Job Lot: The piano teacher

By VIENNA RICHARDS

Russian-born Bella Gutkin is a Suzuki piano teacher based at home.

The New Lynn resident moved from the South Island 18 months ago with husband Boris and children Zion, aged 10, and Ilana, 17. Earnings for a beginner can range from $100 a week up to $1500 weekly for an experienced teacher. Students are charged an average of $50 each lesson (normally one hour).

When did you first play the piano?

I did not start very early because in Russia an average family, not a musician's family, starts at about 6 or 7 years old.

We had two different music schools - one for abnormally gifted children and another one for normally gifted children. Both systems were the same.

These children would be selected from around the country. It was seven years with exams and tests. It was cheap because the Government supported it.

Then you took steps to become a music teacher: four years of music college, two years at polytechnic and five years at a university conservatoire in Russia.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I combine Russian music education with Suzuki teaching methods. The main point of traditional methods is the music.

The main point of Suzuki is the child. With Suzuki, everything you are going to play is recorded on tape. The ideal is to listen to it every day.

I usually ask parents to stay for the lessons because in Suzuki the most important thing is to involve them. A child wants their parents, especially their mother, to see them learn, grow and achieve. You create the atmosphere to support your child.

A good, serious parent tapes or writes down the lessons.

What do you love about teaching piano?

I like to see how a child, sometimes from nothing, turns into an outstanding person.

I have one boy. He came to me when he was 3 years old. He would grab all the toys, running around, jumping, he was so hyperactive. I was terrified.

In Suzuki you have group lessons and individual lessons. After a couple of group lessons, I decided I couldn't take him into the group because he started to push children. His concentration was below zero.

I said to his mum, "You can see how he is. If you are ready to work, I am ready to do it." I said, "It's not very easy. You must be very strong with this child but this is your job because when he goes to school it will be a disaster."

This boy now has 20-minute lessons. Yes, he's still very active but he can concentrate and play the piano.

But only because his mum was patient. It was difficult, but we overcame the problems.

You have taught children from many cultures. What does it take for your students to get great results?

I think you have to make sacrifices. When you sacrifice, you work for it. In Suzuki, a lot of teachers say that to get good results you must sacrifice something.

For example, I heard of one American family of five children who drove more than 480 km for a good piano lesson. To drive so far is a lot of money and a lot of time and they were going to the most expensive teacher. This teacher was very good.

But you must still make sure you do something. You don't go to a good teacher, pay money, and then do nothing. Everybody must do something.

What motivates you?

I am a perfectionist and an achiever. If you do something good, let's make it better. If you make it better, okay, then let's go even better.

I must see a result, because I can make anybody talented.

In South Africa, three years before we came here, I taught in a college for black South Africans in Johannesburg. Many came from the townships.

I taught one adult and it took him three months to find the C key. A normal child does it in one minute.

But eventually - I don't say he became an outstanding pianist - but he could do something.

I always believe education is everything.