美國專家談【如何找到一位優秀的鋼琴老師】

美國專家談【如何找到一位優秀的鋼琴老師】

我最近多次提到美國鋼琴教學中提倡的 Well-Roundedness。這個詞“有道”是這樣翻譯的：“全麵發展 -- 但是，眾所周知，美國人提出了一個"全麵發展"的概念，它是美國人評價一個人是否卓越的決定性因素。”

中國家長自然對中國的教學方式更熟悉、更親切，加上郎朗與李雲迪等世界範圍的成功，我們往往覺得中國的教學方式更適合我們的孩子。其實，東西方的鋼琴教學是各有千秋的。但由於美國“放羊”文化，家長可能隻注意到美國教學不夠理想的結果，而忽略了它的長處。

我介紹下列文章的目的就是想讓大家更多地了解美國的鋼琴教學，或許這能幫助家長在尋找老師、幫助孩子練琴過程中、判斷學生的學習進度方麵有些實在的依據，而不是僅憑感覺。同時，或許能更好地幫助家長結合兩種文化在教學上的長處，使孩子的音樂學習更有效率。

順便提一下，Piano Pedagogy （鋼琴教學法）在美國是一門發展得非常成熟的學科，為這科設博士學位的學校也不在少數。而在中國，此學科尚處於近乎空白的繈褓階段。

下文的標題是How to Find a Good Piano Teacher，是作者Kevin M. Coan（鋼琴教學專家）寫給女兒的Email節選，後者谘詢前者如何為孫女“小艾比”挑選鋼琴老師。

不過，要提醒大家的是，在美國，鋼琴教學是一個不受政府監管的行業，任何人都可以教鋼琴。魚目混珠是必然。何況，作者是這一行的佼佼者，能達到他文中要求的老師隻能是鳳毛麟角。

原文是英文，網上翻譯，不夠理想，將就著看。如有興趣念英文版，請告知。中文版分段貼，並有空將對各段分別作簡單的解釋（僅限 Upbeat鋼琴教學群，其他群則裏歡迎提問與討論）。

博主 Passerby

10-22-2019

 

英文原文已被貼在中文翻譯之後，中文版中的分段也被取消。

Passerby

4-27-2021

 

【如何找到一位優秀的鋼琴老師】（節錄）

 by Kevin M. Coan

首先，你需要找到一位老師，他相信音樂世界是隨著節奏起伏的。你還記得當你第一次加入新教堂的時候，你總是提到那個為唱詩班伴奏者的缺陷嗎？他缺乏節奏訓練，他不保持音符該有的長度，他會打亂節奏的進行來糾正錯音。你要找一個老師，他會花很多時間培養學生穩定的節拍概念，他會教你如何保持節拍穩定與流動，即使你不得不“編造”幾個音符才能回到正軌。問老師他認為什麽是音樂中最重要的元素？如果你得到的回答是“正確的音符”，繼續尋找吧。如果節奏被排在首位，你更有可能找到一個好老師。強調節奏的必要性是沒有商量餘地的！

你希望老師關注的第二件事是閱讀技巧的的培養。一個好老師知道學習音樂本身遠遠超過學習音符。同時，一個好的老師要培養學生的樂譜的閱讀能力，使學生成為一個優秀的視奏者（sight-reader）。想想你有多少次不得不為你的兒童合唱團視奏一些在最後一刻扔給你的東西。我們希望小艾比在25年後為她的合唱團演出時成為專家。

詢問老師教讀音符用是的什麽方法。如果她談到地標（landmarks）、音程（intervals）等，那是個好兆頭。如果她所做的隻是拿著卡片flash cards或是布置note spellers，你就要多問問題了。你需要一個老師強調閱讀音程（intervals）、音組（figure or motive）與樂句（phrase）的老師，而不是一個認為讀譜僅僅是把單獨的音符越讀越快的老師。如果老師說他或她強調模式（patterns），你中獎了！

不要排除以機械記憶方法 (rote)學曲子開頭的老師。雖然我不鼓勵找鈴木（Suzuki）老師，但在學習如何讀譜之前，先學彈一會兒是有價值的。如果你找到一個這樣的老師，隻需和他或她談談學生在學習讀譜之前要進行多長時間的耳朵訓練。隻要在第一年的中間開始讀譜，這種教學方式就可以是很好的。

