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dave brum wrote:Do not feel obliged to use his/her real names here!

If I could extend on what Dave has said and urge people, for legal reasons, NOT to mention the name of your piano teacher. While they may appreciate good publicity, any negative points or criticisms could be damaging to teachers' reputations if they are recognised, particularly as many members have specified the towns and areas in which they live.

Just be careful with the details you include in your post, guys!

Do I get to rate my students in return?

I'm ok, Dave! Really busy as it's time of year to start thinking about Festival applications and help students choose pieces + the ABRSM exams are in a few weeks.

Feeling a bit down today as I've realised that for the first time in my entire life I have a student who I don't like I've always just loved my students - either instantly adored them, or gradually grown to think they're fantastic. But for the first time, it's just not happening. I feel so guilty! Yuck.

My current mentor is one of those people who seems to know about everything - or where to find the information he doesn't know!!

He studied with Aube Tzerko for 9 years. Aube Tzerko was the teacher of Leon Fleischer and Misha Dichter, he was a pupil of Artur Schnabel. Tzerko's idea was that sound quality and musical conception of a work came before technique, technique simply providing the vehicle with which to make music. Technical and musical fluency could not be separated in his mind, or mine now for that matter. That is not to say that the training of the fingers via scales and arpeggios is not of paramount importance too of course!

At the same time as studying with Tzerko, my mentor also studied with Karl Ulrich Schabel, who was Artur Schnabels son, and the pupil of Theodor Leitechiszky (not sure if that transliteration is correct). Of course T.L is very famous because of his method of practice too, which follows a similar ethic to Tzerko.

My mentor was also a friend of Jorge Bolet, and sat in on some recording sessions with him in Los Angeles and New York.

On top of this he holds a Masters Degree in French and German, and is fluent in both languages, as well as being a classical pianist he is a cabaret artist of high renown, running the two careers concurrently. He is a trained teacher, natural born orator and he is a Freeman of the City of Aberdeen. He also has no ego whatsoever, and is willing to help anyone in anyway he can.

I have also been fortunate to have lessons with Artur Pizarro, Malcolm Martineau, Dominique Merlet and Dmitri Alexeev, as well as my Conservatoire education, each person bringing something different out of me. It really does take a village to produce a musician.

PianoAngel wrote:I'm ok, Dave! Really busy as it's time of year to start thinking about Festival applications and help students choose pieces + the ABRSM exams are in a few weeks.

Feeling a bit down today as I've realised that for the first time in my entire life I have a student who I don't like I've always just loved my students - either instantly adored them, or gradually grown to think they're fantastic. But for the first time, it's just not happening. I feel so guilty! Yuck.

It happens, don't worry! We can't like them all! I have had a couple that I've refused to teach because they were simply horrid.

Well, I'm really pleased with mine! I must be lucky around here, there are at least 4 I know of. I picked mine on the basis that she was the one who called me back, where I had to chase the others! Her teaching is solid and traditional and, right now, that seems to suit me down to the ground as I'm basically a lazy person and need someone who won't let me cut corners!

Jan
xx

Good luck with your sleuthing Dave. Check for chalk marks under her nails, a random collection of cordoroy clothing and a bad haircut. She'll probably also use a red pen.

My teacher is very well turned out (definitely wasn't at my old school), but she does have the red pen...

Jan
xx