I'm A Classical Piano Teacher, Only teaching classics Options

[elvaretta]

I am a classical piano teacher and only teaching classic song because I only can do a little pop and I can't play jazz. Is it normal or a piano teacher should cover every kind of music genre?

Even though I teach classical, I try to find popular music with piano score. So, my students won't stick to Bach and friends for their whole life.

[ad_libitum]

I'd probably describe myself as being mainly classical too and I think that's common enough. I'm trying to learn bits of jazz piano (from ear) but to be honest, there's only time for so much practise and I tend to stick to classical out of personal preference anyway.

A few pupils express an interest in jazz styles, but that would be more reading pieces from a score, rather than actual improvising. At least if you can sight read you aren't limited to only classical types of pieces.

For improvising I can teach them how to harmonise at the keyboard. Pop tunes are usually fairly easy to play by ear anyway, so I don't feel too bad that I'm not a jazz specialist.

If someone was very definite about wanting to be a jazz pianist, I know a teacher I can recommend them to, and in turn, that teacher recommends more classically orientated pupils to me, so it works quite well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sbhoa]

I'm the same.
I'm just about to lose one of my keen students as his interest lies in areas which I feel I can't really help him much. I got to the point where I felt it was only fair to point out to his mother that if he wanted to work on more modern styles (he's largely influenced by Elton John at the moment) and good improvisation skills he would be better with a teacher who knew more about it than I do.

[Mad Tom]

I take lessons with two different teachers.

My classical teacher, who I see every week works on relaxation, shows me the techniques for playing the standard classical repertoire, and points out all the mistakes and misconceptions in my performances.

My jazz teacher, who I see once every 3 or 4 weeks, works on methods for rapidly memorizing melodies and chord progressions, figuring out suitable harmonizations for melodies, creating variations on melodies and harmonies, different spacings of the notes in chords for different effects, varying harmonic textures, methods of modulation, transposing at the keyboard, etc. etc.

The two are complementary.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif) <--- Improvising on "Blue Moon" in the style of Haydn

[pianodub]

Hi Elvaretta!

I think most people have an area of 'expertise' about which they know more and in which they are more comfortable. I teach popular styles too, but only from the score. While I listen to lots of different music myself, I don't have the first clue about improvising or jazz harmony and so would not attempt to teach it.

I wouldn't feel bad, just look at how much you know...I think it is a rare (and very gifted person) who can be truly 'expert' at lots of things. Better to know and area extremely well than several less so. (does that make sense?!?!?)

[enkroachment]

You know what Louis Armstrong said about jazz, (approximately) "if you have to ask what it is then you`ll never know what it is". Probably the same could be said for pop music. I am a fan of both as well as classical which I think helps a lot, so when a pupil wants to play, say, Coldplay, I can relate to it. I point out that the whole point is to not follow the music score like a classical piece , but to use it as a guidline as they are always different from the real recording anyhow. Most of my pupils like some pop, musicals, stuff as well as the classical, I approach musicals stuff a bit more like classical if it is a good arrangement.

[sbhoa]

when a pupil wants to play, say, Coldplay, I can relate to it. I point out that the whole point is to not follow the music score like a classical piece , but to use it as a guidline as they are always different from the real recording anyhow.

That's the approach I take. And as they usually have more idea what it sounds like than me I let them sort out any horrid looking rhythms by playing what they are used to hearing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
Any guidance I give is most likely to be in connection with sorting out workable fingerings or deciding which notes can be omitted if necessary.

[pianodub]

I think that we probably all have our 'specialities' as piano teachers, but I think we have to be open and aware of other styles. I think that if I turned into a classical-only teacher, I'd probably lose several pupils, and not attract so many.

David

I wasn't really suggesting that we all rigidly stick to teaching only classical repertoire, but I think really there is a vast difference between teaching other music off the sheet (like Coldplay etc as mentioned above. I personally am currently almost drowning in a sea of High School Musical books!) and teaching another style of music in the manner one would expect from a teacher who has studied something like jazz in detail. As classically trained pianists, as most people around here seem to be, we are bound to teach from a predominantly classical perspective. I think this is what the OP was worried about...he says he is teaching pop music and stuff, but from a classical perspective. I see nothing wrong with that, as it takes years to become sufficiently knowledgeable to be a good teacher in whatever style you pursue.

