Esther Sofaer

Choosing the right repertoire

Even if we spent every waking moment of our lives playing the piano, we would never be able to play through the entire piano literature in a lifetime. It's for that reason that it is so important to focus on music that is enjoyable to play and that speaks to us as individuals, and not on learning pieces that we think we should learn or that pedagogues of the past have prescribed. After all, if we're going to be sitting down for hours practicing it, we might as well like it! Piano repertoire is constantly expanding, especially with a constant stream of new educational publications and materials being produced every year, encompassing a wide array of musical styles and genres. There's so much scope nowadays to combine the rich piano legacy of the past, with the fresh face of the present, and we need to move with current tastes of young learners today, which are often quite different from those of decades past. As a teacher, if we match the right repertoire to the student, we are halfway there!

Technical Foundation

If we want to express something, we need the means to do it, and that's where technique comes in. Regardless of an individual student's ambition, it's important to have basic technical elements in place. Whether it's knowing the geography of the keyboard through scale patterns, or building up strength and flexibility through progressive studies and exercises, technical work is a vital part of the pianist's skill set and needs to be incorporated at every stage. But acquiring a good technique does not mean spending hours and years focusing on mechanical control, and it is not solely about speed, strength and accuracy. Piano technique is about being able to play the way you desire without being restricted, and it is with those principals in mind, that I try to find a balanced approach when guiding my students to obtaining a reliable technique.

Encouraging independent learning and problem solving

Much of my lesson time is showing students how to practice, practicing with them, and helping them build up a tool kit of tricks and tips which can be stored up for later use on similar passages or pieces. If there's a particular difficulty, I try to get them to analyse why, what might help them, and how to break the problem down. Effective and targeted practice is the only way of becoming fluent and familiar, but it is through critical thinking and problem solving that good quality playing is achieved. 

Each student is an individual

There's no one way to play the piano, and likewise there's no one way to teach, and that's why an adaptive approach is the one I use. Whether a beginner or advanced student, it's important to have a plan tailor made to that individual, and that means being flexible to their particular needs. Being a piano teacher requires such a vast array of skills. Not only do you need to be a master of your instrument and a good communicator, but there are so many pastoral qualities that are involved. It means having an understanding of someone's emotions, gaining insights into their personality, and often being able to read between the lines in the moments that are not spoken. We are not only teachers, we are part time psychologists!