GP40 - How to Teach Piano Successfully - Bastien

by James W. Bastien

This book contains a myriad of helpful information and suggestions for piano teachers. Part One contains helpful hints on setting up your studio and making it more professional, an overview of different methods of teaching and lists of piano methods and publishers of piano music.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Anne Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is absolutely horrid. It perpetuates the myth that teaching the piano requires a focus on pedagogy that is above and beyond the cognitive requirements of teaching any other instrument. But this is just window dressing. Beyond teaching the treble and bass clefs, note values, the circle of fifths, etc..., piano teaching is just like teaching any other instrument. Actually, I'm wrong: piano teaching seems like it is based on fact when it reality it is just based on sleight of hand. If someone tells you that there is a tried-and-true method for teaching piano they are joking. (This is different from teaching the violin, for example, where there are clear guidelines of proven successes —Suzuki being one example.) With the piano, after learning the layout of the keyboard, the note names, much is left to individual preference on how a piece is played. So who is to say if this "c" is to be played with the third finger? The "c" could be played with a multitude of fingers. Developing a firm grasp of keyboard geography is another area where the piano literature, this book included, fails to deliver. In other words, how do we teach students how to locate disconnected intervals with ease and clarity? This is another of the many myths so-called piano pedagogues say they've mastered.

If you know how to read music, and if you know how to locate music you can play, there is no need for a piano teacher. You can teach yourself the piano. (This is unlike the woodwind, brass, or string instruments.) It's time that books like these STOP perpetuating the myth that there is anything special about teaching the piano. Such a shift will not happen overnight. Piano teachers who accrue lucrative fees -- everyone it seems wants to take the piano -- are not in a position of wanting to break up their cash cow. Moreover, the tuition fees from pedagogy departments in music schools and conservatories support other non-lucrative endeavors, so change is not likely to happen at the college level in the near future. What is needed is for the public to take a stand and to demand that piano teachers speak openly of their pedagogical philosophy and how it relates to their teaching success.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful, with lots of good tips and inspiration. Not all of it was useful or necessarily up to date, but overall I'm glad I purchased and read it and can refer back to it if I need to.

[Haley Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book had some useful knowledge about fundamentals of piano and it was worth reading. I got some good advice on how to teach certain topics.
It was a bit outdated. I wish they could update it and it would be a lot better.
I really liked the interviews at the end. The teachers were relatable and I got something different from each interview.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interviews at the end particularly good.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and very straightforward

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great instruction for a beginner piano teacher like myself! So many helpful tips I hadn't thought about including but not limited to what age to start teaching, things that should be taught and the business aspect of teaching. I took extensive notes and refer back to them frequently.

[Yaşar Özelma]

goot

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

good for appropriate repertoire suggestions, and recital pieces although dated