I suppose I was talking more about approaches than actual sheet music. I don't think a teacher who is teaching varied rep, but is 'only' classically trained is doing anyone any disservice. On the other hand I wouldn't approach a jazz pianist and ask him to teach me to play a Brahms Intermezzo!

But I can see the point where I may have been misunderstood. My pupils do a wide variety of music and often are quite surprised to discover that I know ALMOST as much as them about pop/rock music!

[windy]

High School Musical AAAAARGH!!!!!!

[ad_libitum]

High School Musical AAAAARGH!!!!!!

I second that! **sob**

I had this inflicted on me a few months ago. When I said to the girl I was unfamiliar with the tunes, she very kindly brought me the CD so I'd have no excuse not to teach it to her (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[pianodub]

High School Musical AAAAARGH!!!!!!

I hear you! **sob**

I had this inflicted on me a few months ago. When I said to the girl I was unfamiliar with the tunes, she very kindly brought me the CD so I'd have no excuse not to teach it to her (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

People keep talking about this, but I have no idea what it is. I take it that it's not that good then.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

The songs are all about a week long (even in the easy five finger edition...how stupid is that?!?!) and they are, as far as I can see, totally devoid of any melodic merit.

That is the most polite way I can put it on a public forum!!!!!!!

It's true about the pop/rock books, it can be hard to get one that's good and often when a student says, I want to learn that song, it turns out the piano part is only about four bars long and the rest of the song doesn't really interest them (for example "How to save a life" by the Fray. A grand song, but not really great unless you;re planning to sing along!)

Sorry have wandered way off topic!

[notmusimum]

High School Musical AAAAARGH!!!!!!

I hear you! **sob**

I had this inflicted on me a few months ago. When I said to the girl I was unfamiliar with the tunes, she very kindly brought me the CD so I'd have no excuse not to teach it to her (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

People keep talking about this, but I have no idea what it is. I take it that it's not that good then.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

My eldest (nearly 16) liked it when it first came out but is sick of it as the Brownies that she helps with are totally obsessed by it.

It'sa total garbage!!

[jenny]

I see what you are saying. The problem I find is that quite often when they want to play pop/rock things, there are no suitable piano arrangements available. They buy the PVG books and expect to be able to play from there. Of course most pop songs played on the piano never sound how people think they should sound.

David

I dread the times when a well meaning parent will arrive at their child's lesson with an "Easy to Play" Disney book! I then have to explain that it's easy to play for me, but not for a 7 year old!

[tonyteech]

I teach

1 Adult beginners who mostly but not always want to play popular music and light classics

2 I specialise in jazz boogie barrelhouse and blues styles and I have pupils who travel across London to come to me.

Teaching jazz means giving pupils a toolbox of skills such as

1 Jazz chordscales major and minor
2 Chord inversio and voicings
3 Chord sequences
4 Left hand accompaniment styles such as stride - walking bass - block chords - drop 2 chords - arpeggios in jazz chords etc

5 Scales and improv - blues - pentatonic - bebop scales - modes, major and minor

6 Arranging skills to match technique and taste

Teaching blues and barrelhouse means teaching very percussive left hand styles with simaltaneous right hand improvisation using scales - chords etc Doing this spontaneously is quite difficult

[pianodub]

I teach

1 Adult beginners who mostly but not always want to play popular music and light classics

2 I specialise in jazz boogie barrelhouse and blues styles and I have pupils who travel across London to come to me.

Teaching jazz means giving pupils a toolbox of skills such as

1 Jazz chordscales major and minor
2 Chord inversio and voicings
3 Chord sequences
4 Left hand accompaniment styles such as stride - walking bass - block chords - drop 2 chords - arpeggios in jazz chords etc

5 Scales and improv - blues - pentatonic - bebop scales - modes, major and minor

6 Arranging skills to match technique and taste

Teaching blues and barrelhouse means teaching very percussive left hand styles with simaltaneous right hand improvisation using scales - chords etc Doing this spontaneously is quite difficult

Exactly, so REALLY teach jazz, you need a vast amount of knowledge and ability in these areas. Just as one would need similar levels of information to help a pupil perform a classical piece correctly.