Since moving to my current town, I have been using a hard wooden chair (a $5 find at Goodwill) when I teach piano lessons.
Two-and-a-half-years later, I decided it was high time I bought something more comfortable. On wheels. And less creaky. 🙂
The space next to the piano is tight, so I knew I needed a compact chair. A friend who also teaches piano in my town found this great little chair at IKEA and I ended up buying the same one. But not before trying out all of the other wheeled chairs at IKEA. 🙂 This one is a gem:
Don’t you just love finding just the right things for your everyday use? This chair is comfortable and perfect for my small space.
Check it out at IKEA: Gregor swivel chair.
I found my chair at Staples – it doesn’t have arm rests, so it can double as a chair that I can use to play at the piano comfortably. It’s not the nicest looking chair, but it’s functional!
Do you prefer to sit on the left or right of your student for a lesson? By the photo, it looks as if you favor re left side? I’ve always sat on the right side – maybe has to do with my being left-handed?! Not sure what the statistics are on which side teachers sit on, but looking at this photo just prompted me to think on it!
I always sit on the side that makes the most sense for the room. I used to always teach on the RH side when I taught at my parents’ house. Now I’m on the left! I like having the bookshelf nearby.
I wonder what other teachers’ preferences are? Great question, Teresa!
Teresa – I wondered the same thing! 😀 My chair is on the right side, and I’m right-handed. I think I like that because when I write on the sheet in front of the student, I don’t block or bump them – it feels open. Plus, then I’m in good spot to turn pages 🙂 and if my chair is on the left, I knock over the lamp and/or the Glockenspiel!! that’s never good!
I prefer the right side, too, but I can’t do that in my current set-up. I’m right-handed and I do feel less crowded and less in the way of my student on the right side. 🙂
oh my! Obviously, I mean “in ‘a’ good spot… ” goodness, it feels like Monday here!!
My chair is a simple wooden dining room chair from my house (I teach in a separate studio attached to my garage). It is on the right side of the student, but that is mainly because on the left side is another piano. I do tend to mostly stand up and wander around while teaching, something I decided to do a few years ago. I can zip over to the second piano to play along or demonstrate, but mostly stand behind and to the side of the student.
I keep my laptop open on the opened life of the piano (in the curve) and stand there to type in assignment notes. I keep each student’s assignment records, plans for theory, repertoire list etc in a simple manila folder on the music rack next to the laptop.
I keep trying to find a better way ……… but that’s just part of the job, and my personality quest (achieve the perfect system — lots of planets in Virgo 😉
Agreed – I’m always looking for the perfect system! Thanks for sharing about your current arrangement!
Grateful for your post about this chair, Joy! I went to the Twin Cities IKEA yesterday, not intending to buy it, but once I sat in it, I *had* to have it. Since my accident and back surgery my back gets strained easily when standing or sitting in the wrong chair, and this one is just right!
Isn’t it a great chair?! The design provides lots of lumbar support, I think, which is why I like it so well. I’m glad to hear it will work well for you, too, Marcia!