Creative Piano Teaching Podcast

Do you ever wonder exactly how to teach piano pieces? Once students have left their beginner method books, some teachers tend to get a bit lost wondering, “What do I do now? How do I prepare my students for their new pieces without that structure?” The best thing about the creative and flexible approach to teaching that I advocate is that you don’t have to be held to a restrictive method book. However, this can also be a bit terrifying if you don’t know what to do instead. There is so much great piano music out there, but what’s the best way to teach it? Today I’m sharing a simple and flexible framework that you can use to start better preparing your students for new repertoire. Never again hastily give your students a few notes about a new piece as they run out the door. Use this structure to get them ready instead. Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? “Elements and Activities” Worksheet This sheet brings together all elements of a holistic education: listening, moving, creative, reading, writing, and theory. Click here to see a sample worksheet that I’ve already filled in. In this episode, you’ll learn * Why the way we often introduce new music is not the best way * How this approach will change things for your teaching * How you can save time in lessons so that you can follow these steps * What the template looks like and how to use it * The benefits of working with this template * Sample activities that stem from this planning process * How this way of working can make the learning more enjoyable for your student Links Mentioned * Episode 77: Teaching Lead Sheets with Susan Deas * Episode 78: 5 Tips for Planning a Piano Teaching Curriculum * Episode 79: Rote Teaching with Amy Greer * Episode 80: Beginner Piano Teaching Games with Nicola Cantan Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes or

Playing games is one of the best ways to get young kids engaged. Whether they’re learning about music or maths, gamified learning is effective and fun. Planning piano teaching games into your lessons will mean your students learn theory concepts more quickly. Games based learning is what children are set up for! They’ll also be even more excited to come to lessons. Kids love interacting and learning through play and you’ll build more rapport with your students in the process. Here today to tell us about her favourite piano teaching games, the effect they have in her studio, and how you can gamify your teaching is Nicola Cantan. Nicola shares tons of her creative and outside-the-box teaching ideas on her blog Colourful Keys. Let’s get more piano students off that bench and giggling with some piano teaching games. Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? Today’s Free Download You can download the Gamified Piano Teaching Powerpack by filling in the form below. This powerpack includes the three games mentioned today: Dynamic Dynamo, Signature Sprint and Line, Space, Leapfrog. You’re not going to want to miss out on these awesome games. In this episode, you’ll learn * What games can do for your piano students * The value of games for learning music theory * When to use different types of games & activities * How to get started if you’re nervous of playing games * Why you need to teach on your students’ level * How games can build relationships with young students * Some of Nicola’s favourite games to use in her studio * What’s included in today’s free games download * Where you can find even more games to cover any concept Links Mentioned * Colourful Keys blog * Piano Builder Cards (groups of two & three black keys) * The Off-the-bench Catalogue (tons of free games organised by concepts covered) * Landmark Landmines * Grand Staff Twister * Symbol Splash Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show,

Rote teaching got a bad rap for a while. But piano teachers are starting to realise the value of teaching pieces by rote and incorporate this puzzle piece into their teaching. Teaching rote pieces alongside reading pieces provides so many benefits. Kids who learn pieces this way are better at finding patterns, using their ears and navigating the keyboard. You might feel like a fish out of water when it comes to rote, pattern-based piano teaching. Many teachers are apprehensive of trying this style of teaching if they’ve never done it before. It’s scary not to  have a book to point at. Well, Amy Greer is here to help you get started with rote pieces. She’s giving us step-by-step insight into her rote teaching style. I hope Amy will inspire you to give rote pieces a try this week. Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? In this episode, you’ll learn * How Amy got started with rote teaching * The role of rote teaching in Amy’s teaching The idea behind the Repertoire by Rote book * How to scaffold the learning of rote pieces * The exact steps Amy uses to teach a rote piece in the first lesson * Why “circling” helps reinforce learning in the piano lesson * What to look for when scouring for rote pieces Links Mentioned * Repertoire by Rote by Amy Greer and Dennis Alexander * Exploring Piano Safari with Dr. Julie Knerr and Katherine Fisher * Dalcroze Eurhythmics with Paula Melville Clark Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. How much rote teaching do you do? Any? Do you see the value of teaching pieces by rote? If you haven’t tried it yet, what’s holding you back? Rote teaching got a bad rap for a while. But piano teachers are starting to realise the value of teaching pieces by rote and incorporate this puzzle piece into their teaching. Teaching rote pieces alongside reading pieces provides so m...

