Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum How much of a say in repertoire do you give students?

I have had a number of teachers over the years. One teacher I went through used to encourage me to dig out my own repertoire. He said that "you know your ability and you know what is suited to you" ... it really taught me to research and it taught me independence as a growing musician.

Another teacher I had, used to narrow it down to 3 or 4 songs/pieces and play them for me and have me choose which ones I like.

Teachers I have now often choose or recommend specific pieces of songs for me. They tell me that they'd pick something else out if I didn't like that particular song/piece.

I'm just interested to know how much of a say teachers give to students in repertoire choice.

I think part of the extent to a teacher's knowledge, interest, and care, is devoted to observing and acknowledging the styles of music, students are 'drawn to', and then presenting that student with pieces that reflect that style...if a student is intrinsically attracted to a style of music and they flourish as a pianist when playing that style, I encourage it in future repertoire choices. Of course that student is also taught and experiences other styles/eras. But I see one aspect of my role as a teacher, as bringing out one's potential, not being mindless or controlling about repertoire.

As a student, I would like my teacher to choose pieces that will teach me things I need to develop. That is both technically and in terms of genre. I want to stretch beyond my current tastes and what I know. My growth, and knowledge of what music entails, has to be at the heart of my teacher's choice. In fact, this is "teaching toward my interest" - that is my interest. If what I am interested in and what I am good at is at the centre of my teacher's choice, then he is in fact putting me into a box. Because I am an adult student, that box is a real possibility if I don't speak up.

I think this issue might be about timing...introducing students to various styles of music and proficiency of those styles is essential. But, however, after a period of time, maybe even years, a student may incline towards a particular style...be able to pick it up and express it almost naturally and with the utmost musicality the composer would be proud of. I find this is the place where I can really work with their potential.

lotuscrystal, I like the way you word it there to be choosing pieces that suit the student. I went through one horrid teacher that used to pick out Chopin and Bach ... all his students played Chopin and Bach for their exams. Added to that he didn't like Stravinsky or Shostakovitch ... so no student of his would have the two in their repertoire. I believe there is no wrong, in personal taste but think in the end he was producing clones of him.

I think also, its important to expose students with as much as possible in their learning stages. The teacher I had that used to have me pick my own repertoire (this was for exams) allowed me to expose myself and listen to a wide range of repertoire.

In saying all of this, I wonder, what happens when a student is interested in a particular style, composer or a piece that you detest? Do you still teach it?

Well, it sounds like you're using a variant of the Royal College exam system, and they have grade repertoire lists, so students should be able to pick out repertoire they like with some ease. Today, it's possible to hear most piano repertoire on youtube, so students have opportunities we didn't have as students.

But realize that the vast majority students will not, under any circumstance, sit down and methodically go the repertoire list and come up with a program. Then the teacher has two choices - take lesson time to play the repertoire for the student (which I often do, unless the level of the repertoire is such that a whole lesson would be expended with me playing) or just select a wide variety of pieces for the student.

Because it's expedient, most teachers will simply pick repertoire for students. It isn't as terrible as it sounds, because we already know the student quite well, and can obtain a pretty good fit.

It depends on the student. If they're opinionated and have a decent knowledge of the repertoire, then they have a lot of say.

If they don't know the literature or don't have strong opinions, then I choose.

I have a lot of music resources, and in 38 years have used a lot of variety of music to teach. There are absolutely dazzling sources out there and certain composers come to the forefront, not only do I enjoy teaching these, but the obscure pieces, a little harder to find, get my full attention.

I always present a piece to the student as us finding out what the composer had to say, what puzzles and tricks are in the piece, and what do we like about the piece and the composer. I try to help them get inside the bones of the piece, life at the time, a tidbit here and there to consider.

No piece is just played through, learned, and played back. I try to fit discovery and a little adventure into the piece. I try to encourage them to do the same as a regular habit so they will 'identify' more of what they need to do to get the character of the piece.

I use "imagination" to get in character: Like "How do you feel really dressed up in a tuxedo?" "How do you feel in comfy clothes?" How do you feel with your hands in your pockets?"
How do you feel when your shoes are too tight?"

Silly to some, but many kids with vivid imaginations "buy" these "prompts" and quickly assume a fitting "pose" or "image". The magic of it is that the playing of the piece conforms to the composers intent.

So, I think I have a lot of music that is too good to miss, and I'm excited so share it with my students.

