Can anyone here recommend a good piano teacher that has experience with adult beginners that is in the Boston area? I've looked at Longy and NEC, and while they seem excellent, at $100+/hour they are too pricey.

So I figured I'd ask in this forum. Googling around is not helping me, as there seem to be a ton of teachers that can do A-Z, and I don't want to start 10 auditions either. I'm looking for someone who teaches traditional classical method, technique, form/posture, theory, etc. and has experience/success with teaching beginning adults. I've looked around, and most do not have experience with adults, so that is a concern to me and why I hope I may get some suggestions here.

If you know someone, send me a PM if you don't want to post in this thread. Thanks!

I know a few, as do others on this board, but it might help to know what part of Boston you prefer to deal with, since it's a vast metropolis.

Have you played at all before? Do you have a preference for a male or female teacher? Are you talking about weekly lessons, or occasional sessions? Do you want an hour at a time? Is $60-$80 per lesson ok? It's an expensive town.

(Another option is to go with a teacher at Longy, but a shorter lesson than an hour.)

Thanks for the response. Let me answer some of your questions.

I'm 39 and have dabbled around pianos since I was a kid. My grandmother was a pianist, my grandfather played well, so I was around that until I immigrated to the US when I was 10. At the time, my parents could not afford a piano nor piano lessons as money was tight. I played guitar since it was cheap. Later I focused on my studies, and then work never allowed me the time I thought I would need to put in practice wise to get something out. I'm at a point in my life where I have the time to dedicate myself to weekly hourly lessons and the time to practice. I regret not doing anything earlier, but such is life. Still I'm determined. I bought a Boston acoustic upright and am ready to go. Mucking around is not getting me too far, so I need a serious teacher. I can figure things out, but I don't want to learn that way. I want to learn the proper way. So that's a bit of background. I can play some basic stuff, know some scales, keys, etc.

I never thought about male vs. female, but if I had to pick, I'd pick female (if things were equal) as a preference. The lessons would be 1 hour and weekly. $60-$80 is about right. I'm not sure a lesson less than 60min would work for me as I'm ambitious but patient, and want to cover a lot - theory, sight reading, technique, etc. My interest is classical. Hope this helps a bit

EDIT: I forgot to mention area. I'm in Burlington, MA, sort of 30min away from downtown, 30min away from most places. Close cities are Lexington, etc. I'm fine with a 30-40min drive for the right teacher and my time is pretty flexible.

PM sent. You are correct that weekly hour lessons would indeed be the best for you. Most piano teachers have had a few beginning adult students, but you are correct in hoping to find someone who really enjoys working with a peer.

My advice is to take a couple of trial lessons, after phone interviews. Not 10 auditions, but 2 or 3 would be a good thing. Most students don't do this, but they should. Most piano teachers aren't used to it, either, for that matter, but it remains a good thing.

Thanks Peter - good advice and will do.