Piano Lessons Past and Present

Piano Lessons Past and Present

"If there was ever a time to reclaim what is yours and to begin your journey of musical discovery, the time is now. Regardless if it is your profession or hobby or simply a tool for enjoyment, the Piano is a vehicle for understanding a part of you that can otherwise be quite illusive."  -dl

The study of any sport or martial art, music, dance or any other artistic discipline results in a deeper understanding of one's self.   This is not the usual conclusion arrived at and discussed by those of us who suffered under the ‘wrong’ instructor, or who perhaps simply came to ‘right’ discipline at the wrong time.  

It is almost cliche’ to talk about the 'teacher that made you dislike an instrument' or perhaps even worse dislike yourself.   Too many hours can be wasted in lesson with a teacher who actually believes that breaking you down will improve your ability. Many of our masters studied under this form of instruction, and they hopefully were at the very least the few for whom this method was useful.  Even they however agree for the most part, from what I have gathered, that it was the skill of the instructor who was 'breaking them down' and the discernment they weilded that made this style work. 

Instructors who are not skilled in methods of coaching and developing their students can use the same techniques as their masters but fail to understand how to use the tools they are using.   This can be very counter productive.  Some basic indicators that your instructor may not possess the skills that are necessary to weild such responsibility are having only one syle of play and only one method to teach.  Limited by what they know, teachers who are not skilled in being educators teach with an approach that can  damage your desire to learn and will impede your ability to do so.  

When seeking out a new piano mentor, there are all kinds of things to consider that are more obvious than all of this, such as pedigree, references, availability, and so on.   If you are coming back to piano, you will require an instructor who can help you remain in the present rather than digressing into the past and yet can still remain focused on bringing your "learned tools" forward for updating.   If you are new to the piano, you need an instructor who you vibe with and who listens to you when you talk about what you are wanting to accomplish. And of course, you will want one that will work with you as an individual to insure you see results.    

Know in advance a little about where you would like to go, remain open to changing your desired outcome as you learn more and gain insight into your playing.  Open yourself to discovery and really explore your abilities as a musician.  You will find the teacher that inspires you, challenges you, and makes the journey to mastery a fun road to be on.  

Reclaim your journey, or simply start it.   Piano lessons have changed since you were a kid, and the path to your own success is merely waiting for you. 

David

Advice for when you are seeking a piano teacher

Piano lessons at whatever age are a powerful vehicle that accelerates one's development in a deeply powerful way.  It is important that the journey be fun, challenging and rewarding.  It is a transformational decision to study piano.  All you need to begin the journey is a piano and the right instructor to guide you.

It is important to know a little about what you want to accomplish when starting the journey.  As children we learned in a context where discovered things along the way.   As adults, we usually knows a bit at first what we want to accomplish and how, but the picture can be cloudy at times and the unknown can cause the procrastinator within us all to kick in.  The right instructor can help bring what steps to take and in what order into focus, assuming the instructor possess the ability to actively and spontaneously track the student's development and customize their style and approach to each individual.

The basics: know if your potential teacher uses method-books as tools or simply uses them to teach.  Some teachers exclusively teach off method books and only have one style of teaching ,  usually that of which they were taught.  This limits their ability to truly give the student individual attention, and for many this is the style of teaching that made them stop studying piano altogether. 

Aside from the credentials, schedule, location, and all the basic items on the typical check list, it is imperative that you meet in person and feel out the style and personality of an instructor before you decide they are the right one to guide you. You must enjoy the company of your instructor.  People don't learn from people they don't like.   We grow faster, learn more and study longer in the presence of a teacher who can relate to us and work with us as who we are. 

Perhaps you are a professional, or plan to be professional, or you are reclaiming your musical past that you started but stopped as a child or young adult. Or perhaps you have a child beginning the journey of development through the study of piano.  Finding the right instructor  will yield many years of development and bring many fantastic things to you along the way.