How to choose a music teacher.

 Sadly, very few parents know anything more than “My kid likes his teacher.”

If you are not a musician, how do you find a good teacher?

ASK QUESTIONS!

1) Does the teacher have a music education degree? Training matters!

            ***Many great players are not good teachers.

            ***Many great teachers are not the best players.

2) Does your teacher have students at or near the top of school music programs?

 3) Does he or she send kids to contest, and how do they do? The best teachers produce results. Their students usually do well at contest.

*** There are exceptions to this. I don’t like to push kids to do contests, even though competitive play is important in music. (Most want to compete.) But when a student needs it I do push. If your student is not competitive in school, youth orchestra or at contest, there is something missing. 

***They will get nervous. That is natural, and part of playing. The only way to get over it is to play more often. I still get nervous, and that is after 30 years of playing.

 4) Does the student like the teacher?

A student will not learn well if they do not like and respect the teacher.

Positive answers to these four questions are a good indication that the teacher is qualified and that your student will do well.