我希望老師能專注的第三件事是奏法（articulation）：學習如何區分連音、斷音、樂句提升、重音等等。當你問老師關注的是什麽時，他們可能不會列出這一項，但你可、以直接問他或她是否認為奏法（articulation）很重要。如果奏法（articulation）不在他或她的清單上，你可能應該繼續尋找了。

我要你問的第四件事是老師對多調性教學的看法。這在音樂教學界是一個爭議很大的領域，因為很多老師並不認為這很重要。想一想你曾經為國歌合唱伴奏時不得不從降B轉到再轉到B 與 C調，或者類似的情況。因為我對你的訓練很早就包括了所有的調性，所以彈奏B大調（五個升號）嚇不倒你。去年夏天你曾提到過，有時你會被要求去為其他合唱團伴奏，因為他們的伴奏者不會彈兩個升降號以上的調性。你想確保小艾比也能分享你在彈奏所有調性時的舒適感。

有很多老師會教你如何彈好樂曲，對很多學生來說，這僅是他們所關心的。但正如我們去年夏天談到的那樣，你將會需要忽略一些不錯的老師，因為他們的教學僅僅限於彈奏技巧。這並不是說他們是差老師，而是因為他們不教我們希望專注的音樂修養與技能。所以雖然他們可能是好的彈奏老師，但他們不是你的正確選擇。

我一直強調的一點是，技能（全麵與平衡的獨立學習的能力）的培養遠比訓練學習曲目更重要。如果一個老師專注於發展廣泛的能力與技能，你將能夠演奏你選擇的任何樂曲。在培訓這些技能的過程中，學生將學習到許多作品。希望其中許多樂曲會成為他或她曲目庫中令人愉悅的附加物。但是，如果一個老師隻是“指導”你的樂曲，當你上完課，你所擁有的隻是一些樂曲。然而，如果他或她專注於培養可適用於所有作品的技能，那麽你就擁有了眾多的能力，使你能夠快速學習任何你心儀的作品。

要分辨老師是專注於樂曲還是專注於技能，你可以問老師在他心目中鋼琴課最重要的因素是什麽。如果他或她說“作品的質量”，他或她可能隻專注於發展曲目。如果他或她說“技能發展”或類似的話，那麽你可能已經找到了一個你想要的“過程”導向型教師，而不是一個你不想要的“產品”導向型教師。

當然，這不一定是非此即彼的情況。有很多課程能很好地發展技能，並且有很好的樂曲。我記得你喜歡Noona “年輕鋼琴家”（Young Pianist）書中許多曲子。但你同時也學到了使你成為一名稱職鋼琴家的技巧。（順便說一句，親愛的，“年輕鋼琴家”係列即將絕版。噓！）

有一些很好的老師不使用公開出版的鋼琴教材。問題是你無法了解他們是否提供了全麵的音樂教學計劃。因此，你必須把忽略一些可能的好老師。我會問一下潛在的老師，他們用什麽鋼琴教材。我也會問他們是否使用教材、理論和技術書籍（lesson、theory and technic books），或者他們隻使用 lesson book （原文為 method book） 。你應該隻考慮那些至少使用教材、理論和技術書籍（lesson、theory and technic books）老師。雖然有些教師在教授理論和技術時沒有使用特定的書籍，但他們經常會忽略那些教學內容。你應該從謹慎的角度出發，優先尋找那些使用理論和技術書籍與課程配套的老師。如果你找到一個使用理論和技術書籍的人，但不配套的課程的老師，可以談談。我有時也會這樣做，他們可能有很好的理由做出這個決定。

你還想找一位老師教以下每個內容：

•作曲

•編曲

•和聲

•即興演奏

•移調

•聽音練耳

盡管有些好老師不教這些內容，但他們不是我們家庭成員的正確選擇，因為我們認為這些事情非常重要。

最後，看看你是否能參加他或她的學生音樂會或聽他或她的學生表演。這並不總能得到你想要的答案，因為學生的練琴習慣與老師的教學技能一樣重要。但是，如果所有的老師的學生在同一領域都有問題，那可能是因為老師沒有適當地訓練該部分的技能。

找一個好老師是一門藝術，而不是一門科學。按照我在這裏列出的標準，你可能會錯過鎮上最好的老師。你也可能會發現一個貌似不錯的老師，但上課時，你會發現他或她缺乏教好學的個人能力。他或她可能缺乏激勵學生的能力，或者他或她可能缺乏幫助學生所需的耐心。如果那是真的，你需要另找一個老師。因此，找一個按月收費的老師。如果按學期或年的收費，而他或她證明不是一個好老師，那麽當你決定改變的時候，你將在經濟上損失很多。

（完）

 

原文：

How to Find a Good Piano Teacher

By Kevin M. Coan

I received an e-mail from my daughter. Her husband was interested in continuing the piano lessons he started in high school. They wanted to find a good teacher who would be available for their daughter (Abigail, born Dec 30, 2008) when she reached the appropriate age. She asked me what to look for in a good teacher. The following is an adaptation of my response to my daughter’s question.

