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Should piano teachers be able to play all or most of the pieces that their students play (or the pieces that they teach)? Why or why not?

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Personally, I think this depends on the level of their students; no one is expected to be able to play all of Liszt's etudes and all of Beethoven's sonatas perfectly at any given time, so it's impossible to be 'prepared' to perform any piece for students who might walk in the door unexpectedly.

With that being said, you're usually more comfortable teaching pieces which you've played before, simply because of the familiarity and the interpretation which you've experienced firsthand.
But that shouldn't limit you to merely teaching within your own repertoire (and you'll probably get bored listening to ten students play the same pieces over and over again).

At the "easier" levels, I say yes, a teacher should be able to play any piece a student is learning - that is, be able to.

I don't know all of my students' pieces perfectly but I have either played them or am technically able to play them.

At higher levels, it is more about musical coaching and making sure technique is appropriate. At this point, there is a limit to what every teacher can teach. Remember, most teachers aren't teaching all the Liszt etudes or the like. By this level, many students know what they are doing.

As a general rule, I would answer YES. Speaking as a teacher who works with elementary through mid-advanced level students (generally enrolled in primary and secondary public/private schools or the home school equivalent). Study music at the Elementary and Intermediate levels, without question, and even early Advanced ought to be well-prepared by the teacher before using it as part of his or her teaching curriculum. If a teacher has a physical infirmary which no longer permits playing, but previously had mastered the material, I have no problems with them teaching it. Over all, though, I find it really helps the student when I can both discuss and illustrate points I'm making.

As you move into the Intermediate level, technical problems begin to rise, and it behooves the teacher to review these periodically, at the piano. I often find new solutions to old problems when I do a concentrated review.

I look at it as coaching like in my daughter's sport. Her coach can't do a triple Axel, but is perfectly able to teach it. Her knowledge is about technique, artistry and skill. Many coaches are older and don't even put on skates anymore.

So no, I would not expect at high levels for a teacher to play just as well or better than the student.

I teach quite a few advanced students and it is impossible to play everything they are studying at the moment. Could I, with practice? Mostly. Some things are just not suited to my hands, however. That doesn't mean I don't understand how the technique or musicianship should function, however.

I have a student who plays Liszt's Mephisto Waltz and tosses it off as if it were nothing. He has trouble playing Mozart. I can play Mozart until the cows come home, but Mephisto is too big for my hands. Did I teach it successfully? Yes. Ask the judges of the competitions he has won, if you don't believe me.

I demonstrate principles and ideas and I do play pretty well, but I don't have to be able to play all the rep.

But I'll bet you don't have any problem being able to play what you're illustrating. It may not be totally up to tempo or polished. I suspect what the OP is referring to is a teacher who cannot play, under any circumstance, easier Chopin nocturnes, or even Beethoven's Op 49, but is trying to teach way beyond this upper intermediate level.

True enough.

I think teachers should be able to play at least part of their students pieces reasonably well. A few stumbles are okay but they should not have to sit try and sight read the piece then butcher it. I also believe that teachers should be able to play all technique, and sight reading exercises that a student is asked to do. I have heard of teachers that need to look up key signatures and the notes in the chords. I have gone through all of the RCM books Gr 1 - 8 and made sure that I can play through the pieces.
As a teacher I often play the first 2 - 3 lines of pieces for students to give them an idea of how it sounds.
Grade 8 - 10 they can sight read for themselves in most circumstances.

I would not teach a student who approached my level of competence at the piano. I already plan to pass those students on to a teacher better prepared and qualified to teach the upper levels. At this point, I'm thinking I'll take students up to the upper intermediate level and then refer them to a different teacher. The thought of teaching a student who could play Liszt like it was nothing terrifies me.

Mozart and (most) teenage boys don't mix. I also have an advanced student who will butcher Mozart. There's always Haydn and Beethoven.

There are teachers in my neck of the woods who aren't even piano majors, and they have students lining out the door. I've never seen them play one note in public, either.

Yes, we have the same here, but do the students actually learn to play, or are they just pressing the right key at the right time (more or less)? We can bequeath them some of those out-of-tune pianos we hear so much about!

Oh, I'll disagree. I have several teenage male students who love Mozart and play it very well. Different temperament.

It used to scare me, too, but I've grown into it.

Teaching students at this level has truly stretched me in every way. I am a much better pianist and musician AND teacher because of it. But I didn't just jump up to that level, I worked up to it. It was a gradual process.

Why would anyone try to teach beyond their own level of playing?

Money?
Ambition?
Insanity?



For example, I did get to play some rather difficult works in the past (including the Prokofiev Tocatta and the Ravel concerto, and Waldstein, and the 2nd Chopin Ballad, for example). But this was back in 2001-2003 period. I doubt that I'm able to play any of these at any rate of success. It should take me tons of practice to pull it off.

So, if I come at works that I don't know, or that would seem beyond me, I can still use my analytical thought and former piano knowledge (still applied today as knowledge, but not as a skill anymore) and teach...

That said, I don't think that a teacher who's NEVER played works after a certain level should be teaching them... :-/

Well, I teach two boys who are capable of pulling off Mozart. But they are in the 3% of the teenage boy population. Most male students I've taught just do not possess the Mozart "temperament." But they can certainly do Beethoven.

Girls have much more penchant for Mozart than boys.

Fully agree here AZN! I don't think I still have the patience to sit through Mozart, while I can do Beethoven...

You probably can imagine the damage done to these students. It's just unconscionable.

But what can we do? Some parents associate busy studios with quality teaching.

But what can the parents do? How would they know which one is a good teacher and which one is not so good teacher?