My 13 year old son is high intermediate, lower advance classical piano student. (He has a 1 hour lesson per week.) He seems to be loosing interest, I have been looking for a different teacher, and now I have found one that also teaches Jazz, and Rock, as well as Classical. I just told him about her tonight, as it is his decision, but he doesn't want to change teachers. I thought it was good to change teachers every couple of years. What do you recommend? He's in Jazz Band, concert band, and symphonic band at school, he also play's the drums and takes 1 hour of drum lessons per week, and is also starting to sing.. The new teacher is also a voice teacher, and we haven't yet met her. Do people usually change every couple of years? His 1st teacher (fun!!)(for 4 years) sent us to his current teacher (VERY serious)(going on 3 years). Please, any help I would appreciate. Thanking you in advance, Mary Sawyer

-- mary sawyer (msawyer3@maine.rr.com), October 21, 2004

Answers

Your son sounds very busy! If your son is happy with his current teacher, I'd say talk to her(?) and discuss your concerns. Maybe she can lighten up a bit or let him learn some other styles. As a teacher, I certainly don't expect my students to leave every couple of years.

-- Alice Dearden (alicedearden@look.ca), October 22, 2004.

The only time to change teachers for an average child is when the child is thinking about entering a Conservatory or a professional music institution and his current teacher can not teach him on a higher level. It is an absurd idea to change teachers every some years. And one more thing, I found that the reason students want to learn Jazz or Rock is when they are faced with the challenge in the classical repertore. I have a degree from a Conservatory in Piano Performance but I like to play Pop music just for fun.(In fact had been doing it all my life,good at it but decided to study classical) If I were to search for a Pop music teacher I would not mix lessons with Jazz and Classical. I would go straight to an acclaimed Jazz Professional, after my classical repertore is in good shape.

-- Natalia Kurnova (NataliaKurnova@mail.com), December 20, 2004.