Hi sweetie,

(personal stuff deleted)

I am glad that your husband is interested in taking up lessons again. I admired his willingness to continue to play on his own, but there is just no substitute for a good teacher. I am also tickled pink that you are already thinking about lessons for little Abby!

You will remember some of the things we talked about when I was teaching you. Now that you are a pianist for your church, I think more of what I emphasized makes more sense. When you were down for the July 4^th holiday, we talked about some of it, and you even mentioned that you were glad I put all that emphasis on sight reading, transposition, improvising, and multikey playing.

First off, you need to find a teacher who believes that the music world rises and falls on rhythm. Do you recall that when you first joined your new church, you always talked about the problem with that one fellow who played for the choir? His rhythmic training was lacking. He did not hold out notes for the proper length, and he would break the rhythmic flow to correct notes. You want to find a teacher who will spend a lot of time developing the concept of a steady beat, and one who will teach you to keep the beat going even if you had to “fake” a couple of notes to get back on track. Ask the teacher what he or she views is the single most important element of music. If you get a response of “right notes,” keep looking. If rhythm is at the top of their list, you are more likely to have found a good teacher. The need to emphasize rhythm is non-negotiable!

The second thing you want a teacher to focus on is the development of reading skills. A good teacher understands that there is much more to learning music than just learning to read notes. At the same time, a good teacher seeks to develop a students MUSIC reading ability to the extent that the student becomes an expert sight-reader. Think of how many times you have had to play something for your  children’s choir that the director throws at you last minute. We want little Abby to be an expert when she plays for her choir 25 years from now.

Ask the teacher what she teaches as a note reading STRATEGY. If she talks about landmarks, intervals, etc., that is a good sign. If all she does is hold up flash cards or assign note spellers, you need to ask some more questions. You want a teacher who emphasizes reading intervals, groups of notes, and phrases, not one that believes that note reading means reading individual notes faster and faster. If the potential teacher says that he or she emphasizes patterns, you’ve struck it rich in this area.

Do not rule out a teacher who begins with rote songs or pieces. While I would discourage seeking out a Suzuki teacher, there is something of value in learning to play for a while before learning how to read music. If you find a teacher who does this, simply talk to him or her about how long a student would be doing ear-based training before learning to read music. As long as reading begins by the middle of the first year, this type of teaching can be very good.

The third thing I would want a teacher to focus on would be articulation: learning to distinguish between legato, staccato, phrase lifts, accents, and the like. When you ask about what teachers focus on, they might not list this one, but you can ask directly whether he or she considers those things important. If they are not high on his or her list, you probably should keep looking.

The fourth thing I would want you to ask about would be the teacher’s opinion of multikey teaching. This is a huge area of controversy in the music teaching world, because quite a few teachers do not consider that to be important. Think about all the times you have had to play a choir anthem that modulated from Bb to B to C or some such thing. Because my training for you had included all of the keys very early in your training, playing in B major does not faze you in the least. You had mentioned last summer that sometimes you get asked to play for one of the other choirs, because their pianist could not handle keys with more than a couple of sharps or flats in the key signature. You want to make sure little Abby shares your comfort in playing in all keys.

There are a lot of teachers who will teach you how to play well, and for many students, that is all they care about. But as we talked about last summer, you are going to need to pass on some otherwise good piano teachers because their training stops at just the performing skills. It is not that they are poor teachers; it is just that they do not teach the musicianship skills that we agreed we want to focus on. So while they may be good performance teachers, they would not be the right choice for you.

