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I am at a small school where I can only choose from two teachers. The one I have right now is driving me crazy (literally!) for several reasons.

1. s/he is too complimentary, everything I do is great and
2. s/he is so vague - I walk out of my lesson having played most of the time and not getting ANY feedback besides "It will come" or "Practice Slow" or "Crescendo here more".

My question is:

Would it be wrong to find a teacher and have lessons outside of my college teacher?

Have any of you run into this problem before? It is not really an option for me to switch universities no matter how much I would like to.



Mockingbird

Do you think he/she is helping you at all? If not, then get a new one. If there is no support from your teacher, you are better off by yourself. You are just throwing away your money.

I was in a similar situation - in fact I had a substitute teacher who was just horrible, and I was paying $28 for 1/2 an hour. Skipped that teacher, and came up with an even worse teacher - in fact a student one! While I was learning the Chopin Ballade Op.47 , she was learning the Mozart Sonata K.545!!! And I was paying that same rate! Anyways, I got ****ed, but I transfered to another new teacher, and everything is good now.

What I like about my teacher is how he improves my attitude toward music as well as my playing. One thing my teacher is great at is his ability to adapt. Often he sees that when I have given a performance of a piece, and am giving my thoughts on it, I focus too much on the things I did wrong. He helps me to look at the positive sides of my playing as well.

If your teacher cannot become familiar with your habits and adapt his teaching strategy to both strengthen your weaknesses AND refine your strengths, then I suggest you find a new one. Also, you should always be able to take something practical from each lesson. If you often find you go through a lesson without getting anything of redeeming value, then you should, without a doubt, get a new teacher.

First thing first, if you are currently studying music full time in college, I'm afraid it will be very difficult for you to get a teacher outside your college, because your college teacher is the one supposed to evaluate you.

And secondly, when you do join festivals, competitions, or win any awards for that matter, you will have to understand that a student's teacher do take some credits for these, hence having two teachers could cause some further friction down the road.

Some conservatory's students do keep a second teacher, secretly of course, but this is of course discouraged, as it is a disrespect to the original teacher, unless of course the original teacher approves it, which is a rare occasion. Do consult your college, some colleges and conservatories allow you to bring in an external teacher in place of the teacher they supply.

And oh yeah, sometimes you can't expect to be spoonfed everytime in you lessons. Be more independent, read up books on techniques, repertoire, musicology ( I'm sure you do if you are studying music full time ), and exchange ideas with fellow pianists. Be more specific when you go to lessons, ask your teacher his view and opininon in handling certain difficulties, perhaps, your teacher just need a little more cajoling for him/her to share his knowledge more effectively to you.

This is precisely why I STRONGLY encourage any prospective students to play for their prospective teacher at whatever school/university/conservatory BEFORE they audition. The teacher is far more important (I think) than the school, and it's best to find out sooner, rather than later, whether or not you get along and will learn from your private teacher-to-be. Once you're enrolled, you're pretty much stuck with it (and switching teachers is usually a tremendous headache and will sometimes create unpleasant situations for you down the road).

koji (STSD)

I had a somewhat similar experience when going to school in Chicago. At the school I enrolled in, with scholarship, I had the teacher so highly recommended as the best I could get. It was terribly disappointing even tho he was an artist teacher. I played at lessons, he would say,'What is next?' and at the end of the lesson period go to his stack of music and give me something new to prepare for next time (he edited music and had many publications out). Only once or twice did he ever comment on the playing or demonstrate anything. In addition to that he was gone frequently for workshops/masterclasses and when he returned made up all the missed lessons in a few days--sometimes two lessons in one day with expectation of improvement the same day.

I complained and was switched to another teacher who was there and did work with me but he was not the one I wanted to study with. I sought an outside teacher and found a super one who was not affiliated with a school. She accepted me only on the condition that I quit the school when the term was over--which I did. She explained the ethics of it as well as the fact that it causes confusion in the student to be told one thing by one teacher and another by the other teacher. I gained valuable information and abilities from her.

You need to be happy with your teacher, listen to them and follow their precepts if you have confidence in them, and ignore other ideas until you are independent. One needs to build good technique and repertoire with guidance before going out on his own.

Good luck but find one teacher you're happy with and then forget the others.

Thank you for all your replies.

Yes, I'm studying music full time, and I do check out books, listen to recordings, go to concerts, etc. I have a problem with the talking with the other piano majors because the few other pianists at my school don't seem to care that much.

I will try the cajoling method even though it sounds scary, confusing, and almost wrong, especially since I can't switch teacher (to the 1 other teacher) till next fall. Any more ideas on how to actually get my teacher to teach me when I'm intimidated by him?


By the way, is it wrong to feel that at this point in my development as a pianist I really need strong guidance because of some holes in my high school piano experience? I am scared of paying so much money (it's a religious private school) and never have a chance for grad school.

I am glad you all discouraged taking from another teacher at the same time. It was my parents idea (they are the ones who request that I go to the university I am at) and it didn't seem quite right. It doesn't help my situation any though. Sigh.

Much appreciation for your replies,


Mockingbird