Properly planning a piano teaching curriculum is not as simple as just following an exam syllabus or a method book series. It requires careful thought and consideration to put together the curriculum for your studio and your students. Many teachers tell me that they don’t have time to fit everything into the lesson time. Others ask me how they can plan for exams alongside creative activities. Making a plan can help with both of these issues. You’re the route planner for your students musical journey. Where are you going to lead them? Don’t let yourself be pulled in different directions of things you should be doing. Listen to episode 78 and start proactively planning your curriculum. Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? In this episode, you’ll learn * The pitfalls of “segmenting” a piano lesson * How I define a curriculum vs a syllabus * Why we need a flexible system for planning * How to start planning a piano teaching curriculum * How to lesson plan, and then go with the flow * Why I don’t use a method book at all for the first 10 weeks * Ideas for beginner, intermediate and advanced lesson planning Links Mentioned * 6 Mistakes I Made When I Started Teaching Piano * All About ABRSM Piano Exams with Tim Arnold * Piano Safari podcast with Dr. Julie Knerr and Katherine Fisher * Piano Safari * Piano Pronto * Accelerated Piano Adventures * Way Cool Keyboarding * Practicia Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Do you follow a piano teaching curriculum? Did you design your own curriculum? Or do you follow a particular method book?

Teach lead sheets and your students will be more likely to be lifelong pianists. In fact, Susan Deas surveyed teachers and found that 90% thought teaching lead sheets was useful skill. Cultivating a love of music and keeping students playing was also rated as a primary focus, and most teachers thought lead sheets would help with this. So why are many of us still not fitting this creative skill into our lessons? Susan Deas takes a practical, straight-forward approach to lead sheet playing. Her book, Improvisation for Classically Trained Pianists, breaks down this skill into a truly step-by-step process. As Susan says: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good, have a go!”. Jump in to episode 77 and find out how you can teach lead sheets in your studio. Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? In this episode, you’ll learn * The difference between a chord chart and a lead sheet * Why Susan set out to research the area of improvisation * What Susan found out about teachers’ attitudes to creativity * Why teachers don’t teach lead sheets, and why they should * How to get piano parents on board with improvisation * How Susan prepares young students for lead sheet playing * What you can do to fit more improv into your piano lessons * Susan’s top tips for how to teach lead sheets Links Mentioned * Improvisation for Classically Trained Pianists * Susan’s chord resources * What’s the Difference between a Chord Chart and a Lead Sheet * The Ultimate Guide to Left Hand Piano Styles & Patterns Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live.

It goes without saying that the world is completely different than it was in Beethoven’s time. And even Beethoven had what we would now call a portfolio career, teaching, playing and composing. So why is a performance focussed music education still the norm? Why aren’t music teachers properly preparing students for their future? Decide on your teaching objectives before you (perhaps unconsciously) emphasise performance perfection. Changing your teaching mindset means your students can access all these other avenues that music can open up. Learning music can teach us many skills beyond the stage. Susan de Weger is here to tell us the how, why and what of preparing students for their future, not the distant past. PS. This is an audio-only podcast. Please take this opportunity to click here and subscribe to my podcast on iTunes using the Podcast Player on your phone. Get into the habit of listening while you’re driving, walking, cleaning or cooking! Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? In this episode, you’ll learn * Why preparing students for their future doesn’t mean only performance skills * How music can teach students to try…and then fail * How ensemble playing can teach valuable life skills * Why you should think creatively about your business * How to readjust your expectations and meet students where they’re at * What to tell your piano parents to help them with practice * How a career in music really looks today Links Mentioned * TTTV012: Reinventing the Recital with Kristin Yost * Beyond the Stage (Susan’s podcast) * Notable Values (Susan’s website) Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. How are you preparing students for their future? Do you give much thought to the role music will play in your students’ lives?

