Hi all,

I had a flute lesson with my teacher today and she said that after my upcoming grade 6 exam, she doesn't feel she can teach me anymore. She feels (as a fellow uni student, a little above grade 8 standard) that she has nothing left to offer me, that I could easily progress straight onto grade 8 and that she doesn't want to take my money anymore.

Thus, I need to find myself a new teacher. So, a few questions:

1) Can anybody recommend a good teacher in the Colchester area? (I don't drive).
2) What should I look for in a new teacher who can hopefully take me well above grade 8?
3) How can I find a teacher who will suit my needs; I don't want to give up my lovely current teacher only to find that I don't get any further with a new one.

Although I feel very flattered and pleased by my current teacher's observations, it saddens me; I really, really enjoy my lessons with her and we make a good teacher-pupil pair!

Cat

Why not contact the Colchester Institute or Essex Music Services? They have a number of tutors who may be willing to help you. I was in the same position as you and had problems finding an advanced flute teacher. I eventually found one but she moved out of Essex

hi sad to hear you have to find a new teacher i found a lovely one my doinga google and hitting on music teachers.com i think! i just out in the area and instrument and it gave a list of teachers in that area

good luck

Ah, hadn't thought of that! Good idea, thanks!



I've had a look on musicteachers.com, there are some. I just want to make sure I get the right one...

musicteachers.co.uk lets you search by instrument/county.

So does the ISM teacher search but this will only show you ISM members.

Google is great - "flute teacher colchester" may give you some leads. "advanced flute teacher colchester" might narrow it down some.

From your message I gather you're in Colchester and a uni student - so assuming you're at the University of Essex, could the Arts Office help? (the person who sits next to me at work went to Essex Uni ) I gather there isn't a music department as such, but the Arts Office may be able to put you in touch with people in the know. The Performing Arts department - although not in Colchester, they may still be able to help...

Hmm, Colchester - how about visiting Mann's Music (123 High Street) - they'll probably have a list of local teachers. (I haven't been there in well over 15 years, but always remember it being a good place)

Of course, not all the teachers all these searches will get you will be suitable for you, but with any luck the more teachers you start out talking to, the more likely you are to find one that matches Plus, I found that the more 'teacher adverts' I looked at, the easier it was for me to discern which ones were definitely not an option (e.g. the one who teaches violin, viola, piano, theory, oh-and-treble-recorder-to-grade-five was not going to be the one for me!)

Just a few other thoughts..
a)have you asked your current teacher if she knows anyone?
b)are you part of an orchestra? - they are bound to know someone, there might even be a prospective teacher for you playing in the orchestra and it would be a good way to check out if you like that person before actually approaching them for lessons
c) are you sure this teacher can't carry on giving you lessons? My own teacher was reluctant to teach me grade 8 a year ago even though he is well above this standard, sometimes the teacher doesn't have much experience of teaching at higher grades but they are capable of doing so, it might be a bit of false modesty, why not try her out with the grade 8 pieces after you've taken your grade 6?

It may be sad, but it shows integrity in a teacher to say to a pupil they are ready to move on from what they can no longer offer to you.

Can't help with your area, but a few things on choosing a teacher. Asking university music departments sounds a good idea. It's how I found my teacher privately when doing a Masters, even though not doing performance on the course. You can also try the ISM, Yellow Pages, local festivals. At this level you need someone with a lot of experience. That's not unfair to new teachers, just that we all start at the bottom. Ideally someone with good qualifications in their instrument OR similar professional experience, the latter probably more important.

As a guide, all my teachers at post grade 8 level have had a lot of professional orchestral experience, college degrees, used to teaching at that level, though one was only early twenties. Your ideal teacher may not have all those qualities, but at least a real understanding of your instrument and the repertoire at your level.

Best of luck finding a new teacher.

See if she'll let you stay with her while you keep looking for a new teacher (and maybe trying one or two out). That way, you still get tuition, you get to see what other teachers are out there, and if it goes on long enough you'll find out whether she is able to teach to G8

Thanks all for the good advice! I am certainly going to ask her to continue teaching me until I find a new teacher. If she won't let me pay I'll suggest we get together and have "flute time"!!!

I would contact Colchester Institute which a previous poster already suggested. Although you are at Essex Uni, I wonder if you are aware that the Institute has a large and well respected music department (I am an ex student). The Head of Woodwind there is a very nice man, and I am sure there will be many contacts he can offer you. Also the conductors of the various orchestras in and around Colchester will all have a similar amount of contacts as many of them have taught or still teach at the Institute.

Good luck, I am sure you will find someone soon.