All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[serenewt]

Full time Female Music Degree Piano Teacher currently taking in students. Travels to students’ place in Bukit Timah/Upper Bukit Timah/Hillview or nearby areas. Students learning for leisure/exams are both welcome. Also suitable for students who are transitioning to private lessons from the Yamaha Junior Music Course programme, with students attaining distinctions shortly after transition.


Previously been teaching in Australia before returning to Singapore. Patient and experienced in teaching children as young as 3 years old, as well as students of different cultural backgrounds(Australia/China/UK/Europe/Canada etc). Former music instructor in a Primary School in Singapore. Familiar with the updated ABRSM exam syllabus.

Message 9653 1568 for any inquires or a trial lesson.

[Tracygav]

Hi all, I’m looking for a good and experienced piano teacher for my beginner 5.5year old son. I’m staying around Kovan / Yio Chu Kang Rd area. Would love to hear from some of u who can recommend the teacher your kid is currently with. May I know what is the market rate for a piano teacher to conduct private lessons at our home? Thank you.

[ponymarie]

I am also looking for an experienced piano teacher to teach my 13 DS for preparing Grade 8 piano and theory test. We stay in Jurong West St. 52. If can teach at our home will be good. We will consider taking lessons at teacher’s place if necessary. Thank you.

[cherry808]

HI! I am looking for an experienced piano teacher for my DD who is 6 yrs old and have learned for 2 years + although she has not in any grade exams so far.


We live in AMK area.

Thanks.

[Blanja85]

I am looking for Piano teacher for my child who has completed grade 2.Am staying in Queenstown.

[beautyseek]

All


I am looking for an affordable lady piano teacher.

Area: Marine Parade, Telok Kurau, Katong, Kembangan, Eunos or Siglap areas.

Student: Beginner level but already registered for ABRSM Grade 1 in Mar 2016

Lesson commencement: Preferably in Jan 2016

If any one interested, please PM me. Also appreciate it if parents here will kindly recommend any good teachers in the mentioned areas. Appreciate your help.

Thanks

[sembgal]

I had a chat with a boss of a private music school registered with MOE. He shared with me that when he gets teachers to come in for the interviews, they have good paper qualification but yet unable to show him some of the techniques required. He shared that a piano teacher who has distinctions for her exam may not necessarily be a good teacher because that person has been drilled to master the exam pieces till to perfection and neglect the other areas that to him are necessary to be a good piano teacher. It was an eye-opener.


I learnt that an older child who has not learnt how to play the piano before will catch up much faster than another child who started at much earlier age. An older child has the mental capability to remember more things and acceleration of piano learning can be possible if that student is already very smart. From his experience, students that have the capabilities to go top secondary schools or excel academically tend to do very well in learning piano and they master the techniques faster due to how their brains are programmed.

Daily practicing of piano for beginners have to be at least 30 mins. If the child practises daily for longer duration, results can be seen faster. A good teacher can teach all pupils but not all pupils have the same learning ability. Some grasp the techniques faster, some learn at their own pace.

[budaowong]

sembgal:

I had a chat with a boss of a private music school registered with MOE. He shared with me that when he gets teachers to come in for the interviews, they have good paper qualification but yet unable to show him some of the techniques required. He shared that a piano teacher who has distinctions for her exam may not necessarily be a good teacher because that person has been drilled to master the exam pieces till to perfection and neglect the other areas that to him are necessary to be a good piano teacher. It was an eye-opener.

True. Could be that he/she was forced to complete certain exam grades at a time frame, finishing exam pieces one after another thus neglected her techniques exercise. OR it could be the teacher didn't introduce.

sembgal:

I learnt that an older child who has not learnt how to play the piano before will catch up much faster than another child who started at much earlier age. An older child has the mental capability to remember more things and acceleration of piano learning can be possible if that student is already very smart.

Generally yes. Older students learn faster because they understand better so can skip certain lessons. But may or may not catch up with someone who started at an earlier age. This also depends on the willingness of the student to spare time into practising and reviewing the lessons. Had one senior schoolmate who started ard 12/13 yrs old, completed his LTCL (diploma) than the rest who started at 4. BUT then again, he practises 3 hrs daily. No joke. His the hardcore type. Another friend also started at 12/13 yrs old, still in grade 4 when I met her in JC.

sembgal:

From his experience, students that have the capabilities to go top secondary schools or excel academically tend to do very well in learning piano and they master the techniques faster due to how their brains are programmed.

Yeah, and also because they have the desire to excel so they felt compelled to perform. However, not all did well too. Had two friends, one a straight A student, the other average. Straight A failed his grade 8 practical, average friend did well in hers.

sembgal:

Daily practicing of piano for beginners have to be at least 30 mins. If the child practises daily for longer duration, results can be seen faster. A good teacher can teach all pupils but not all pupils have the same learning ability. Some grasp the techniques faster, some learn at their own pace.

Yes, longer practises daily may see accelerated result PROVIDED they practice EFFICIENTLY. (Sorry for caps, very important to highlight this). You can play 2 hrs on the piano but if you just run through the songs without fixing your problems, you are unlikely to go anywhere. Remember my friend who got LTCL faster (mentioned above). He practised efficiently. That's why he can proceed fast and got Distinction for both his diplomas (ATCL and LTCL).