Bradley is a fantastic improviser and has inspired many piano teachers to bring creativity into their piano teaching studios. Through this experience, he has found these 5 myths of improvisation stop many classically trained pianists from getting started with jazz or improv. When we allow ourselves to believe these myths, we’re closing ourselves and our students off from a whole section of music making. And the truth is, you probably already improvise in some way. Even if you don’t know it yet. As part of the classical to chords month, Bradley and I are going to bust through the myths of improvisation. While we’re at it, we’re throwing in some quick and easy accompaniment patterns you can use to teach creativity right away. So jump in, and get started with improvisation today. It’s not scary I promise. PS. This is an audio-only podcast. Please take this opportunity to click here and subscribe to my podcast on iTunes using the Podcast Player on your phone. Get into the habit of listening while you’re driving, walking, cleaning or cooking! Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? In this episode, you’ll learn * What improvisation means to Bradley * The elements of jazz that are open for creativity * Why Bradley was drawn to jazz in the first place * How to improve your musical ear * Why you don’t have to be Oscar Peterson to improvise * The approach to creativity and reading that Bradley advocates * How to move to the next level with teaching creativity * Why classically trained pianists shouldn’t be scared of the uncertainty of improv * How to get through a lack of musical inspiration in the moment * Tricks and patterns that you can use right away in your teaching Links Mentioned * Bradley’s Online Lessons * 88 Creative Keys Workshops 88 Creative Keys 2017 At 88 Creative Keys workshops, we teach teachers to improvise, use technology, lead off-bench activities, direct group teaching, and acquire updated business skills with today’s leading pedagogues. We’re passionate about helping you make your successful 21st-century studio a reality. Act fast and you might even catch the early bird discount. Plus all teachers with a teacher’s association membership get an extra discount. I hope to see you there! Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons!

Creative teaching is obviously something I’m extremely passionate about. I love teaching creative skills to my own students and helping teachers to do the same. Because of this reputation, piano teachers often come to me with their creative teaching questions. And the same ones come up again and again. So in today’s show, I’m answering your top questions about creative teaching. How can you get started if you were classically trained? Do you need an iPad to teach creatively? How can you find time in your busy piano lessons for these activities? Find out all this and more in the episode 74. Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? In this episode, you’ll learn * Why you might be more creative than you think * How to find and tap into your own creativity * Why you might need to educate the parents first * Where to find the time for creativity in piano lessons * Why you need to know your goals for students first * What to do if you don’t have access to tech and gadgets * How to prevent app overwhelm Links Mentioned * 12 Bar Blues Lesson Plans * iReal Pro * MusiClock * Tin Pan Rhythm * Rhythm Cups * ‘Let’s Drum This’ Bucket Drumming * Best iPad Apps for Piano Teachers Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. What’s your burning question about creative teaching? Was there anything I didn’t answer in today’s podcast? Something you wish I’d answered? Leave your questions in the comments and I’ll try to help.

The world is changing and the old style of piano lessons often doesn’t fly anymore. We need to find ways to get more creative so we can inspire students to stick with the piano. As Tiffany, my special “piano-quitter” guest says: “You’d be surprised at how much students know where they want to go with the music…It might not be on the curriculum, but give it a go, let them explore a bit! Music is a joy and it’s a creative outlet.“ It’s such a shame that Tiffany didn’t get to learn this as a child. Maybe, just maybe, if she had been given more creative piano skills she would’ve been inspired to keep going and push through the challenges of learning piano. Today I’m sharing the top 5 reasons I love teaching creative piano skills, and hopefully inspiring you to get more creative in your piano teaching this year. And in turn, passing on some musical inspiration to your students so they stick with it. PS. This is an audio-only podcast. Please take this opportunity to click here and subscribe to my podcast on iTunes using the Podcast Player on your phone. Get into the habit of listening while you’re driving, walking, cleaning or cooking! Transcript If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. Inner Circle Members: You can access your PDF download now from the Resource Library. Not a member? Today’s Freebie I’ve put together a special download just for podcast listeners: 20 Simple Ways to Add Creativity to Any Piano Lesson. You’re not going to want to miss this. In this episode, you’ll learn * Why so many of today’s students quit piano * What I consider a traditional piano education * How creativity can help build teacher-student rapport * Why you should broaden your students’ musical horizons * How to make it more likely that your students will be pianists for life * The added music theory benefits of getting more creative * How to keep your teaching fires burning week after week Links Mentioned * Teen Teaching Toolkit * Top 5 Most Powerful Creative Piano Teaching Episodes Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the “Coupon Code” box:  PIANOPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every ...

