Cold Calling a Teacher?

[Guest User]

The choices I have for a local teacher are really limited, both are pros so they charge a lot. I live near one but I keep hearing that he stopped teaching a few years ago, and the other guy I can't find any of his former or current students to talk to. I am sort of afraid of just calling them up out of the blue. I would rather have some way to be introduced to them, even if it is contrived. I know this is pretty stupid of me.

Oh, and I cannot find either in the phone book. I think they both only use cell phones, so I am not sure how to get their numbers, even if I were to decide to call either of them directly.

I seriously cannot find a lower level teacher who would probably be a good match for my level of playing.

Oh, and a couple of people suggested to me via messages that I look for a local band to play with. I found one. Thanks! I keep saying I will go to my first rehearsal, but I really want to have some lessons first and have time to try and fix some problems I am having.

Should I keep looking for a younger teacher, like a college student? Or should I call the employers of these two players to get in touch with them? Why dont people have home phones anymore? <g>

[Guest User]

Oh, and I got me a st pete instead of the chinese tuba. Thanks to all of you who chated with me about that decision. I really like the st pete. It was more expensive but I think I will like it better. but the nickel is hard to polish and it is tarnishing where my hands rest. Oh well. It plays good!

[Guest User]

There aren't any, except for the younger guy. The other schools are all religious ones and the tuba players, when they have any, study with people who do not play tuba. It is just this one college teacher guy and the symphony guy. I am kind of afraid to call either's employers and ask for contact info. You know how crazy stuff is these days. Maybe they could forward my information to both of these people for me? That might be a good idea.

I live a long way out in a small town, but work in the city, not sure where we would meet. The college teacher has an office, but the symphony guy, i dont know.

[Three Valves]

I am kind of afraid to call either's employers and ask for contact info. You know how crazy stuff is these days.

Things may be crazy, but they aren't THAT crazy!!

[bort]

Show up at the guy's door, with a tuba, and ask if you can have a lesson. Be ready to work. Who knows, he may be impressed at your forthrightness and initiative.

Or tell you to get the hell off his property. One way or the other...

[Michael Bush]

My community band hack self cold called (well, I think it was a cold email, but...) one of the best teachers in the world maybe five years ago. He could not possibly have been nicer from the first moment. Had 8-10 lessons a year with him from then until last summer when I moved 6+ hours away. If the teachers you have in mind don't want to do the lessons, they'll tell you. If they're open to it, they'll tell you that. They probably aren't death-eaters. Just go for it. There will be some kind of contact information for the college teacher on the college's web site, almost certainly.

[windshieldbug]

I seriously cannot find a lower level teacher who would probably be a good match for my level of playing.

I have no idea what level you mean, but if it's at a level where you think you need to get better before you even play with a community band try the local college/university. They probably have well-trained students who are looking to go into teaching and would like the experience or at least good players who could use the bread. Either way, if they don't know how to fix your problem they will likely ask *their* teachers...

[bort]

^ Ah, great point!

Actually, I benefitted from this as a college student, I kind of fell ***-backwards into it. (Walk into rehearsal one day, director says "Bort, you're taking lessons. Be back here at 4:00." One of the grad students needed a "subject" for one of his classes on brass instruction (or something). I had one lesson per week with the grad student, and then every few weeks I had to have the lesson with him in front of the whole class... where then HIS teacher would critique both of us. I also had a few lessons just from the teacher.

End result -- free lessons with Toby Hanks and a very good grad student.

[hup_d_dup]

Good teachers generally want students who are hard workers.

The skill level of the student is secondary.

Hup

[Tom]

It is just this one college teacher guy and the symphony guy. I am kind of afraid to call either's employers and ask for contact info. You know how crazy stuff is these days. Maybe they could forward my information to both of these people for me? That might be a good idea.

If you would like to work with either one of these people, but don't know how to contact them directly, definitely contact their employers. They probably won't just give you their direct contact information, but may take your name and number and pass it along or they may give you the person's business email address or phone number to use.

I work for a one of the big orchestras. I get a call or two a week directed to me from folks that want to take lessons with so-and-so and need their contact information. Company policy is that I cannot provide their direct contact information (that isn't unusual these days), but I always copy down the caller's information and pass it along to the appropriate orchestra member. It takes an maybe an extra 1 minute out of my day to extend this courtesy to callers. No big deal. I wouldn't think anything of it if you called the administrative offices at my orchestra asking about it lessons...there is no reason to be afraid to call. I imagine that is the case at most orchestras.

[roweenie]

For the life of me, I could never understand this reverence/awe/worship concept of professional tuba players (or any other "high profile" person, for that matter).

They put their pants on, one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.

They wipe their a$$ (hopefully), just like the rest of us.

They get sick and die, just like the rest of us.

To paraphrase another member, they make fart noises into a whirling cone of brass (granted, way better than most others).

They don't walk on water.

Being a "professional musician" is kind of like being an independent contractor - taking on students is a way of securing work (and $$$), and providing a service. Would you be embarrassed to call a plumber to fix your toilet?

Contact the person you want to study with. If they say no, move on to the next one until you find one.

(Rant over)

[bort]

They put their pants on, one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.

Bruce Dickinson: Easy, guys.. I put my pants on just like the rest of you -- one leg at a time. Except, once my pants are on, I make gold records.

[roweenie]

They put their pants on, one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.

Bruce Dickinson: Easy, guys.. I put my pants on just like the rest of you -- one leg at a time. Except, once my pants are on, I make gold records.

LOL....

And, when he takes permanent residence in the narrow house, the worms won't show him any favoritism for his gold records.

[roweenie]

Here's another perspective;

I've always admired John Fletcher's playing, and for many years (back in the early 80's, of course) I had toyed with the idea of contacting him for a private lesson.

Well, I was young and inexperienced, and, like the OP, was afraid to make contact, for a variety of reasons.

I finally screwed up enough courage, after several years of angst, to call the LSO (this was before the Internet and email) to get his contact info. The secretary then asked me if I wanted to send well wishes to him in the hospital, because he had just had a major stroke 3 days earlier.

Long story short, opportunity missed FOREVER, all due to procrastination.

[ken k]

we are talking about tuba players here. These guys will definitely meet with you and work with you.

kk

[Rick Denney]

In the days before emails, I wrote Mike Sanders, the symphony pro in San Antonio, a letter, explaining my situation, including what I thought were my strengths (few) and weaknesses (many), and summarizing my goals for taking lessons, all in about six sentences. I had been playing for less than a year after an 8-year hiatus. He wrote me back positively and away we went. But for what I was able to do, I needed monthly lessons, not weekly lessons, and he was, after all, 90 miles from where I lived in Austin at the time.

That was after I had been turned down by the professor at the local university, whose focus was his students and aspiring pros. I took no damage from that refusal, except that I had to drive farther, and might have gotten better outcomes.

In a busy area, one pro might already have all the students he can handle, but he can often point you to a good teacher who has availability. Some high-school band directors are low-brass players and excellent teachers who give lessons on the side.

Rick "if you don't ask, you know what the answer will be" Denney

[windshieldbug]

we are talking about tuba players here. These guys will definitely meet with you and work with you.

And at the very least talk over a beer...

[Guest User]

Got a lesson set up! Now I have to practice a whole bunch! Best part is he knows my financial situation and he offered to teach me for free! However, he said the first time I showed up underprepared would be my last lesson. So I got to get to work! Thanks for the help and the encouraging messages.

<g>

[alfredr]

Good for you!

[hup_d_dup]

However, he said the first time I showed up underprepared would be my last lesson.

See my post above. Burn it into your brain. If you work hard you both will get what you want.

Hup