I'd really appreciate some advice, especially (but not only) from teachers.

Yet again, we need to find a violin teacher for son Viohazard. Fortunately there's no hurry, but his teacher has moved away from the area, and is also no longer actively involved in music (long story). Lessons have been incredibly sporadic since early last summer, so we've seen it coming

He had only just come back to Japan when Viohazard started studying with him, so it may not be possible for him to introduce Viohazard to another teacher.

I know that many teachers dislike taking on students from another teacher, and to be honest, Viohazard has never had a violin teacher who has taught him technique in a methodical and consistent way. His current plan is to major in composition rather than performance at tertiary level. Yet violin is his first instrument, and very much his most beloved instrument.

I'm guessing that many teachers wouldn't touch a student like that with a barge-pole...what can he do to make it easier to find and make a successful transition to a new teacher at his level (post-g. 8)?

I think if both you and he discuss where he is at with the potential teacher, acknowledging that there are areas of technique that need improving but that he is willing and determind to learn and improve and take on board the teachers methods then I don't think the teacher would be too hesitant.

Many teachers actually prefer taking on more advanced pupils. Just keep hunting around. The more questions you ask and the more information you get and give, the more likely you will be to find a good teacher.

Good luck!

I'm surprised at the idea of teachers disliking inheriting pupils, surely musicians often change teacher as they progress? I certainly didn't have a problem getting a teacher. The teacher I found (who was the first I rang, and I rang first because they lived just a short walk from me) is an extremely experienced teacher who reached a very high level as a soloist/orchestral player, and now teaches all levels: has pupils from complete beginners of all ages (from 3 upwards!) to pupils sitting diploma/LRSM. This teacher is also a really lovely person with infinite patience (they would have to be with me as a pupil!).

My teacher had no concerns about taking me on: an adult returner with a passionate hatred of exams; who as a school pupil had played a lot in orchestras, but rarely practised at home; who had reached probably about grade 6/7ish standard, but hadn't played at all in 5 years; who had extremely ropey technique and no knowledge of theory. Talk about a challenge! And yet in a year they have pushed me to the level that I'm expected to sit Grade 8 in the very near future. Okay, so the confidence is still not there, but we're working on that!

I'm sure Viohazard will be able to find someone! And I think a really good teacher would, with the assurance that the pupil would listen and work hard, be willing to take on someone whose technique needed work. They're a teacher - isn't that what they're there for?! Are there any local universities or conservatoires reasonably nearby who might be able to recommend someone?

I agree with dcmbarton. As I've just contributed to the other parallel and overlapping thread about first time lessons for re-starters: it's important to have a clear idea of what your aims are and likes / dislikes in any preliminary lesson. This should be a trial lesson from both teacher and pupil standpoints.

There's no point in wasting time and money doggedly continuing if you think you are not going to click with x or y teacher. An adult should be able to have a fair idea of whether he / she will get on with a particular teacher on the strength of a first trial lesson. I did have to pay for about ten before I foudn one who was more suitable to my needs and more on my wavelength.

The first teacher I tried came with tremendously musical and career credentials and the majority of people thrived musically and educationally with him. However, maybe I'm the exception which proved the rule. I foudn a place with a lady who was not as expensive but whose methods were no-nonsense. I just felt more at ease with her; the first gentleman unnerved me. For example he kept pushing the memorising of pieces which I just wasn't comfortable with. The other teacher was sensitive to my discomfort about this and didn't push it. Was I right to ditch the first teacher because he tried to take me out of my comfort zone? Arguably not. Then again, there's a phrase which comes to mind about trying to teach old dogs new tricks!...

LR

I know of several teachers who dislike taking on pupils some way along the line - but all I can say is, they would probably be best avoided anyway - too rigid an outlook won't make the right teacher for him at a guess. I've forgotten how old Viohazard is: that comes into the equation because if he's also adolescent, he may be developing fairly strong ideas about what he wants from a teacher himself too. Would he resent it if his technique were totally pulled apart by a teacher who believes there is only one way to play, or is that the sort of challenge he'd enjoy trying to overcome? It'd be sad if the violin, being his first love, were also to be the first falling-out-of-love due to the change in teaching, and almost more so because he's not at the moment indicating he'd want to major in it. After all, we need our pleasures in life just as much as the day-to-day which makes up livelihoods and routine - and the violin would then be ideally placed to provide that for him.

