, it sounds like a common stance of teachers of great young musicians. The kids sound giggly and silly and then they talk about their teacher and there is a LOT of respect in their comments. Very, "my way or the highway" from the teacher. Love too. But also professional.

It's healthy for anyone to choose and play music they enjoy but not always appropriate to work on them in lessons. In fact if someone wants to learn a particular piece there is not much you could do to prevent it. I remember spending a lot of time as a child playing things not assigned by my teacher and it never occurred to me to take it to a lesson. I played what my teacher had set and also music I enjoyed and sometimes I even enjoyed what he gave me haha!

I give a limited choice but must admit often try to steer them towards certain pieces. The biggest problem I find is if you ask which one they want to play they just say, 'which is easiest?'. I guess that's normal for most kids. Also it's very rare that they really don't like a piece when they are able to play it whether they have chosen it or not.

I'm sitting here imagining you standing on a hillside with your robes flowing, holding aloft two stone tablets engraved with a list of etudes, preludes, ballades and sonatas. Quite an image.

P*D, nothing worse than discussion interruptus. Had to run off to a rather lengthy med appointment.

As a general rule, I attempt to teach basic piano playing technique within the first three years of lessons. From that point on, we're refining, and when and if a student gets to advanced literature, there are additional techniques which must be taught. However, what is taught in the first 3 years is very critical and generally sufficient for playing music through early advanced lit, which is the goal of most of my students (can't speak for others here).

Piano playing technique is only one aspect of music I teach. The other major aspect is literature. Piano playing didn't begin with boogey woogey, even though there are many pianists who seem to believe this. If you're going to play Romantic literature at all, a foundation understanding of Classical and Baroque is necessary. For instance, if I'm teaching dance styles, I begin with the Baroque, and JS Bach, although Handle, Scarlatti, or others would be just as appropriate. Generally speaking the French Suites present a very nice collection of dances in various styles, and it doesn't matter which one of the six you choose, but choose one you must, or you don't learn the basics. That is, to learn a Gavotte, you can choose from on of the six. Ditto a Courante, Allemande, etc.

I am well aware of what the OP wrote, and answered that, along with dozens of other teachers who stated similar thoughts. I was attempting, obviously unsuccessfully, to refine the topic a bit. Hope this clarifies.