How do you find teachers?

floorpie

I'm looking to start jazz piano. I'm just wondering how you guys find teachers? I know there are a few schools (i used to go to Kylemore and liked it, and i'm sure there'd be good teachers there, but it's a bit too out of the way for me), but privately how do yous go about it?

I went through a phase of jazz guitar, and tried out maybe 5 teachers around dublin, and although most of them were very good players, none of them were very good teachers. It was like they were just teaching as a side earner, which would be fine and understandable, except they didn't have any sort of structure etc to the lessons to the point where i felt i couldn't progress.

I've seen directories of teachers online, but they seem very out of date, and there aren't many jazz teachers listed

So, how do you guys find good teachers without having to 'shop around' too much.

And, do yous know of any private jazz piano teachers (not in schools).

Thanks

Edit: I just found the sticky in the Jazz forum about teachers, but i'm still curious about how yous find a decent teacher in general...

Rigsby

You are spot on with regards to knowing your stuff and being able to teach it. They are completely different talents. One of the advantages of a qualified teacher is that he/she bring you along in easy stages, where you build on the previous lesson. I usually search Gumtree (link below: I play bass) and see how things go. There is not much else you can do, in the absence of recommendations.

http://dublin.gumtree.ie/f-piano-teacher-Community-musicians-artists-W0QQCatIdZ8034QQKeywordZQ20pianoQ20teacherQQisSearchFormZtrue


I have no experience of Waltons School of Music, but they might be worth a try.

http://www.newschool.ie/Piano__Keyboard/Default.246.html



This is another one worth a try.



http://newparkmusic.com/

floorpie

Thanks for the reply.

I should've clarified more, gumtree is where i found the 5 jazz teachers before. And like i say, great players, but you're totally right about it being a different skill from that of teaching.

I suppose it's the recommendations aspect i need to figure out...

I'll check out those links though, thanks.

fluterecorder

definitely newpark

they run a jazz degree there so you have somw of the best jazz musicians in the country working there

they also run an improv course which is great for learning to jam as they put bands together with all the instruments so an opportunity to hone your skills!

floorpie

I never realised that they did lessons outside of their degree courses. Thanks to you both.

donalg1

I retrace my steps, usually works for me