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Changing Teachers

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  • #229171
    Lily
    Participant

    Hi all, would like to ask for advice.

    I have been learning pedal harp professionally for 2 years(starting in 2017) and wish to enter a conservatoire in another 2 years.
    (I have a diploma in violin)

    I rushed my learning process for an audition this year(2019),and thus my foundations are not stable. My current teacher is following “my plans”, in a sense that I tell her of my plans Of targeting various auditions by next year etc… and we work on the repetoire for it.
    Nothing much on technical work.

    For further context, she takes in only students going professional, and most( if not all) of her students started around 6-7 years. I was 18 when I started, and am 20 this year.

    What I realised on my own is that I have been to tunnel visioned. So I plan to have a revamp on my foundations and tell her about it. ( I am no longer in a rush to enter)

    The problem is now, if she is unable to guide me to where I want after a couple of months. I have no idea of who I should swap too.

    I have asked around for other Teachers, one I have in mind is teacher X, who is teaching in a conservatoire, but she dislikes teaching fundamentals and can be slightly abrasive.
    But she has taught older students and they have entered into conservatories.

    Teacher Y, is very patient and willing to work through fundamentals. But I have no idea if she’s able to bring me to a conservatoire standard in 2-3 years .

    Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you.

    #229190

    If those are your goals, then you absolutely must have a strong technical foundation, and you have no time to lose. If you can find a teacher who will develop that as well as the repertoire you need, then you must change teachers, politely. It sounds like the teacher you have is not suitable, unless they are willing to focus on technique and corrections. You cannot just learn repertoire. But, you can make up for that if you go to the right teacher for your schooling. However, time spent repairing technique is time lost for other things, and leaves you at a great competitive disadvantage. The alternative is to go to a summer program where you can concentrate on technical development, but it is too late for that this year. The question is, is there another teacher in your area who can give you a strong technical foundation? If you contact me, perhaps I can recommend someone. But playing the harp is far more than just learning technique and repertoire. You must find the best teachers you can, and choose wisely and carefully. They may not be in the most obvious places.

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