Something that I have always emphasized is that the development of skills is far more important than developing a repertoire of pieces. If a teacher focuses on developing a wide range of skills, you will be able to play ANY piece you choose. In the process of developing those skills, a student will learn a number of pieces. Hopefully, a good number of those will be delightful additions to his or her performing repertoire. But if a teacher merely “coaches” pieces, when you are done with lessons, all you have is a repertoire of pieces. If, however, he or she focuses on developing the skills that can be applied to all pieces, you have an arsenal of abilities that enable to you quickly learn any piece you have your heart set on learning.

You can determine whether a teacher focuses on pieces or on skills by asking him or her what he or she believes is the most important element of a piano course. If he or she says “the quality of the pieces,” he or she may be focusing solely on developing repertoire. If he or she says “skill development” or something similar, then you probably have found a “process” oriented teacher, which you want, rather than a “product” oriented teacher, which you do not.

Of course, this does not have to be an either/or situation. There are plenty of courses out there that do a good job of skill development and that have great music. I recall you enjoying many of the pieces you learned in your Noona “Young Pianist” books. But you were learning the skills that have made you a competent pianist at the same time. (BTW sweetie, the “Young Pianist” series is going out of print. BOO!)

There are some very good teachers out there who do not use a published piano course. The problem is that you have no way of knowing whether they provide a comprehensive program of musicianship or not. You are going to have to pass on some possibly good teachers because of that. I would ask the potential teacher what piano courses (methods) they use. I would also ask whether they use the method, theory, and technic books, or whether they use the method book alone. You should consider only those who use the method, theory, and technic books at a minimum. While there are teachers who teach theory and technic without using a specific book, more often than not, they simply omit those elements of teaching. You should err on the side of caution and look first for ones that use the coordinated books for theory and technic. If you find one who uses theory and technic books, but not ones that “go” with the course they use, let’s talk. I do that myself sometimes, and they may have very good reasons for that decision.

You also want to find a teacher who teaches each of the following topics:

• Composing
• Arranging
• Harmony
• Improvising
• Transposing
• Ear training

While there are good teachers who do not teach those topics, they would not be the right choice for the members of our family, as we consider those things to be very important.

Finally, find out if you can attend a recital or hear his or her students perform. That does not always tell you what you want to know, because the practice habits of the student are just as important as the teacher’s skills. But if all of the teacher’s students have problems in the same area, it is probably because the teacher has not properly developed the skills in that area.

Finding a good teacher is an art, not a science. In using the criteria I have listed here, you might be passing up the best teacher in town. You also might find a teacher that looks good on the surface, but when you start lessons with that teacher, you find out that he or she lacks the personal skills that make for good teaching. He or she may lack the ability to motivate a student, or he or she may lack the patience needed to help a student who is struggling. If that is true, you need to find another teacher. Because of that, look for a teacher who will require no more than one month’s tuition at a time. If the teacher requires you to agree to a semester or a year of instruction, and he or she proves not to be a good teacher, you are out a lot of money when you decide to change.

One of the things you can do is to go to your local music store and ask the owner for a list of the teachers who regularly purchase multikey, skill-oriented piano courses. If you start with them, you can focus on the personality element in your interview process. The fact that they use those types of courses gives you a good indication that they believe in the comprehensive musicianship approach to teaching. Then it simply becomes a matter of finding someone with whom you feel comfortable.

Here is a list of courses that I consider to be of the type you should look for:

Albergo – Celebrate Piano

Bastien – Invitation to Music

Bastien – Very Young Pianist

Bastien – Music through the Piano

Bastien – Bastien Piano Library

Bastien – Bastien Piano Basics

Clark – Music Tree

George – Artistry at the Piano

Gillock – Piano All the Way

Glover – David Carr Glover Piano Library

Glover – David Carr Glover Method for Piano

Noona – The Young Pianist (doubt you’ll find one though!)

Noona – Noona Basic Piano

Noona – Noona Comprehensive Piano Library

Noona – Noona Clavier Method

Olson – Music Pathways

Oxford Piano Course (I doubt you’ll find one of those! But if you end up living near us, that is the course I will use, possibly after KinderKeyboard. I have a pristine set of the books set aside just in case!)

Pace – KinderKeyboard

Pace – The Way to Play

Pace – Music for Piano

Pace – Music for Keyboard

Snell – Piano Town

I am excited that you are already thinking of these things for Abby and for your husband. I will be interested in finding out what you come up with. Take your time; finding a good teacher is worth the wait.

©2008 by Kevin M Coan

This article may be copied and distributed freely without charge, but only if copied in its entirety with the copyright page.

 

[帶娃是持久戰]

不錯