>At 04:24 PM 4/8/01 -0400, Judy wrote:
>
>>Knock BAD teachers all you like. People shouldn't hire them.
>
>
>I seem to have run into more than my share of them, perhaps they were the
>only ones available where I was at the time.  But that brings up the
>question of how to find good teachers?
>
>JB

Best advice I ever had was, listen to students play.  When you hear someone
play really well, ask about their teacher.  One example might be a fluke,
but a half-dozen shows a trend.  Then arrange an interview (NOT an
audition) with the teacher and talk about your goals and your willingness
to work to achieve them.  If someone promises to make you a great star,
walk quickly to the nearest exit.  It's a job interview--for the teacher,
not for you!

Plus which, personalities do count, and some people just cannot work
together in a teacher-student relationship.  It happens.  So you change
teachers.

John

John & Susie Howell
Virginia Tech Department of Music
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240
Vox (540) 231-8411   Fax (540) 231-5034
(mailto:[log in to unmask])
http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html