Who makes the best music teachers?

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>I've been wondering about teachers vs. performers. On the Music Ed thread, recent posts discussed performers who also teach, and teachers who also gig. We've had some varying experiences, and wonder what experiences others have had.</p>

<p>My "short answer" is that the best teachers are those who love to teach and understand their subject matter. But perhaps I'm being too simplistic. </p>

<p>What made me start thinking about it, is that in Germany, orchestra members are not allowed to have a teaching studio. In college, they must pick a path - to teach or to perform. Everybody is licensed, and you can't teach without a license. Now, my S was able to get lessons with an orchestra member, but S was his only student, and it was temporary. So, I don't know how policed it is. But in general, people there were suprised that both S and D's private teachers in the US were members of a symphony and not "real" teachers.</p>

<p>Their US teachers were professional musicians who also taught, and taught well. They have been extremely helpful in terms of networking, audition skills, repertoire knowledge, etc. I definitely see perks in having teachers who know the business.</p>

<p>D's violin teacher in Germany, however, was a college professor of violin, and had a private studio as well. He performed regularly in small ensembles. He attended conferences every year and came home with new teaching ideas, and was extremely picky about technique. (Some times it drove me crazy - like when an entire month was spent bowing a toilet paper roll - to fix a bowing technique.)</p>

<p>I know that S had a marvelous time in his middle school and high school bands because the directors wanted to teach from the get-go, and poured their hearts into it. D, on the other hand, has had orchestra teachers who are teaching to pay the bills while they try to make it big, or because they didn't make it big. She had a drama teacher like this, too. In each case, they seemed to resent successful kids. A recent exchange with the orchestra teacher (maybe I'm reading it wrong?) went like this:</p>

<p>T: I heard your S has a big audition coming up. (apparently heard it from the band teacher, whom S keeps in touch with.)
Me: Yes, with xxxxx.
T: I guess that's an advantage with places like xxxx and yyyy. That they will hear everybody, and are willing to take applicants without prescreening. Let me know how it goes.</p>

<p>It was all said in a friendly way, and didn't occur to me till later that that was a rather negative way to approach it!</p>

<p>As a result of the difference in band and orchestra teachers, my S has always gotten lots of strokes from his teachers, and my D has not. It's part of the reason S is passionate and D merely puts up with it.</p>

<p>Curious about other's experiences. Also, did your teacher's background affect your child's choice of major?</p>

2

<p>Interesting topic, binx, but very difficult to answer. My son has had a variety of teachers. His music teachers in elementary, middle, and high school were decent teachers who really wanted him to be successful and provided extra opportunities for him whenever possible. His private teacher was a guy cobbling together different things. He was a strong teacher, but not that great a cellist. (And he would be the wrong teacher for a lot of kids.) In college, his teacher is both a superior performer and superb teacher. I understand that he never had a major performing career because he had (and continues to have) major issues with performance anxiety. </p>

<p>Currently, son is taking a year off between undergrad and grad and is studying with a teacher he has worked with for the past 2 summers. This man is at our local university and son could have studied with him in high school but didn't. The reason? Son felt he was a weak player. However, he has discovered that this man is a fantastic teacher and has much to offer. Thus he is taking a year to work with him. </p>

<p>Son decided in 8th grade he was going to be a professional cellist. His teachers have certainly helped him in that goal. Ultimately, I think that son has always sought out people that will help him meet his goal. Any teacher that was discouraging or not meeting his needs has been dismissed in my son's mind and he has gone elsewhere. </p>

<p>I have always heard that students who aspire to be performers need to study with people who are superior performers in their own right, but I am not sure that is true. On the other hand, I don't know if you can teach something that you can't do yourself.</p>

3

<p>Son has been incredibly lucky, I think. He has been classically trained, with excellent teachers (including a prima donna or two, espically one who didn't want him to perform a piece once, because she felt his level of preparation...which was near perfect, but not perfect enough...reflected badly on her.ick).</p>

<p>However, as the result of his high school jazz director, has become completely obsessed with jazz, and has immersed himself in the genre fully and completely, including his decision to study jazz in college. I honestly do not know if he would have shifted his focus independently, and really think it is all the result of this teacher, who has challenged, motivated and nurtured him like a true mentor.</p>

<p>On edit:</p>

<p>I also think the level of play of the teacher is important, particularly for kids at a high level. I know S's piano teacher cannot play some difficult phrases as quickly as he can now, but she was once able to, and thus understands fingerings, etc. in ways that a teacher who couldn't play the pieces would be unable.</p>

4

<p>Teachers certainly are vitally important. My son took lessons from advanced high school students when he was in middle school. (mainly due to cost and because he was not yet really serious about music) When he reached high school, it was suggested that he needed a good teacher. He tried out one who lived nearby, who was not a professional trumpet player, but did play in some local groups and gave lessons. This person happened to be very serious, a man of few words, and with no sense of humor. It did not work at all for our son. Just not a good match.</p>

<p>His next teacher was first chair in the symphony, but a man who told our son that he had always felt his true gift was teaching, not playing. He was wonderful in many ways, teaching far more than just technique as he would get going on philosophy or European music or other subjects whenever our son needed a short break in the lesson. Interestingly enough, the first couple of years, he kept mentioning to our son that he might consider majoring in political science or pre-med. This man is very honest and did not feel our son was meant to be a professional player. What helped our son determine that he COULD be a professional player is when this teacher, three years later, told our son that he was almost always right in his assessment of young players, but that "One time in a hundred, a player surprises me," and that our son was one such player. When this teacher talked to our son about college teachers, his assessment of son's current teacher stressed not just what a good teacher this man is, but that "he is a fine human being." We'll always be thankful our son met this man!</p>

