How to Find the Right Piano Teacher
This is a slightly long article but its such an important step in starting piano lessons that I think you'll find this helpful!
There are three basic steps to finding a piano teacher: searching for teachers, "screening" them, and taking trial lessons.
The Search
Where do you look for a piano teacher? Don't limit yourself to just the old fashioned yellow pages when searching for teachers. Make use of internet resources such as google and craigslist. Also contact your local music teachers associations and universities. Often piano professors at local schools will know of good teachers in the area. As you collect information, don't make the mistake of settling for someone that is cheap or convenient. You may be better off long term driving a bit further or paying a little more to get excellent teaching!
Screening teachers
You can get to know a teacher through material they have published (such as their website), through recommendations, through talking to them beforehand, and through trying out some lessons. In general, I've found you will get the *most* information through your first lessons with a teacher. You can talk all day long, but until you actually *experience* lessons its very hard to get a sense what a teacher is like.
Still you will want to narrow down your search for a teacher through your first contact, then through talking on the phone, and finally through some lessons.
Nowadays a good way to start it to collect the names of quite a few teachers who seem good for you and e-mail them a note briefly describing your situation, asking if they have spots open, and asking for a good time to call. Their response to this e-mail will even give you an initial feel for what that person is like as a teacher.
Pick several (no more than 5 I'd say) teachers from this list and contact them by phone. Among other things you will want to get a feel for:
1) Rates and locations
2) Teaching style and personality
3) Experience
A good teacher *might* also ask you about yourself (or your children) through the phone. So, be prepared to talk about:
1) Your situation or any background with the piano
2) What sort of music you like, what your long term goals are
3) How much time you can practice each day
Some teachers are glad to talk for a while but don't necessarily be put off if a teacher doesn't talk for extremely long times before lessons. For instance, I sometimes have people ask me to coffee or lunch before trying me out as a teacher and usually I decline. The reason is simply that after many years of teaching I know they'll get a lot more from taking some lessons than by having coffee with me!
So, when you make your phone calls just expect a brief discussion about yourself and what you are looking for. At this point, go more with the feel you get from talking -- don't treat this like a job interview!
Trial lessons
I have to admit that I hate teaching trial lessons. The reason is that as a teacher, I am constantly basing everything I do on a long range perspective. Sometimes things that are tough or boring will pay off in a year, but it can be hard to convey that enthusiasm in just one lesson! Often the things that will impress a student in one lesson are short term and won't really create a better pianist.
Because of this, I suggest committing to more than just one trial lesson! What I mean by this isn't just blindly choosing one teacher and staying no matter what. Instead, make an informed decision after talking with several different teachers, and choose one or two who really seems like they might be right for you. Commit yourself to *at least* 2 or 3 lessons with these teachers. This will give you a much better feel for how the teacher works than simply a trial lesson.
Now, you can think a bit more in depth about whether this teacher is right for you. But, before you take your trial lessons you'll want to move to the next step and read about: What to Expect at your First Piano Lesson.