So much creative piano teaching innovation has happened this year on timtopham.com, and there’s heaps of exciting things coming up in 2017. Today on the show I’m giving you a sneak peek into what’s coming up. We’re also taking a walk down memory lane with my top 7 podcast episodes from the past here. More and more, my focus is on helping teachers with the creative side of piano teaching.These 7 powerful creative piano teaching episodes definitely deserve revisiting. All 7 give you actionable steps for creative piano teaching. Even if you’ve been listening to my podcast right from the start take a listen back. There’s probably something in them that you missed, or forgot to take action on. Transcript #7 Why Creativity Matters with Dennis Alexander TTTV064: Why Creativity Matters with Dennis Alexander Quick summary This is a chat with one of my favourite contemporary composers, Dennis Alexander. In this episode, Dennis not only plays a few of his favourite pieces, he answers questions such as “What’s the most important thing you feel piano teachers should be teaching students to encourage creativity?”. Why it made the list Hearing composers talk about what got them into composing (normally the encouragement and creativity of their first teachers) is always interesting. I would love to think that I’m cultivating the next generation of composers in my studio. But creating composers is not going to happen if we only teach students how to read other people’s music. Would Bach, Beethoven and Chopin (and any of the other famous composers) be happy to hear that the majority of piano teaching in 2016 still focusses mainly on music reading, performing and interpreting ‘the classics’? We must remember that, in order to have future generations of composers, we need to be encouraging our students to improvise, create and be curious about music. How should we do that? Take a listen and find out! #6 Balancing the Eye and the Ear with Bradley Sowash and Leila Viss TTTV005: Balancing the Eye and the Ear – Bradley Sowash & Leila Viss on creativity at the keyboard Quick summary In this podcast, Leila and Bradley dispel many of the myths around creativity. They discuss what “creativity” actually means, how you can fit it into your lessons and what to do, step by step, to get started. This is the perfect episode to listen to if you want to get fired up about teaching creative skills, and get the tools to get started. Why it made the list Bradley and Leila are two of the best creative teachers around. Leila, like many of us, was classically trained and has become more creative through her own professional learning, exploring and practising. This means that she is in a perfect position to guide other classically-trained teachers towards a creative approach because she knows what it’s like. Bradley has a much more jazz-oriented background and so has the chops to teach and play just about anything in any style but he’s also connected enough with piano teaching to know the pedagogy, know how to teach and how to share his amazing skills. While a little longer than usual, this episode is full of ideas that you can use in your teaching right away so get a pen and notepad and watch and learn! #5 Using Orff to Teach Rhythm with Vashti Summervill TTTV045: Using Orff to Teach Rhythm with Vashti Summervill Quick summary In her teaching,

