 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: proclarinet
Date: 2008-04-08 02:40
I don't know what to do. I'm a week away from turning 20, and have been playing clarinet since I was ten years old. For the first nine years everything was great. I had a great teacher from 6th grade through my freshman year of college. She was more than a teacher, she was a mentor and friend to me as well. I ended up going to the college where she was an instructor, not solely because of her presence, but it certainly influenced my decision knowing she would be there.
Freshman year was wonderful for me music-wise, as it had been in high school and before. I was in an excellent concert band, I enjoyed my music major studies, and took advantage of the numerous opportunities to play in small ensembles. I was a serious musician, and loved every minute of it. I loved spending my entire day in the music building, rehearsing/playing for four hours a day, you get my drift.
Now, I have a new teacher. My old teacher had been part time, and then temporary full time while the department did a full-scale search for a new clarinet professor. She was not hired solely on the basis of political reasons, which I won't get into. But my new teacher (who I've worked with since September) is not working for me. He's an excellent player, and while I've improved under him, I don't enjoy it anymore. Practicing seems like a chore, whereas before it was generally something I enjoyed. He has the attitude of "I'm the teacher, you're the student, you do what I tell you." He doesn't respect his students as musicians. He's incredibly intense and would be better off at a conservatory. He's alienated many students who simply want to play and have fun, but no one will speak up.
Music is no longer as fun as it used to be for me. I've always been one who wants to work hard, but this has gone too far. I actually ended up dropping my music major this year (for multiple reasons, not just his influence). I want to play and have fun and not be so intense all the time, but he doesn't understand that. He's really made me lose the joy I used to get out of playing, and that scares me. I don't really know what to do.
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Author: mozartmlle622
Date: 2008-04-08 04:20
Hi there,
The very best thing for you to do would be to initiate a conversation with your teacher. Be honest and positive, (versus "attacking,") and hopefully you'll get an understanding response out of your new prof. If you can't imagine having a conversation like that with your teacher, consider speaking with your advisor or other faculty members whom you trust to get their advice. Ask them if they've had similar experiences in their "music lives." Many of us have persevered through teachers who were perhaps too harsh, disrespectful, etc., and as the saying goes, "misery loves company." It will make you feel better to hear other people's stories about crazy teachers! HOWEVER, I think good teachers, even when they're being a tad "harsh" have a way of making their students really want to practice, practice, practice, no matter what! In my experience, 'fear of the teacher' is so detrimental to students' playing. If you fear anything, it should be of "letting your teacher down." That's the good kind of fear.
Try to get the courage to have an honest talk with your teacher. It might surprise you! What's the worst that could happen??
Best of luck to you! Chin up! Er, pointed down, as we are in the "clarinet forum."
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-04-08 06:10
you can't teach an old dog new tricks. usually if his personality reflects his teaching style, he is definitely not going to radically change his fundamentals in order to accomodate. I mean from his point of view he got to where he was by rigorous studying, practicing, and learning all the technical shindig that separates professionals and enthusiasts. But i do agree that maybe you do have to open up and maybe ask him about his music upbringing and how he views what music should be for your situation.
I was in a similar situation, but not so much influenced by a teacher. I'm just an enthusiast that encourages others to enjoy the coming togetherness of people to perform music.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2008-04-08 11:39
>>He's really made me lose the joy I used to get out of playing, and that scares me. I don't really know what to do.
>>
It sounds as if you're already taking positive steps to refuse to give so much control over your life to someone you dislike, who hasn't helped you. If you decide to break loose from him by giving up your music major, then that's not something he can *make you* do--it's your choice, your decision that you're making to remove an unhelpful influence from your life, in order to replace him with something more constructive. He can't *make* you do anything. He hasn't earned the right to *make* you give up the pleasure of making music. You have the right to decide that he can go squeak off and try make some other victim miserable, while you can go back to practicing and learning on your own, until you find access to a better teacher. He doesn't own your music.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: rsholmes
Date: 2008-04-08 14:28
If you're no longer a music major, and want to play for fun, then I don't see any reason to stick with a teacher who you dislike and who is apparently hurting your musicality. Is your old teacher still in the area? If so, why not ask if you can resume lessons with her?