<p>DS has also taken lessons from another symphony player, who has a completely different personality and really pushes him, but who also helps him in many ways. He took a couple of lessons from a nearby college professor, but didn't like the way this person seemed to take a very similar approach with every student and started making major changes in playing style right at the start.</p>

<p>Son's current college teacher is, of course, a college professor, but he did play professionally at one time. DS is very happy with him, and he actually sounds a lot like that first professional teacher in his style of teaching.</p>

<p>As we discovered fairly late on, it can be helpful to have more than one teacher, since each teacher tends to emphasize different aspects of playing. A student can sometimes learn more when working with different teachers, so long as the teaching styles and playing suggestions are compatible.</p>

5

<p>I think it depends upon the student as much as the teacher. The "best" teacher for a beginner or intermediate student would not be the same as the "best" teacher for an advanced student. We've had a nurturing teacher for young learners, a college performance student, a composer and a performing symphony professional. I can honestly say that each was perfect for my kids in the particular stages of their musical development.</p>

6

<p>I think it matters much less about level of play of the teacher when kids are just starting out on instruments. Both of my children started lessons with honors level high school musicians, who were clearly above their level of beginning play, but not professional musicians, of course.</p>

<p>As my son has advanced in both his instruments, the level of his teachers has incrementally advanced as well. In piano, my son is on his fifth teacher, and his third drum/percussion teacher. Each teacher is a great step up from the previous. My daughter is still on her first teacher (a very fine high school cellist), as a beginner. This is perfect for her right now, but by next year, she will be ready for a new teacher, of a higher level.</p>

7

<p>I think my violinist D has been very lucky with her teachers, so far. Each has matched her needs as a student and her developmental stage. </p>

<p>Teacher #1 was a young man getting his masters in music education, after having spent a few years as a freelance musician in rock bands. His primary instruments were (classical) string bass and (rock/jazz) bass guitar, and he was teaching general beginning strings. D was six. (Because of his background as a bassist, D’s work with this teacher gave her a great foundation in rhythm; he had her working out of the Louis Belson rhythm books--LOL) After a year, he told me she needed a “real” violin teacher, and recommended his own. </p>

<p>Teacher #2 was a middle school music teacher (without tenure) who did gigs on the side. She was a good match for the late beginner/early intermediate stage and a good personal fit; D probably could have stayed with her for a few years. Unfortunately, she relocated for a better school music teaching job in a distant school district after less that a year. But she helped us find the next teacher.</p>

<p>D studied with Teacher #3 for 8 productive years. This teacher had a classical, conservatory training, a masters in performance, and had spent ten years as a professional orchestral musician, including a stint in Europe. She’d returned home for family reasons and decided that she’d had enough of the performer’s life 24/7. She was growing her studio when D began with her, and had discovered that she had a talent and passion for teaching. She augmented this with additional training in violin pedagogy, so she grew as a teacher along with helping her students grow as musicians. </p>

<p>Six months ago, Teacher #3 pushed D out of the nest, so to speak. She felt strongly that it was time for Fiddlekid to spread her wings, and move to another level. Specifically, she wanted my D to work with a strong teacher who was also an active performer, especially since my D has grown more serious about playing. She felt that my D should have at least a couple of years with the next teacher before college. And she was very picky about who she was going to send my D to. (So picky, in fact, that we are traveling a fairly long distance twice a month to Teacher #4.) </p>

<p>D, now a HS junior, and seriously considering music performance as she begins the college search process, has been working with Teacher #4 for about six months. He is an incredibly talented (active) performer, a gifted teacher, and a music scholar. Fortunately, he is a good "fit" for my D as well. He has very high expectations, and pushes her, and she is loving both the intensity of the instruction experience itself, and the results it's had on her playing.</p>

8

<p>My son, who's in his 9th year of trumpet playing, is just getting started at college with his 5th teacher. It seems like every 2 years or so, he would have progressed enough to need a new teacher. He started with a retired local middle school band director who was an active performer in a dance band. Great for beginning technical skills, but as my son became more interested in classical music than band repertiore, we knew it was time for a change. Each change moved him in a good direction toward his goal but further from home! 2nd and 3rd teachers were professors at regional and state flagship universities respectively, and 4th teacher was at boarding school. I keep hoping he'll roost for four years at college only 682 miles from home, but then I remember the study abroad opportunities I read about!</p>

<p>So, back to the original question - I think that different students need different types of teachers at different points in their music education. And finding the right teacher, especially for an advanced student, can sometimes be challenging. One of the college professors who taught my son was a wonderful teacher and person, and know exactly what he needed musically at the time. My son, however, was a typical, sometimes surly 15 yr. old, who thought he already knew everything, and the wonderful college teacher was just not used to dealing with socially and emotionally immature 15 yr. olds. It was a challenging time for all!</p>

9

<p>The best music teachers are the ones who can inspire their students to be better musicians. The best music teacher my kids had in high school was not the best musician. In fact, he really wasn't a terrific instrument player at all. BUT he knew his students and could assess their potential. He provided encouragement and direction at each student's level. He was driven himself, and wanted his ensembles to be the best they could be. This meant knowing where each individual's strengths and weaknesses were. This guy was a rock for my son the performance major...providing sage advice for four years along with a LOT of opportunity for my son. He was equally wonderful for my musical but not as interested daughter who he encouraged to be a leader in her ensemble.</p>