Teaching On Grand Or Upright? Options

[Glass Mountain]

Hi - just wondered about other teachers opinions regard on teaching on a Grand or Upright. I've taught on a Grand for the past 10 years, but have just moved house and my Teaching Room is smaller and, therefore, the Grand is really taking over it - bearing in mind I also have 4 keyboards and a clavinova in it for my keyboard classes. I'm pondering over whether to change my piano to a good Upright or not. Regarding the exams, that's not a big problem as most of the exams are take at my home on my piano via a Special Exam Visit, but when the pupils go to the festivals they obviously have to play a Grand. Other teachers in my area don't teach on Grands, but I'm one of these daft people that put the pupils first and want them to have the best experience they can.

If I do change to an Upright, a lot of people have recommended the Yamaha U1, so would welcome any comments on this as well.

Thanks for your time to help one frustrated piano teacher!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Frankie82]

Oooh you are a lovely teacher...btw I'll swap you your grand for my Yam clavinova if you don't want it anymore! hehe

[Dulciana]

I'd rather have a lesson in a small room on a Grand, even if it was cramped!

[Roger]

Hi - just wondered about other teachers opinions regard on teaching on a Grand or Upright. I've taught on a Grand for the past 10 years, but have just moved house and my Teaching Room is smaller and, therefore, the Grand is really taking over it - bearing in mind I also have 4 keyboards and a clavinova in it for my keyboard classes. I'm pondering over whether to change my piano to a good Upright or not. Regarding the exams, that's not a big problem as most of the exams are take at my home on my piano via a Special Exam Visit, but when the pupils go to the festivals they obviously have to play a Grand. Other teachers in my area don't teach on Grands, but I'm one of these daft people that put the pupils first and want them to have the best experience they can.

If I do change to an Upright, a lot of people have recommended the Yamaha U1, so would welcome any comments on this as well.

Thanks for your time to help one frustrated piano teacher!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

"........but I'm one of these daft people that put the pupils first............"

Why is it daft to put your pupils first. Isn't that the reason you are a piano teacher? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Susie]

I teach on a Yamaha upright (don't know what its number is) which has been very good. But my pupils go to a centre with a grand piano for their exams so we always have a few weeks of "well, the music will be up here so I'll prop it up for you this lesson" beforehand, so I think on balance I would like to teach on a grand piano (Perhaps you'd rather my slightly old Yamaha than Frankie82's clavinova (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) for a swap).

Seriously though if you feel it's a bit cramped, how does the examiner feel when he/she comes to do your Special visit, or do you clear out all the other bits and pieces to make more space? Perhaps if you have the exams at your house, you might be better off with an upright.

[__piano__]

I suppose it doesn't really matter. But I have an upright at home (albeit a very good one) and it's just lovely to play on my teacher's grand piano, because it's always going to have a richer sound. It's also better preparation for concerts and competitions where most of the pianos are grands. Not very important things, I know, but it is nice to play on a grand.

[chocolatedog]

Hi - just wondered about other teachers opinions regard on teaching on a Grand or Upright. I've taught on a Grand for the past 10 years, but have just moved house and my Teaching Room is smaller and, therefore, the Grand is really taking over it - bearing in mind I also have 4 keyboards and a clavinova in it for my keyboard classes. I'm pondering over whether to change my piano to a good Upright or not. Regarding the exams, that's not a big problem as most of the exams are take at my home on my piano via a Special Exam Visit, but when the pupils go to the festivals they obviously have to play a Grand. Other teachers in my area don't teach on Grands, but I'm one of these daft people that put the pupils first and want them to have the best experience they can.

If I do change to an Upright, a lot of people have recommended the Yamaha U1, so would welcome any comments on this as well.

Thanks for your time to help one frustrated piano teacher!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Oops - I'm mean! I have a grand and an upright in the same room but the grand is for my use (and more advanced pupils) and the upright for beginners..... (they get to play on the grand as a treat....)

[amanda41]

In a school, I taught on a grand. It wasn't in the best state though, so my own upright was far better in comparison.

If I had to pick between two equally good pianos (and had the money and space) I'd probably choose the grand.

xxx

[Lone Ranger]

[/quote]


Oops - I'm mean! I have a grand and an upright in the same room but the grand is for my use (and more advanced pupils) and the upright for beginners..... (they get to play on the grand as a treat....)
[/quote]

No, you're not mean, just practical. In fact, I'd say you have the right idea. One day if they make it, you pupils may earn the right to play on a grand themselves. Meantime, don't beat yourself up for keeping your own grand special and for allowing them to use it at all I'd say they are jolly lucky. Many a pupil would end up just taking a grand for granted, and would probably be spoilt when confronted by an upright in, say, a festival or an examination context.

In any case, I've had too much experience of dirty fingers, snotty fingers (sorry), ###### fingers over my upright piano's keys that I'd make no apology for not allowing them to ruin my grand piano if I had one.

Yours very meanly,

LR


[quote name='Lone Ranger' date='Dec 8 2006, 12:54 AM' post='431541']
[/quote]


Oops - I'm mean! I have a grand and an upright in the same room but the grand is for my use (and more advanced pupils) and the upright for beginners..... (they get to play on the grand as a treat....)
[/quote]

No, you're not mean, just practical. In fact, I'd say you have the right idea. One day if they make it, you pupils may earn the right to play on a grand themselves. Meantime, don't beat yourself up for keeping your own grand special and for allowing them to use it at all I'd say they are jolly lucky. Many a pupil would end up just taking a grand for granted, and would probably be spoilt when confronted by an upright in, say, a festival or an examination context.

In any case, I've had too much experience of dirty fingers, snotty fingers (sorry), ###### fingers over my upright piano's keys that I'd make no apology for not allowing them to ruin my grand piano if I had one.

Yours very meanly,

LR

Just to clarify, in the above posting, the word which has been vetoed has been used quite innocuously: meaning "covered in blood". You soulless Mr computer not realising the sense in which I meant it.

LR
[/quote]

[Glass Mountain]

Oooh you are a lovely teacher...btw I'll swap you your grand for my Yam clavinova if you don't want it anymore! hehe

Aw that's nice of you. I would take you up on your kind offer, but I already have a clavinova, but thanks anyway (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'd rather have a lesson in a small room on a Grand, even if it was cramped!

Strange you should say that, but my pupils actually like the smaller room (the other one was 30'). They say it's more cosy - it only contains music and instruments now with no tv or family clutter!

[Melody Amour]

I think you should keep your grand especially as you have it in a room with other musical paraphernalia. One of my previous teachers used to have a grand downstairs and she occasionally allowed me to practise on it while waiting for the pupil before me to finish. Upstairs, where she taught, there was a grand for us to play our pieces and an upright for our scales. I liked this arrangement because it meant when we had to play exams on a grand piano we were used to the music being high up. She used to call her house The ...... Academy.