Good Piano Teachers

Hi Everyone!
I have been doing a great deal of research on this topic: there are no best music schools but rather we need to look at teachers. Furthermore best music school listings usually look at the whole school and not departments. My S wants to do piano as a college major ad probably minor in something else outside of music so I believe a conservatory is not for him However we would like to get a feel of piano departments and great teachers. hes a fabulous musician but needs work on technique. Currently attends MSM precollege has been to IU summer - loves the faculty at IU, doesn’t love MSM. We have also looked at Rice, Michigan, Uni of Miami, Oberlin. Any suggestoons on good faculty in these institutions and others?

If he’s willing to consider a double degree rather than a minor, look into Bard Conservatory.

Does his current teacher have recommendations of teachers he might work well with? Many students schedule lessons with teachers they are interested in. Usually you contact the instructor through their private email or sometimes through the Music Admissions email. Be prepared to pay for the lesson. You can combine the lesson with a visit to the school. Some teachers will invite the interested candidate to a studio class. You might also be there for a student recital which can give an idea of the “outcomes”.

There will be good faculty at all the places you’ve listed. Can your S show his current teacher a faculty list and ask if they have suggestions as to who he might contact for a lesson? Not sure what you mean by “needs work on technique”. (I am a professional musician - the comment could indicate any number of concerns - or lack of concerns.)

You might check that schools you’re interested in can accommodate a BM with an outside minor. Depending on the credits needed for the BM and his status going into college (AP credits, placements, etc), a minor may require extra time to complete or the need to double up on classes which may be difficult given the number of practice hours a pianist is expected to put in. If in doubt, have your S email music admissions and ask.

When you say a “conservatory” is not for him, do you mean a freestanding one? Because if he is looking at Oberlin for piano, then he IS looking at a conservatory. It looks to me like he is looking at BM programs within conservatories or schools of music that are located on college or university campuses. Just wanted to clarify.

I would add that some freestanding conservatories also offer classes in nearby school(s) and some of the best double degree programs are between universities and freestanding conservatories.

I’ll say it because no one else has: it’s not wise to discuss individual teachers in an open forum. The music world is very small and it seems that everyone is constantly running into each other so it’s always best to keep specific opinions private.
And a teacher might be great for one student but not work at all well for another- there are so many factors that come into play. Piano is extremely competative so it would be good for your son to being taking sample lessons now. If he could visit schools while classes are in session, he could observe others’ lessons or studio classes.
As compmom mentioned, there are many kinds of schools to consider and several types of degrees within those. For instance, CIM has a 5 yr dual degree program with Case Western or the student can get a BA in Music through Case as a double major, secondary major or another full degree.

Yes, I meant a freestanding conservatory such as Curtis. S also wants the option to play sports - I’m not sure if this is a good idea with a performance degree but have met people who have done the same.

Thanks for the info here regarding not discussing teachers openly. This is all new to us obviously. I am not sure if a double degree with two separate institutions is a good choice, at least not initially (such as Juilliard-Columbia degree); just due to the type of child S is. Will investigate these more

In addition to recommendations above, see if Tufts/New England Conservatory fits the bill.

Maybe club or intramural sports. My son played ultimate Frisbee in a club sport despite a time-intensive major. I am not have the terminology right!

Double degree possibilities include Harvard/NEC (BA in anything, MM), Yale (BA/MM) Tufts, Oberlin, Lawrence, Ithaca, Hartt (all BA in anything, BM) , Bard (requires a BA of ll BM Conservatory students) and some of the schools you are already looking at. There are many others. SUNY Purchase?

Teachers are important of course, Is the current teacher a source of info, or teachers or peers met in the summer? Why isn’t IU on the list if he loves the faculty? Is it possible to have test lessons or visit performances?

He can still look at factors everyone considers: size of the school, location, academics as well as music, and “vibe.”

Thank you! S LOVES IU! We def have that on our list as other colleges you have all listed here but we also like small so will have the challenge of finding small, sports AND music in same setting. Thanks for all your help here everyone!

IF he loves IU glad it’s on the list. It might be easier to find everything he wants in a larger school. We learned over time that large schools can be broken down into small ones easily and in a variety of ways. A music student would have that smaller community (well at IU not a tiny one for sure) as a “home” on campus. Housing situations, sports teams, academic departments are all small communities as well.

Have a look at Ithaca College. You can do a double major there. It is a small school with good music facultyand sports are an option.