piano teacher primer

Make practicing piano easier for our students by:

1. prepare them to practice in the lesson by teaching and reviewing landmark notes, demonstrating rhythm, and testing them to figure it out on their o…

Larissa Humphries (a cello teacher friend) puts on these Summer Contests with her mom Stephanie Hinckley (my piano teacher friend). Such a great idea!

First you look at what technical challenges your …

Are you thinking about (worrying about) summertime piano lessons?

Between vacations, camps, students' schedules made more complicated if we have our own kids... Is it even worth it to try?

So worth it…

Showing piano students which notes match, turns them into incredible note readers!

Students finding chords and scales in their music gives them a huge boost in musical understanding and deeper knowled…

Huge thanks to Jaclyn Mrozek for having me on the Music Teacher Mastermind Podcast!

We give a quick run-down of the unique way I teach scales and chords to piano students, allowing them to internali…

What if the student still isn't getting it right?

What if the parent isn't happy with their progress?

What if the student just doesn't care?

What if I feel unprepared or unqualified as a teacher?

I a…

These two brilliant college piano performance majors have studied, researched and put together an incredible presentation that I can't wait to share with you!

As we explore 5 ways to connect the mind…

Ever feel like improv is a musical mystery?

Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! This week’s podcast episode is all about bringing improv magic to your piano studio.

I’m chatting with Susan Staples Be…

Talk less, smile more?

Ya that too!

But we can talk less play more with Duets, Demonstrations, and Do play more games too!

-Playing duets with students is more fun for you and teaches them by just goin…

Sparked by last week's episode on teaching expression and musicality, we need a "how-to!"

Specifically how to teach balancing melody and accompaniment.

Challenging to do!

I give you what I say, wh…

Teaching students to play expressively is more than dynamics. It is about enhancing the indications, and going beyond the notes to imagine and feel the mood of each passage. From musical markings to …

When should we accelerate our piano students forward, and when is it better to adjust and take a different approach?

To challenge or not to challenge?

In this episode, we explore the delicate balanc…

Why step out of your comfort zone as a piano teacher? Because growth is what we're made for! It brings energy, excitement, and a deeper connection to your students. In this episode, be inspired with …

Have you ever had a student from another piano teacher that seems to have some gaps in their musical education? Maybe they can play well, but learning a new piece takes forever? Or they have a good k…

That’s right A to G and all the keys in-between!

What's harder sharps or flats?

What keys are the hardest for you the teacher to play in?

Which ones are hardest for your students?

Let's vote on Instagra…

As we wrap up the last of the summer encore episodes, I HAD to include this one because rhythm is the essential life blood of all music, and is often not taught effectively.

I explore 3 ways of coun…

This episode got a re-record and an upgrade to explain how I help piano students fix notes in a positive way, and in a way that positively fixes that note more permanently in these common scenarios:

I think this episode deserves a place in the top ten, so I am showcasing it as an encore episode. I describe the best way I have found to teach note-reading to piano students, and best of all, it wor…

I get questions from piano teachers:

"Thanks for your first lesson video, I love it...what do I do next?"

This episode answers that question!

How to recognize the white note letter names without havi…

This summer, I am re-releasing some of my favorites - and yours! This episode has the most listens, and a great response among new teachers and elites as well... and there's a good reason why!

To wa…