Learning ability is not the same for students. (as you have said). So for someone who didn't hit grade 8 by a certain age doesn't necessarily mean that student is bad. It could mean that he/she wants to take things slowly and perhaps not rushed for exams but is exploring different songs.

[Dreamaurora]

sembgal:

I had a chat with a boss of a private music school registered with MOE. He shared with me that when he gets teachers to come in for the interviews, they have good paper qualification but yet unable to show him some of the techniques required. He shared that a piano teacher who has distinctions for her exam may not necessarily be a good teacher because that person has been drilled to master the exam pieces till to perfection and neglect the other areas that to him are necessary to be a good piano teacher. It was an eye-opener.


I learnt that an older child who has not learnt how to play the piano before will catch up much faster than another child who started at much earlier age. An older child has the mental capability to remember more things and acceleration of piano learning can be possible if that student is already very smart. From his experience, students that have the capabilities to go top secondary schools or excel academically tend to do very well in learning piano and they master the techniques faster due to how their brains are programmed.

Daily practicing of piano for beginners have to be at least 30 mins. If the child practises daily for longer duration, results can be seen faster. A good teacher can teach all pupils but not all pupils have the same learning ability. Some grasp the techniques faster, some learn at their own pace.

I can tell you from my own personal experience that it is really a stretch to expect a fresh full time or Diploma graduate to be immediately a good teacher. Unless a fresh teacher has received extended pedagogy training or has a senior teacher as mentor, it is difficult to acquire those skill sets necessary to be a good teacher. Of course those with really good teachers from the start might have an advantage to have a model they can follow, but still how many can actually recall their first few years of lessons? So it falls to the teacher to continually upgrade and improve herself. And this will be of course reflected in the track record of the teacher.

Yes, true that older children may learn faster, but in Singapore context older children also may have far more academic and CCA commitments. While I think that in general people agree that students who fare better academically tend to do well for instruments too, I do experience some exceptions in my studio. If very smart but does not have good hand eye coordination, ability to handle nerve, and good inner hearing also won't be able to reach the highest standard in playing.

[ipiano1980]

Maple Oak:

Thanks to crm and dreamaurora for being able to speak their minds and converse with honesty and civility over some potentially touchy subjects. I'm glad to see that.

Can I add that, yes, I think speed of progress and getting good grades in exams/competitions, do matter, and do have a role in helping us gauge teacher quality/cost... it is an incomplete metric in discussing about music, and musicianship.

In fact, in a hyper competitive atmosphere where getting that distinction or first prize is all that matters, qualifications qualifications qualifications, very often, music is the first thing to suffer.

Teacher cost will always hover around the 40-80 - 120 ++ mark depending on how \"elite\" the teacher is, but I think the more important questions will still be:
1) Is my child growing in his/her appreciation and understanding of music?
2) Is the teacher-student interaction resulting in a growing of my child's character?
3) On a gut level, is the teacher someone I (as a parent) can trust?

Hello all! I am going to write from my perspective as a teacher. You may agree or disagree and that would be just fine.

Sorry I started reading from page 357, it has been a year since I contributed - So I will be going a little off topic for a moment. Firstly I completely agree with Maple Oak's statement. I re-quoted it so parents may be reminded again of these very important points that Maple stated.

As a teacher, it can be challenging to keep a very good record all the time because you have students of varying character, interest and available time to practice. Most of the time, I feel stressed out to get results from the students because that ultimately reflects on my method of pedagogy.

The first thing most parents who do not know you might ask for your track record. Having students getting Distinction results are really a plus and the most convincing way to show to parents that you are qualified. But like many others who have shared, it is also important to get a qualified teacher who is able to enhance the child's interest without killing it - just to get results.

I said in the past too, Distinctions can be easily achieved but that doesnt make you a great musician still unless you have explored many other more pieces. You can drill the same pieces again and again, drill on scales and get that Distinction. But that is still a great step!

There are many teachers too that get that paper cert quickly but dont have the musical quality. As well students.

I also believe that for teacher to teach higher grades like Grade 6-8 onwards, they should be past Grade 8 standard of playing. At least learning Diploma standard pieces or Diploma standard, and hiring a great teacher for themselves. This is because - the musical quality of their own students would be better. (or Classically correct)

Sept 2015 I have 3 Grade 8 students. 3 all very musical and interested. Unfortunately the most talented one gotten only a PASS because he was very busy with school. He had only practice time with me one hour a week till the exam day. It is such a pity. Gladly , the other 2 passed with Distinctions because they had to perform in school as well.

I dont know if that Grade 8 who only have a Pass would be a bad reflection of me. He loves music a lot and is still continuing lessons to explore every genre in Classical Music.

Actually I was a little upset when he gotten that PASS results and so did my student. When I get the Merits from students, I wanted them to get Distinctions. I start to wonder if the results are for me or for them? They love music now. They hated music before. Why am I dissatisfied? I am a teacher, I should be happy that my students appreciate music even if they did not get that Distinction.

Distinctions results also involves - being pretty good in 1)Pieces 2)Scales 3) Sight Reading 4)Aural


Well thanks for reading till the end.

ps: sorry i may not be able to reply as I am busy