In my last blog about Music Teachers I walked about Karen. I did my Grade 5 & part of Grade 8 with Karen. If you go back and read, you'll understand the impact she had in such a brief amount of time. When I completed Grade 6, I did that with Candace Sorenson and while it went fine I can't say it was particularly memorable and the couple memories I have were of when her dog died and when I competed in the festival. That's no slight against her at all. It's what it was. When Karen needed to move after I'd learned three quarters of the Grade 8 material and already registered for the exam, I had to search out a new teacher to help me get the rest of the way.
I had one lesson with a lady who picked apart every single piece I had learned to the extent that I was supposed to work on my hand position and gestures. Um no. No time for that whether it was necessary or not. I found it pretty ironic that she had incredibly long fingernails that prevented her from actually having great hand position and yet here she was commenting on mine! I have no idea what her name was and I left her house with a determination to find someone else.
I got a list of Registered Music Teachers in the area. One name stood out because her husband had been the band teacher (remember I quit band after grade 7) at my high school. Mrs. Gibson. She had a warmth about her, was small in stature and had short grey hair. I'd go into the basement of their bungalow where there were some couches to wait and two baby grand pianos amongst shelves and filing cabinets of books.
Mrs. Gibson was a good teacher but she had a very cutting way about her. My perspective is that she likely had a lot of students who excelled and while I always thought I was average I do realize now I wasn't. She was the one who made me feel that way. She told me things like how I needed to practice 4 hours a day. She said things like "I thought you knew what you were doing." when I'd got 91% on my theory exam and not 100%. She made me file my nails as short as they could be because they tapped on the keys and encouraged me to remove all rings and watches so 'I could be free'.
I often describe her as "the one who hated me" even though I chose not to title this blog in those words. It's possible she did like me or at least tolerate me. I know she didn't like that I was already teaching. She didn't like that I played on keyboards. She didn't like a multitude of things about me. I never got to hear about the things I did well. The drills on scales I won't ever forget nor will I ever teach them that way. None of these things I took forward with me in my own teaching.
I received a 75% on my Royal Conservatory Grade 8 exam. I thanked Mrs. Gibson and never looked back.
I thought for a long time that 75% was a poor mark. Many many years later and after putting my own students through multitudes of exams I have gained an understanding that it was actually a pretty good mark and that even the most exceptional of piano students only got marks in the 80's. You see they mark in a way that means you have to prove your worth and show why you deserve the mark. I spent a long time thinking less of myself.
But who really cares because I got the certificate and I've spent 30+ years teaching music.
A few years ago, I saw Mrs Gibson at a Royal Conservatory seminar. I was shocked. She still looked the same. I didn't talk to her and she didn't recognize me.
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