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Understandably, most people feel somewhat lost looking for a piano teacher. Almost every instructor claims to have studied with a famous teacher, many have performed in various parts of the world, and some may be acquainted with a few musical celebrities. All mention their broad experience in teaching. How can a person tell if a teacher is worth working with?
I have, of course, been a student myself, and have made some good decisions, and some bad ones, regarding the choice of a teacher, and I know what makes the difference. My goal is to help every student significantly improve their musical facility and enjoyment. It is important to me that students don’t lose the hope of becoming excellent, not just OK, when it comes to playing piano. This is not to say I want all my students to have a music career, but I want them to feel content and satisfied when they play for themselves and others.
Here is how I am different from other teachers:
- I have performed solo, with orchestras, and as an accompanist on three different continents. Even though my career was on an upward trajectory, I decided to settle in Philadelphia and for some time to focus on building a sense of permanence where I live. I would be the first person to say “Those who can - do, those who can’t - teach”. I try to make sure that I myself grow continually as a musician in a broad sense of the word. In a nutshell, you will be dealing with someone who actually makes music, rather than theorizes about how to make it.
- Every teacher says that they have an individual approach to every student. I am sure this is true, yet the question is how far a teacher is willing to go in this customization. With my students, if a particular method is not working, we will try every possible technique or approach available until we succeed. As long as a student puts time into practice on a regular basis, I will constantly be working on maximizing the efficiency of both the repertoire and theory aspects of every lesson, to make sure we progress.
You will be working with someone who can teach the basic as well as the most advanced piano repertoire that exists.
- A student might falsely assume the teacher’s level doesn’t matter in the beginning of their studies. The difference, however, is in knowing not just how something is usually done but rather WHY it is done this way. This is crucial if one wants to have a deep understanding of the piano performance, even in the very beginning.
With my students I try to go deep, but make it easy in the end. Music playing should be fun, but you can’t make it fun if the progress is superficial.
- I have studied in three different countries, and at very famous institutions (Moscow Conservatory, Yale School of Music, Frankfurt Musik Hochschule). This allows me to have a broad perspective on piano playing and pedagogy.
-Last but not least, I only started to play piano seriously when I was 14. Everyone knows it is hard to start late, and I had a lot of challenges to overcome. A lot of famous teachers are former prodigies who didn’t have to struggle to play the instrument, and they are frankly unsure how to approach some problems. My own experience allows me to creatively find solutions to whatever difficult problems may be encountered, and conquer them!
I am sure I can make a difference for you as well!See more
