Piano instruction: Arrangements of Classics or the real deal?

One of my adult transfer students brought an arrangement of Chopin's "Raindrop Prelude" that was an insult to the composer's original intention. It was poorly transcribed in an alien key, awkwardly fingered, and contained a mountain of additional challenges-- a no brain reason to terminate this particular learning adventure. (besides even the "arrangement" was over…

Individualizing Piano Study: How to avoid Method Book dependency

Over decades of teaching, I've come to the conclusion that each student needs a custom designed long-term lesson plan. Method books only go so far. Often they stratify the learning process, keeping students in an interminably drawn out, regressive C Major universe. For the most part, flats and sharps with Letter Name identifications are regarded…