Violin Forum/Message Board

[AnonymousUtah]

Is there any chance violin playing is similar to figure skating in the sense you'll be changing coaches (in the case of music that would be teachers) if things don't seem right from time to time?

Reason why I ask is, I'm starting to think I could be progressing further, but the instructor doesn't let me stop and start over when something isn't going right during the lesson. I just get the standard comment, you need to play with a richer sound. The instructor doesn't play in front me with me behind them to see how they would play it.

Here's another sticky part. If I switch teachers I got a feeling my roads with the problem teacher will cross again as far as orchestra encounters perhaps, etc.

How do you guys handle this? I think there's a shortage of violin teachers too in my area. Am I looking at this the right way? My gut feeling says something isn't right like I could be progressing faster.

[Canuck]

The old adage applies."If the student hasn't learned, the teacher hasn't taught." I left a teacher for that very reason several years ago. He was a symphony player with a doctorate in music, and he might have been the right teacher for some students, but he was no help to me, whatever! If you don't have a lot of choice in your area of alternate teachers, I don't know what to suggest. By persistence and practise on my own since I left this teacher, I have discovered more about playing my violin than I ever would of had I stuck with this particular teacher.

[Lemuel]

Your concerns are well taken. It appears that your teacher is impatient. However, regardless of whether you get along with a teacher or not, it's good to expose yourself to different teaching styles and techniques. Sometimes you learn some surprising things along the way.

In regards to teach / student relationships in general, there's a lot of factors to consider. The old adage, "If a student hasn't learned, the teacher hasn't taught", doesn't always apply. It's possible that the teacher has taught, but the student has not learned anything. It's also possible that the teacher has not taught anything, but the student has learned.

Good students seek a qualified teacher.
Good teachers seek qualified students.