When I started to explore Piano Safari I was excited. I’ve looked at many piano methods and none made quite as much sense to me as Piano Safari does. The books include rote teaching, intervallic reading, technique and improvisation all in one method. What’s not to love? The way they approach technique is truly inspired. Julie and Katherine have distilled the essential movements needed by pianists down into animal themed exercises. Not only do kids love this animal theme, but it makes the exercises more memorable. And when they remember the technique exercises better, they practice them more – and more accurately. Today on the podcast the creators of Piano Safari, Dr. Julie Knerr and Katherine Fisher are talking technique, sight reading and inspiration. They also give their top five piano teaching tips, and you’re not going to want to miss those. PS. This is an audio-only podcast. Please take this opportunity to click here and subscribe to my podcast on iTunes using the Podcast Player on your phone. Get into the habit of listening while you’re driving, walking, cleaning or cooking! Transcript Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. If you are an Inner Circle Member, you can download a PDF of the transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $1o0 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * How the Piano Safari method came about * The thinking behind the progression of the technique exercises * Why legato playing should be delayed longer than you think * What Julie and Katherine mean by the term rote teaching * The benefits of learning pieces by rote * How Piano Safari approaches teaching reading * How to get started with the Piano Safari method * Katherine & Julie’s top 5 teaching tips Links Mentioned * Piano Safari * Teaching Piano Safari Facebook group * Piano Safari stuffed animal guide blog post * Piano Safari reminder videos * Piano Safari teaching guides * Piano Safari blog * Piano Safari mini essays Piano Safari Special Offer The wonderful Katherine and Julie are offering all Tim Topham TV listeners 15% off any order for the next 5 days. Enter the code topham15 at checkout. The offer expires December 21st so act quickly! Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the  “Coupon Code” box:  TTTVP...

How much importance do you place on technique in your studio? Chances are if you’ve experienced a pianistic injury yourself you consider your technique teaching very carefully. It can be hard to undo bad habits we get into through years of study. Playing an instrument is a physical task, but we don’t often think about it that way. A professional athlete would have a team of physiotherapists behind them. So why do you not see the same for a concert pianist? Dr. Bronwen Ackermann suffered an injury from playing clarinet when she was younger. She assumed her experience was unusual and that most musicians had better technique training than she did. When she became a physiotherapist she discovered most musicians didn’t know enough about the anatomy. We need to understand how our bodies work to avoid a pianistic injury. Bronwen is on the show today to give us a medical and technical perspective on piano technique. We’re talking about how to prevent pianistic injuries and how to teach our students better techniques from the start. PS. This is an audio-only podcast. Please take this opportunity to click here and subscribe to my podcast on iTunes using the Podcast Player on your phone. Get into the habit of listening while you’re driving, walking, cleaning or cooking! Transcript Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, click below to download a PDF. If you are an Inner Circle Member, you can find the full video and transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $1o0 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * How Bronwen came to specialise in physiotherapy for musicians * What to watch out for when teaching beginning piano students * How to adjust seating for young pianists * The ideal hand and wrist position for avoiding pianistic injury * Rotation and the Taubman approach from a medical perspective * How to warm-up before even touching the piano * The importance of goal oriented practice * What to do when a piano student is in pain * Solutions to common piano technique issues Links Mentioned * Australian Society of Performing Arts Healthcare * Sound Performers Online Course * Musicians Exercise DVD Warmup Video A number of teachers have asked to see the video of the warmup section of our conversation. Please find it below – I hope it’s helpful. Please feel free to refer your students to it.   Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the  “Coupon Code” box: TTTVPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Being a full-time teacher myself, I know how busy teachers are and how much time, effort and passion we put into our students. Sometimes, the last thing we want to do in our time off is liste...

