What factors should you consider when choosing a piano teacher?
Should the rate the teacher charges for lessons be a major factor?
Should proximity to home be a factor? Should the age or gender of the
teacher be a factor at all? Price, proximity, age, and gender of the
teacher are all things to consider, but most important are the
qualifications and experience of the teacher. Another very important
factor is the teacher's ability to inspire the student to put forth the
work necessary to excel at the piano. But if the practice is done
incorrectly, no amount of practice will produce a pianist who plays
beautifully, expressively, and musically.
Here are just a few of the reasons I think I am an excellent piano teacher:
-I've studied piano since the age of five. I have loved the piano for my whole life.
-I studied piano performance at the University of Utah.
-I received a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition from the University of Utah.
-I have taught piano lessons for almost 40 years.
-I teach students to play musically and expressively.
-I maintain a piano studio where disturbances never or rarely occur.
As a side note, I have heard of teachers who spend
part of the lesson baby-sitting their own small children, talking on
the phone, or taking care of other various household chores.
-I have a vast knowledge of music theory and teach it enthusiastically. I teach how theory relates to the music being learned.
-I
have played the piano professionally for years, accompanying multiple
choirs professionally, playing for several years in a rock band, etc.
-I have an excellent rapport with my students.
-I hold three recitals per year.
-I often write or arrange music specifically for my students.
So
the question remains, how do you decide who will be your piano
teacher? Do you take lessons from the teacher who charges less, just
because he or she charges less? Do you study with a teacher just
because the teacher lives close to you?
Why do you
take piano lessons? Do you want to play the piano well or just play?
Do you want to sound really good or just play notes? How well would you
like your student to play?
Here are a few observations:
In
my nearly 40 years of teaching piano, I have received many students who
have taken lessons previously from the "neighborhood teacher." While
some of them have been taught very well, others have come with poor
counting skills, and poor expressive playing. Many simply play the
notes with no thought as to how the music should sound. Many students
(especially boys) tend to "pound" on the keys, never paying any
attention to sound quality, dynamics, or expressiveness. I have spent many months trying to correct the bad habits of these students.
I
feel that at this stage of my career, I am the best teacher that I have
ever been. I know more, I have more experience, and I love teaching.
I feel that I relate very well with my students. I have been very
successful in inspiring my students with a love for the piano and a love
of music. But, as I have gotten older, I have noticed a strange
phenomenon. Students and parents often gravitate toward younger, less
expensive teachers. Perhaps they think it doesn't matter who a beginning
student studies with. But a solid foundation is crucial to progress as
a good musician.
A good teacher can make all the difference between a person who plays piano and one who plays musically and beautifully.
Kevin Pace
Pace Music Services
