Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Do y'all like your teacher?

I just want a hear a little bit about your experience with your teachers. My current teacher is my third so far, he's been teaching piano for about thirty or thirty-five years. Tall and skinny guy, I really respect him. He's kind of an all-about-music, blunt, sort of teacher. Like, I'll play a piece for him, and he'll have three or four comments, and that's it. No discussion, next piece. Totally different from my previous teacher, who was more like, "oh how do you feel about how you just played?". But it works so well, because I find that if you just listen to what he says, he'll sculpt you into a much better pianist.

His students have gone on to places like Julliard, Peabody, Berklee, so I feel I can trust his word. He's also big on recitals and competitions, which I think is good because he's all about advancing his students to the proverbial next level. Anyway, I want to hear what y'all have to say about your teachers.

Yes, very much.

He kicks my ***.

What Brendan said. I like my teacher very much, and she kicks my ***.

Mine uses a paddle.

It's ok, except for the bruising.

What everyone else said.

I have yet to find any teacher that I think is good enough. (Not that i don't like them, I just think it's not worth the money)

I have been with my teacher for 8 years now. When I first got him, I hated him because he pushed me further than I thought I could handle. I wanted to quit for 3 years, but both he and my parents wouldn't let me. Now, I absolutely love him. He gives me a lot of motivation to get better. He is 90 years old, and every lesson, we talk about random stuff for 30 minutes before the lesson begins. The 2 of us have become great friends. He still pushes me just as hard, but I now know that it is all for the better.

I'm with SMD on this one--but at the same time, it's important to say that I'm not planning on "going anywhere" with my skills, in the sense that I'm not going to get a degree in music, nor will I expect any sort of performance career. I've had 3 major teachers in the last 5 years, and each have been invaluable for my development, but I've decided it's time to just loosen up a bit and take my own route. Besides, I've always been somewhat suspicious of "formalist teaching," particularly in artistic fields (don't get me wrong, though; I understand its importance, to a degree). So, that's that.

I really like my most recent teacher, though, who is Polish and mostly blind. He has an absolutely astounding ability to create lyrical phrases out of any musical line and has an almost incredible control over dynamics and pedalling; no matter how terrible the piano is, his performances come through brilliantly. He also has a tremendous memory and is one of those people who can learn a piece almost entirely by ear, or off the page within a few hours (he once took about 30 seconds to scan through the 2nd variation of La Campanella (with the melody in the left hand, followed by that evil triplet-right-hand part), and then played it "perfectly" (much better than I could, after a few weeks of practice) after one try. It all comes so effortlessly to him!

Anyway, his brilliance also kind of caused me to back away from lessons. Afterall, if a man that talented and qualified (Ph.D from Rice, several degrees from Poland, CDs of the Chopin concerti, etc.) is teaching college prepatory students like myself, who have but an inkling of ability, in a Rice practice room...well, where could I possibly be in 15 years?

I think I'll be happier learning my "own" pieces at my own pace, just having fun.

My teacher is freakin' great! He's got the most interesting ways of helping me get over my problems, and can be intimidating without being offensive. One thing that annoys me, though, is how he belittles me most of the time.

same here.

I've never had a paino teacher, so can't really comment. I've been slowly teaching myself and studying the works of Mozart, Clementi etc to gain some kind of knowledge, my terminology is awful.

I hung on every word my teacher said forty years ago. There comes a time though, at least for the creative aspect, where you finally have to be yourself. It took me rather too long to do this because of the overwhelming nature of his raw musical ability. The fact is that musical gifts, beyond a certain obvious level are neither necessary nor sufficient for creative purposes.

I did not understand this for many years because of his power. Aside from this he was the right teacher for me at precisely the right time of my life.

I worship my teacher.

This is the beginning of the 5th year. He has taught me so much, and not just about piano and music. He constantly encourages me; and his intelligence, playing, good nature and sense of humour does so even more. He is an exceptional organist and specialises in Bach, and his improvisation skills are astonishing. I am taught first thing on Monday morning before my lessons start and I always leave in a happy mood – which immunises me against any problems that may occur in the week.

My teacher is so gosu, sometimes he pwns me liek a noob lol rofl. omg gg no re. ^_^ uber micro!

But seriously, my teacher fits my style of learning very well, and it seems he always has a good remedy for problems that occur in the music, and how to treat them in a very musical way without being too pedantic.

lol i luv it wehn teh narb say gg rofl noob lol lmao ppl r sooo pwnage

lol omg i pwn liek so many noobs and stuff rofl lol gg

omfg r u liek a 1337 h4x0r?

I hate this stuff.

Write English!

My teacher is incredible.

byh the way.

I like my teacher, too. He's patient and kind, except when he's impatient and demanding. An all-around sort of guy, you might say. Seriously, any teacher who can get me to play Bach and like it is a genius. I'm playing Bach. I like it.