Another teacher?
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Some advice...
I'm taking lessons with a teacher who is fine for what I'm learning. We work on the intricacies of fingering, phrasing, etc. She has some good tips on how to approach things, and is not hesitant to correct me when I do things wrong. She also gives me a loose rein when it comes to things I want to learn and also on how to interpret much stuff. I meet with her every other Tuesday for about an hour.
But...
We're not particularly strong on music outside the classical sphere. In fact, she told me she had a student who wanted to learn jazz piano, and she told him that she really can't help him, because that's not how she was trained.
Learning some of the stuff I'm working on now (like some Poulenc, Mompou an Kabelevsky) makes me realize that I'm woefully ignorant when it comes to "different" music - my fingers just don't naturally go to diminished and other "weird" chords and fingerings.
So...
An ad appeared in our local FB group.
I have a bachelors and masters degree in jazz piano performance from DePaul University, and while my primary work consists of working as a church music director in the south loop and performing around the Chicagoland area, I have two decades of experience teaching students of all ages, including beginners ranging from 5-75 years old. I've also taught harmony, improvisation, aural training, composition, and chord theory with all instrumentalists (including vocalists, string/brass/reed players, in addition to pianists). Here's a brief summary of the one-on-one services I can provide:
-Piano basics for beginners (all ages): learning to read and play music in varying styles (classical/rock/jazz/blues/etc.)
-Harmony/Chord theory: learning to read lead sheets, chord voicings, improvisation in varying styles, available to all vocalists/instrumentalists, and very helpful for any student who plays in a jazz band/ensemble at their school
-Aural training: sight-singing for vocalists, learning to transcribe/play a piece of music by listening and translating to your instrument
-Compositional techniques: learning compositional approaches and techniques that can help turn an idea into a new piece of musicI'm thinking that I might enjoy learning with this person, but not to the exclusion of my other teacher. Perhaps lessons once a month, or so, just to work on things that I'm unfamiliar with. It would be great to look at a lead sheet and just play away. Some Hoagy, Gershwin, etc.
If I do decide to go with this guy, should I tell my other teacher? Mrs. George thinks I should, but I'm thinking that this would be a supplement, not a replacement. Nothing for her would change.
Thoughts?
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I don't think you owe one teacher any explanation for what you do with another teacher. So this is not a matter of obligation or courtesy. To tell or not to tell depends on whether you feel like it, whether you feel telling will further improve your learning.
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I don't think you owe one teacher any explanation for what you do with another teacher. So this is not a matter of obligation or courtesy. To tell or not to tell depends on whether you feel like it, whether you feel telling will further improve your learning.
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"Ask your imaginary piano friends?"
Not sure if you can still log into Piano World Forums. The "Adult Beginner's" forum should have a good number of forumites who have experienced having multiple teachers simultaneously and discussed this many times over. The WTF have people with this sort of experience too but I understand you don't go there.
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I don't think it should be a problem either way - it wouldn't hurt to tell her you're also getting some jazz lessons, but if you think it might upset or aggravate her, then there's really no need
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Since your current teacher already knows you have interests in pursuing the dark side, I think you should tell her. I would bet she would be interested in what you are learning, because she might well like to pursue some of the pedagogy the jazz teacher uses and incorporate into her own teaching.
Your teacher should end up being in part, a friend (if it works out that way). She might feel slighted that you would not tell her anything you're doing, in terms of your own music education.I studied with two different profs during my master's program. We would all three go out for drinks on occasion and enjoyed talking about the similarities and differences in everything music. It was a result of situations that developed though, I didn't plan on having two teachers. One would certainly have felt insulted if I had somehow been taking lessons with someone else behind his back.
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Since your current teacher already knows you have interests in pursuing the dark side, I think you should tell her. I would bet she would be interested in what you are learning, because she might well like to pursue some of the pedagogy the jazz teacher uses and incorporate into her own teaching.
Your teacher should end up being in part, a friend (if it works out that way). She might feel slighted that you would not tell her anything you're doing, in terms of your own music education.I studied with two different profs during my master's program. We would all three go out for drinks on occasion and enjoyed talking about the similarities and differences in everything music. It was a result of situations that developed though, I didn't plan on having two teachers. One would certainly have felt insulted if I had somehow been taking lessons with someone else behind his back.
