UK Piano Page Piano Forum

Hello! I just stumbled upon this board in my google search for piano teacher forums. Please forgive the intrusion.

My name is Joy, I live in Kansas, USA, and I've been teaching for over a year now.

All has been fine and good up till last week when I accepted a transfer student. I'm having a hard time figuring out what 'level' of playing she is in, how much she knows, what to do with her, etc.

She was just finishing up the 2nd Suzuki piano book, yet she sight reads only one hand at a time, and seems to have trouble reading the notes. I don't want to insult her by taking her 'back', but I really don't think she has a very good grasp of her notes. She can play by ear, which seems to assist her a lot in 'perfecting' the music. Instead of becoming more familiar with the written notes, she *hears* it, and plays what she hears.

I bought a literature anthology book (Level 1) by Lynn Macgrath for her...but I'm thinking it may be too advanced, and I should instead get an even more simplified version of classical pieces.

Do any of you have any suggestions? thoughts?

thanx!

Suzuki is a fantastic method for learning by ear but in my experience leaves the pupil disadvantaged in the sightreading department. I think you'll have to do remedial sightreading work until her reading is on a par with her playing...long old slog you have in front of you by the sound (arf arf) of it. Good luck!