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Author: proclarinet
Date: 2008-04-08 16:58
I have thought about looking into going back to my old teacher, but for a few reasons I'm somewhat hesitant. First of all, like I said, I took from her for 8 wonderful years, from 6th grade until last August. I'm afraid that if I went back to her, I'd expect things to be the same, but could potentially be very different. She was deeply hurt when she wasn't offered the full time professorship position at the school she taught at/I attend, especially because she was told that she had done nothing wrong, the selection committee simply wanted to "go in a different direction." I'm afraid that my working with her again could be a constant reminder to her of what she's lost, and things would just be different.
I'm also afraid of losing out on opportunities at school by not taking from a studio teacher. For example, last year a piano student wanted to work on the Brahms trio, and approached my teacher about looking for a clarinetist. She knew how much I love Brahms, so gave my name to the pianist. Without being part of a studio, I'd miss out on those opportunities. I'm just trying to balance the potential worth of staying with this guy for another two years or pursuing other options. I'm hopefully meeting with my advisor soon (who's in the music department) to discuss where to go with this issue.
Thanks for the support, guys.
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Author: Philcoman
Date: 2008-04-08 18:26
Believe me, if your old teacher was hurt that she didn't get the position, she'll be THRILLED that you dumped the hired teacher and went back to her. Your music is your music and your life is your life. As mentioned above, there are tough teachers who can nonetheless inspire you. If your current teacher isn't one of them, move on.
"If you want to do something, you do it, and handle the obstacles as they come." --Benny Goodman
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Author: D
Date: 2008-04-08 18:42
"squeak off" LOL, that is brilliant.
proclarinet, sorry you have such a rotten time of it with the new teacher. Are there other clarinet teachers in the dept? If so, could you approach one of their students and see if they are interested in a swap? Sorry, know nothing about US universities so I don't really understand why you get lessons, especially if you are not taking music. But as far as I do understand, you are not forced to stick with this guy are you, is there a financial or a grade reason you can't go your own way?
If you walk from him will you still be allowed to be in various groups, if you can then there is no reason to think you will automatically loose out on all other things. If you have a rep as a good, reliable and personable player and are not afraid to self publicise, you'll probably get more opportunities than you think. And don't forget there is life outside of university. Have a look at the local community, there might be some fun things gong on there.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2008-04-08 19:58
proclarinet wrote:
> She was deeply hurt when she wasn't offered
> the full time professorship position at the school she taught
> at/I attend, especially because she was told that she had done
> nothing wrong, the selection committee simply wanted to "go in
> a different direction."
Hopefully that's only a short-term hurt. It happens all the time in every profession.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2008-04-08 20:07
For whatever it's worth in your circumstances... it's actually a very good thing to have several teachers in your learning career. As much as you enjoyed learning from the one teacher, no one individual can teach you everything. It's probably a good time to move on after 8+ years.
Sometimes we chafe under other persons, however they could actually have something new to teach us. I had one teacher who I fired (we actually fired each other!) but I still remember things that he taught me that neither of the others before him or after him did. I even tell my students that when the time comes for them to move along, their new teachers will be different from me and that it'll really be a good thing that they are.
So whether you allow yourself to respectfully learn under this teacher for a time and then move along to still another teacher who you might like better, I'll bet you find he has something to offer you even if he tells you in a dogmatic way.
In the meantime if you can find a group to play or rehearse with you'll be able to keep that spark alive while you endure the lesson.
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Author: vin
Date: 2008-04-08 20:59
Maybe you do need to find a new teacher, but I would hesitate to go back to your old teacher; perhaps find someone new entirely. After more than four years with a teacher, both teacher and student often find it difficult to be truly objective. You must be comfortable, but if you're too comfortable, you won't get better.
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