Do you think my teacher suspects anything?

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Hi all,

I'm a 36 y.o. woman, still not officially diagnosed.
After a whole life being a musical sponge and loving music to the point of hypnosis, it wasn't until two years ago that I started taking piano lessons. My progress has been steady and fast forward, and I follow a regular practice regime. My teacher is an East European lady, strict, very methodic and "old school". I've adapted perfectly to her highly structured lessons and routinary exercices. She's a perfect fit for me and I'm really happy with how things are going. Besides, I know how difficult sometimes can be finding a teacher who takes seriously an adult student.

From day 1 she's always said that I shouldn't rub constantly my hands when they're not on the keyboard. That I shouldn't rock on the bench. That I must get rid of my tension and stress. That I should dress differently, wear some high heels... And finally 3 weeks ago she started to ask strange questions.
She asked about my family. About who I live with, what used to do as a child and teenager, if I have any friends and where I met them and how are those friends. If I'm good with foreign languages or computers. She's been starting some small talk (I'm completely inept with small talk) and observing my reactions.

Now, that's my question.
Do you think she's supecting that "something is going on"? Or am I just being too paranoid?
Maybe she just wants to have a more personal conversation outside the mere technical issues, given that I'm an adult student and we like the same kind of music. Or maybe she's just seen through the disguise I wear in my everyday life. What do you think?

I don't want her to know anything about my -alleged- AS, not now not when I finally get an official diagnosis. I fear that the moment she knows, she'll never take me seriously again, lessons will change or she'll maybe drop me.

I am curious to know the outcome. If she is looking then maybe AS become so well publicised that people look for it? Maybe she knows someone with it? Or maybe she IS an Aspie, did you consider that!! Or maybe you are just paranoid lol. Anyway Im sure a dx from a piano teacher would be superior.

She teaches both at the music school where I take lessons and at the local Conservatory. It's quite probable that she knows other AS (children or adults) or HFA students. Maybe some of my traits sounded familiar.

Or maybe I'm just overreacting....
Anyway, I'll keep you posted

I suspect that there are a ton of aspies in the music field. I just read that 1 in 20 of autistic people have absolute (i.e. "perfect") pitch. The statistic for the general population is 1 in 10,000. Plus, many characteristics of the career fit will into an aspie's personality. Obsession, perfection, isolation... all good traits to become a highly-skilled musician.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if your teacher is at least somewhat aware of AS.

She should mind her own business. She's there to teach you to play the piano, not complain about your stimming or how you dress.

i think musicians can understand.. at least the concept of not being able to explain things with words..
i'm an amateur music teacher (i don't work & wouldn't charge as my teaching is quite clumsy) but if i discovered someone to have a "strange" mental health issue, i would only be interested in a positive way, you know? ultimately the fact they like music & want to learn pretty much "forces" me to respect them as brethren.. i kinda think of music as a "religion" tho.. or at least a truly sacred thing, one would hope this teacher feels the same way & so would NEVER dismiss a student.

Perhaps the teacher was fishing for information to get a better feel for her student? If that's the case, it sounds like it's quite possible she is aware of AS. Maybe her plan is to double check her teaching style to ensure that it jives with the student's learning style.

Or... maybe she is just nosy.

I can understand her comments about you rubbing your hands and rocking on the stool because bodily posture and relaxation are relevant to playing the piano. I do find it a bit, no very, strange that she should comment on how you dress. I don't wear high heels and I would find it extremely inappropriate for anyone to comment that I should. But maybe I'm just misinterpreting the conversation.

On the issue of her being likely to have come across other Aspies, or being one herself because she is a musician, I think there is more than likely something in that.

A few months ago I heard a radio programme, which I missed the start of, in which a man had researched the impact of time spent practicing a musical instrument on eventual success. I think it was violinists he had studied. His point was that although innate talent is a factor, the key to success is drive. He calculated/observed that all successsful violinists had put in about 10,000 or was it 100,000 hours of practice. Can't remember the figure, but it was a LOT. Basically it equated to 10 years of dedication.

The woman interviewer commented that spending so much time practicing meant that those people wouldn't really "have a life". His point was that playing the violin "was their life".

At the time I remember thinking about this in terms of autistic obsessions. The ability to focus intently for lengthy periods of time on a specific subject or interest, be it music, engineering, architecture, whatever.

This doesn't mean to say that all violinists are autistic, but it does suggest that anyone who is prepared to devote their life to their own area of interest has at least that one "obsessive" trait in common with autistic people, and maybe more.

Thank you all for your responses, I really appreciate your input.

The idea of her being an Aspie too has never crossed my mind, but now that you mention it, I'll be more aware from now on to see if it's possible. Appart from teaching, she practices for 6-8 hours every day and always says how obsessed she is with her practice time and improvement.