Choosing A Piano Teacher

Probably most important is to find a teacher who will support YOUR own direction and skill. A good teacher should find what is most musical about you and help bring that out. He or she should look to your tastes as well as your skill level.

Some useful and basic areas a teacher should probably cover include scale, arpeggio, and metronome practice. You should become familiar with the central works of each period, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary, as well as some Jazz pieces. It is also good to have exposure to audiences, such as in monthly studio recitals.

Things to watch out for include a teacher giving you pieces that are too difficult for your skill level. Some teachers provide very physically challenging works for students, before the students have developed enough technical ability to play them properly. This can lead to long-lasting damage to the body, such as tendonitis. Make sure you yourself feel ready to be playing a piece.

Also, know when it is time to leave a teacher. Each instructor can be great, but there may always come a time when you have learned all you can from that person. Know when to move on, because you could potentially learn a lot more from another teacher or class.

Continue