Should they have requests, I try to include them into the "framework" at the appropriate time, but I must say most of what is requested comes from the "pop" domain...or it's Fuer Elise, or "Canon in D".

For some reason, most of my students have really taken to the sound of A minor, and there is a lot of literature there in sad/happy and slow/fast and short/long pieces. I use the A minor quite a bit in Intermediate level.

In my studio, students are allowed to "say" anything they want provided it's not said rudely or to distract us from our purpose. That's not a "rule" that's been given, it's just the bottom line I uphold.

I'd like to think I'm approachable in music.

Betty

I find it is rare for students to express much of an opinion until they reach a certain age or standard. I always try to offer choice when selecting pieces but I must admit to steering them towards my own preferences. I do believe you can't force anyone to practice a piece they really hate.

I'm looking for something I disagree with here, but I can't find anything. My approach, I think, is exactly the same.

Well said Chris, its true that most of the time children have developing tastes and interests. Some pieces I have looked at as a student have been rejected by my teachers. One teacher I had steered me to choose a certain program that he liked, if I liked a certain piece he didn't he would say "I don't think that's musically pleasing" ...

I have a friend that had a teacher who hated Jazz. Sure, he knew one or two things about Jazz and could teach to her level (advanced) but he loathed Jazz. When she picked out a piece that she enjoyed playing he would reject it and say "I wouldn't enjoy teaching that."

What would you say to that?

To be honest, I don't detest any styles or composers...I teach everything from Bach through the ages/eras, to Good Charlotte, Linkin Park, or Paramore (a recent pop band requested by students). To me, if it's music, and they wish to play it, I'm happy to teach it.

I would say that any student who shows enough initiative to select a piece and get on with learning it gets a big from me.

I enjoy teaching anything that a student enjoys playing. It's much better than listening to my favorite works being butchered by someone who doesn't care for them.

Haha...well said Chris

I usually narrow down the repertoire to 2-3 pieces and let the student pick. I let good students have more options. Students who do not practice will have fewer options, or none at all.

Thumbs up from me to that Chris. It's so rewarding when students succeed at what they want to, and it teaches them something invaluable.

I choose all my own repetoire.

I agree with this. At younger ages, the child would me more concerned with just learning and practicing how to play than what is actually out there to choose from and play.

There are weird cases, for example my personal journey when young, where in Januray I would be playing a Chopin Nocturne, by February I wanted a Scriabin etude, mid-summer I wanted a Rachmaninov etude, by fall Vers La Flamme. This did not happen because my teacher was so interested in helping me discover all music, she personally loved Mozart to death. She actually discouraged my interest in Scriabin and Rachmaninov back then, completely dismotivating me. The point is though, that the repertoire I desired grew enormously due to my incessant greed to hear new music, while none of it bothered me. When I first brought up John Cage and Sorabji to my teacher, she refused to teach. I studied the beginning of Scriabin's Op 8 no. 12 and the end of Chopin's nocturne op. 48 no 1 with her, but she refused to teach me anything past that. I had no choice but to leave. The repertoire I wanted was rejected.

At that time she encouraged Chopin and Mozart, while inside I found Chopin not sufficiently curious of the instrument and Mozart too boring at the time. A teacher without a doubt cannot teach something the student hates! The student will just show a lack of interest, as in my case.
I still do believe that students who have more knowledge should choose their own repertoire, and that teachers should teach everything in music, all composers, all styles, making them much more cultured and oriented with the wide range of music that actually exists. Chopin's music is less than 1% of what actually is out there for piano. Why would I have chosen to stop there? I am glad I did not.

I think it depends on the student. With some people, the idea of having to pick out their own music is so completely unthinkable, that they really need the teacher's guidance, while for others, they will feel boxed in and frustrated if the teacher chooses all their music. It is really important, as teachers, to tailor ourselves to the student and their individual needs, not only our personal styles.

I usually pick pieces based on what the student is interested in in terms of types of pieces (lots of students like fast, loud pieces, especially boys) their playing skills (what they are good at, for example a clarinet student who is young and advanced for length of study who is quite small I would not assign a piece with long phrases that need to be done in one breath) reading skills, and then pick two or three pieces from each of the lists I think they will like. But there are certain standards almost every student likes, for example the Charles Peerson The Mouse in the Coal Bin in the Grade 2 book is a standard favourite of students. Yet often the pieces I pick for students not only shows off their strengths, but allows them to work on new challenges or things they've had trouble with.

Meri