Do you ever feel like there’s just too much information these days? It can be difficult to know where to put your focus when life, work and the internet seems to pull you in every direction. Beating overwhelm means knowing where to put your focus and attention. You can’t possibly consume all that content – and you shouldn’t try. When you know what you’re trying to achieve , set very clear goals for yourself, and  hold yourself accountable for achieving them – you’re that much closer to beating overwhelm. You need to cut through the fluff and work out why you’re doing what you’re doing.   In today’s solo show I’m giving you 6 steps to follow if you’re feeling the information overload. If one of your goals is to achieve a better work-life balance these tips could help you along the way. PS. This is an audio-only podcast. Please take this opportunity to click here and subscribe to my podcast on iTunes using the Podcast Player on your phone. Get into the habit of listening while you’re driving, walking, cleaning or cooking! Transcript Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, click below to download a PDF. If you are an Inner Circle Member, you can find the full video and transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $1o0 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * What prompted me to talk about beating overwhelm today * My own routine for staying healthy * How to prioritise which information to consume * Why you should set your teaching philosophy first * How to be more productive in less time * How to automate repetitive tasks * Why you should outsource some of your work Today’s Free Download: Links Mentioned * Piano Teaching Resources page * 5 Productivity Tools for Piano Teachers Webinar * Google Docs * Practicia * Aweber * CoSchedule * Asana * Music Teachers Helper * Chart Mogul * Calendly * Hootsuite * UpWork * Snag It * Camtasia   Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the  “Coupon Code” box:  TTTVPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Being a full-time teacher myself,

Through his own musicianship and teaching, Tom Donald gradually came to realise that something was missing. There was a disconnect between what students wanted to learn and what teachers were teaching. Students were also coming out of lessons without a true comprehension of how music works. By teaching harmony first, students get a much richer understanding of music as a whole. They’re able to see inside all music whether it’s pop, jazz or classical. This also opens up students to the similarities between the different genres of music. Teaching harmony and chord progressions to students gives them the skills to really dissect and approach all new pieces of music. No matter what type of music they want to play. Find out how Tom approaches teaching, how his studio is structured and actionable steps you can use to incorporate more harmonic into your teaching today. Transcript Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, click below to download a PDF. If you are an Inner Circle Member, you can find the full video and transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $1o0 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * Why harmony is the “ultimate roadmap” of music * How teaching harmony first takes us back to true classical music roots * How to embrace students who are learning from YouTube * What Pachebel and The Beatles have in common * Why students should be singing pop melodies not playing them * The role of classical repertoire in Tom’s school * How Tom finds teachers that align with his philosophies Links Mentioned * The London Contemporary School of Piano * iReal Pro app Podcast Video   Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the  “Coupon Code” box:  TTTVPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Being a full-time teacher myself, I know how busy teachers are and how much time, effort and passion we put into our students. Sometimes, the last thing we want to do in our time off is listen to more piano teaching stuff! So, well done for using this time for self-improvement. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons. If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes l...

Abraham Levitan didn’t come from a traditional, conservatory background. So, when he started teaching he included all genres of music. He custom arranged pop tunes for his students and encouraged them to play the music that they enjoyed listening to. Perhaps that’s why he was so popular. His teaching style was friendly and accessible and his studio quickly grew. Soon he had a sizeable waiting list and started looking into hiring teachers. But how did he find the right teachers? How do you find teachers for a travelling music school that align with your ideas and philosophy of teaching? How do you make sure teachers stick with you for the long term? Find out all about Abraham’s approach to hiring, scheduling, and teaching in today’s podcast. Maybe it will even inspire you to start a travelling music school too. Transcript Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, click below to download a PDF. If you are an Inner Circle Member, you can find the full video and transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $1o0 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * The benefit of Abraham’s unusual route to piano teaching * How a teacher focussed business is better for students * Why he stuck with travelling lessons and didn’t open a studio location * When running a business, why simple is better than perfect * Why Chicago is so suited to a travelling music school * Abraham’s approach to professional development for his teachers * How to hire teachers that fit your philosophy and style * The interview process Abraham uses in his studio Links Mentioned * Piano Power studio website * Nerds on Tour podcast Podcast Video Get $100 off Annual Inner Circle Membership As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $100 discount on an annual Inner Circle Membership. This discount lasts for as long as you’re a member and whatever price you sign up for today is the price you’ll pay as long as you remain a member. Copy this coupon code to use when you see the  “Coupon Code” box:  TTTVPODCAST. Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Being a full-time teacher myself, I know how busy teachers are and how much time, effort and passion we put into our students. Sometimes, the last thing we want to do in our time off is listen to more piano teaching stuff! So, well done for using this time for self-improvement. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons. If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Full Transcript What surprised you about Abraham’s travelling studio?