So yes, giving possible teachers a run-down of what has been done before, and what is foreseen as being the aim is important. I can't begin to guess at any of the cultural issues you will have to face - is it for instance usual for people to take music to a high level just for pleasure, or is there usually the ulterior motive of the CV and/or career? The other problem is how to find teachers - is there a word-of-mouth culture, or do you go via schools or education departments to find out, or the small ads in the papers, or notices in music shops? Here I found my new teacher behind the scenes on these fora, after bewailing my situation to another forum member..... a situation which involved teachers being unwilling to take me on because I'd already been taught elsewhere . I'm now very happy indeed with the teacher I've found, she's inspirational, and I love my lessons, but it did take a few months of searching to find her, so you have my sympathy.

I do identify a little with all ears' suggestion that some teachers don't like taking on inherited pupils. I have to confess to having reservations as a teacher myself. And I know that's wrong of me, so I will try to explain why in the hope that it will help with how you approach new teachers! It's because it's an unknown quantity, and not just musically; why have they left the previous teacher? What are they looking for that the previous teacher did not provide? Am I getting the whole story? Although I may be hearing something played well, how long did it take to get there? Are they being honest about their commitment? How long will it take me to establish strengths and weaknesses?

So be as honest as you can and provide as much information as possible about your son and what he's looking for. I have a few pupils (and have turned a few away) who have come from other teachers that I was dilitary about because they seemed not to want to discuss their previous situations, and I was naturally suspicious; was I poaching? Was the other teacher aware that I was being approached? Had the previous teacher 'booted them out'? If so, why? So when you make an initial contact, make sure all this sort of thing is clear - and in your case there should be nothing to make a teacher unwilling to take viohazard on, because it's all pretty black and white - but a teacher will only know if you communicate the facts.

With regard to finding the teacher who is right for you - I agree that it's worthwhile for the student not to commit until happy, because, yes, the chemistry is as important as the credentials - if not more so.




I've just read this after submitting my own post. So I hope I've been able to explain that it might not necessarily illustrate rigidity - just a feeling of wanting to know the score first!

Thank you all for comments and reassurance, and thank you, Dulciana, for your explanation.

I can understand that teachers might feel suspicious - I probably wouldn't make any negative comments about a previous teacher, as it seems underhand to criticize an absent party, and that no doubt makes me look as if I've just decided to change the kid's teacher on a whim.

I really do hope you're able to find somebody suitable - and I hope I haven't been discouraging. I don't see the harm in viohazard asking his other teachers for a recomendation. I'd say they are more likely to be flattered than feel it's a big favour, as it shows he has respect for them. And also, they know viohazard already, and will know that they are suggesting colleagues' names to somebody who is serious. They are not putting anybody else on the spot, as any teacher they might suggest will be under no obligation. And nor will viohazard! Just take whatever route is open to you to find the right person. Good luck!

I will point those things out to him. He probably will choose to get his guitar exam out of the way, and then do some solid work on violin before looking for a new teacher over summer.

These are the only ways I know to find teachers:

Walk-in (including phonebook, internet searches etc.) - we've had our share of good results, but it is a gamble!

Recommendations from non-specialist sources (mother of friend, music shop, etc.) - not spectacularly successful, mainly because the recommender usually knows a lot about the teacher but nothing about Viohazard.

Recommendation directly from teacher - this seems to be the best, if it can be brought about!

Hehe, my comment came from the somewhat disconcerting experience of having just told a prospective teacher that I'd managed to do a couple of grades and a diploma within four years of starting lessons, showing clearly that I was committed to making an effort, and receiving the reply that they preferred to build up a player from scratch, and then some baloney about that being better for consistency. Given that I'd also explained that my then teacher had reached a limit in terms of his perceived ability to take me through the material I was tackling for the next level - ie I wasn't being sacked as such - I had come to the conclusion that this prospective teacher would likely be too rigid to be able to cope with teaching me .
But yes, the background information is key to any such transfer. As a GP who sometimes gets new patients registering, who then seek to ingratiate themselves with me with such remarks as, "my old GP didn't care about me, and they tell me you're soooo nice" - I treat comments like that with wariness too, because it sets alarm bells ringing about what the dynamic might have been like between such a patient and their previous GP, and since it always takes two to tango, one can be fairly certain that bad-mouthing of the former doc could as easily turn into the same applied to oneself. So where there have been difficulties with a former teacher, it's probably as well to be honest and admit it, but to keep the tone neutral, or use such terms as "mis-match", or "different agendas", as indeed all-ears has done.