This is another touchy subject for most piano teachers! I used to be in the “never allow them” camp, but as the years have passed, I am embracing them. When I was young teachers, I wanted my students to only experience original compositions. In taking this path, my beginning students, who may have wanted to learn the Minuet in G BWV 114 would now need to wait for several years until they had the technical background to play successfully. I had no idea if that student would still be taking lessons before achieving their goal. What a missed opportunity to introduce them to the classics! They might be stuck in method books for a year or two and lose interest in a broader base of repertoire. Although I do not adhere to a steady diet of arrangements, I do regularly assign them if a student REALLY wants to learn a specific piece. It is a win-win in my book.
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