Creative Piano Teaching Podcast

This month has been Music Learning Theory month on timtopham.com and with that has come a lot of talk about audiation. But what is audiation really? What does it mean and how does it look in a teaching context? If we want students to take full ownership or musical concepts and patterns, they should be able to audiate them. We don’t want them just imitating what they’ve heard, parroting back the melody or harmony or definition. We want them to fully grasp it right through to their core. Andrew Mullen discovered Music Learning Theory through the choral training of James Jordan. It made a lot of sense to him, and so he started exploring further. He now teaches middle schoolers using this approach, and his students have reaped the benefits of a true understanding of music. In fact, he’s about to transition over his whole school district to MLT teaching! In today’s podcast, Andrew is giving us a great insight into what MLT looks (and sounds!)  like in a practical context. Andrew’s enthusiasm for MLT is contagious, and I can tell his classes must be great fun as well as educational. I hope you’ll take a listen to hear some of his fantastic teaching in action! 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 $50 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * How a class based on Dr. Gordon’s ideas might look * Why audiation is important * The difference between imitation and audiation * What Andrew’s audiation station videos are designed to do * The importance of always being able to find the resting tone * The basics of theMLT syllable system * Why rhythm patterns are organised into a syllable system in MLT * The benefits Andrew has seen for his students since utilising MLT Links Mentioned * The Improving Musician * Little Kids Rock * Music Learning Theory books on GIA publications * James Jordan Podcast Video Get $50 off Inner Circle Membership! As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $50 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,

A big part of Dr. Gordon’s Music Learning Theory is pattern based teaching. When we build up a rich vocabulary of patterns we’re creating a mental resource that students can draw from later. This way students can not only read music but can audiate and improvise as well. In short they’re more comprehensive musicians. Joanne Burrows is the head of keyboard at the Riverina conservatorium. Lately, she has been teaching patterns to her students to make their learning more secure and durable. When I heard about some of the fantastic methods she’s exploring in her research, I knew I wanted to have her on the podcast during Music Learning Theory month. Jo has some great tips for getting reluctant singers singing, building a sense of rhythm, and making improvising more accessible. You’re sure to find something fantastic in today’s episode that you can implement straight away. 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 $50 off your membership today.  In this episode, you’ll learn * The different types of patterns Joanne uses in her teaching * Why it’s important to start teaching patterns * How we can use patterns as a foundation to build on later * How Jo’s rhythm books are structured and sequenced * Some creative ways to practice rhythms in lessons * How Jo encourages singing in the piano lesson * Why you should milk every exercise until it’s dry * Where Jo starts with bass line patterns Links Mentioned * Joanne’s books in the Wirripang online store * Riverina Conservatorium of Music * TTTV048: Exploring MLT with Marilyn Lowe Podcast Video Get $50 off Inner Circle Membership! As a valued podcast listener, you’re eligible for a $50 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...

Neil Moore didn’t follow the traditional path to piano teaching. He never read music in his own piano lessons. So when he had the opportunity to teach a visually impaired student, he wondered how he could teach him the way he learned. He started to explore teaching using patterns, and gradually developed the Simply Music program. There are now Simply Music teachers all over the world teaching using this playing first approach. Teaching reading is delayed in favour of getting students creating great music right from the start. Simply Music is extremely pattern based, and I see a lot of parallels between it and the Music Learning Theory ideas. If you want to see a completely different approach to music education, take a listen to today’s podcast to find out the how and why of Simply Music. In this episode, you’ll learn: * The journey that lead Neil to create the Simply Music program * How Simply Music gives students a playing rich experience * How the teacher licensing works * What Simply Music can do for piano teachers * The use of rote and pattern based learning in Simply Music * How Simply Music approaches chord teaching * Why Neil wants to create a “whole of life” music program Items mentioned in this podcast: * Simply Music * Simply Music Piano * Music Logic * Music Rhapsody 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. What appeals to you about the Simply Music program? Did anything about this style of teaching strike a chord with you? Was there an aspect of Simply Music that surprised you? Do you teach some things in a similar way to Neil? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Neil Moore didn’t follow the traditional path to piano teaching. He never read music in his own piano lessons. So when he had the opportunity to teach a visually impaired student, he wondered how he could teach him the way he learned. He started to explore teaching using patterns, and gradually developed the Simply Music program. There are now Simply Music teachers all over the world teaching using this p...

In today’s podcast we’re exploring MLT (Music Learning Theory) and how it applies to piano teaching, with Marilyn Lowe. Marilyn Lowe searched for a long time for a piano method she loved. When she heard about Music Learning Theory it seemed to fill in a lot of the blanks…The only problem was there were no piano books based on Dr. Gordon’s ideas, so she had to write her own! Using the principles of Music Learning Theory, Marilyn devised her books Music Moves for Piano. Students in her method learn rhythmic and melodic patterns first. They use these patterns to improvise, arrange, and learn pieces by rote, before being introduced to the notation. This is similar to the way we learn language, and core to the Music Learning Theory approach. Marilyn has a fantastic insight into MLT and how to create well-rounded musicians. Take a listen to find out how she how and why she teaches this way. Today’s Download Bundle In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why Dr. Gordon’s ideas appealed to Marilyn * How the pattern vocabulary is built up gradually in Music Moves for Piano * Why improvising in these patterns is such an important step in the process * The benefits of the MLT approach for students * How Music Learning Theory differs from Kodály, Orff and Dalcroze * How a typical Music Moves for Piano lesson might look * Why Marilyn prefers a moveable do solfa system Items mentioned in this podcast: * Music Moves for Piano Website * Music Moves for Piano Books * CD of rhythmic and tonal patterns * Music Moves for Piano Facebook page * The Gordon Institute for Music Learning * TTTV045:Using Orff to Teach Rhythm * TTTV028: Dalcroze Eurythmics 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.

Finlay and Tom are popping up all over Australian media at the moment. They’re the teens behind the new tech project – Defani One. At just 13 years old, these boys are launching their own music sharing website! These two teens are so inspiring. When people try to call this generation lazy or disconnected – they should take a look at Finlay and Tom. When asked how they find the time around schoolwork, they say that instead of watching tv…they code. That’s dedication. This isn’t even their first business. Before this they were running a music label (that’s on hold while they work on this website). In a world that’s ever changing, we need to be preparing our students for opportunities like this online. Performance isn’t the only thing you can do in the music business, and music education should reflect that. I hope you enjoy this different style of podcast today. I was certainly inspired by finding out more about Finlay and Tom’s story and I think you will be too. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How Finlay and Tom got started as entrepreneurs * Some of their past entrepreneurial endeavors * The idea behind their new platform ‘Defani One‘ * Why they moved from their music label project to creating a sharing platform * How they would change things if they were running a school * Where the boys stand on the Mac vs. PC debate * Their favourite programming languages * The advice they would give to other teens who want to get started in business Items mentioned in this podcast: * Defani One * Defani One on Go Fund Me * Ableton Live * Logic Pro * Code Academy * Grok Learning * Linus Tech Tips on YouTube 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. Do you have any teen music entrepreneurs in your studio? Did Finlay and Tom remind you of one of your students? What did you think of their website idea?

Elena Cobb didn’t start out teaching creatively. When she began teaching in U.K. she came across lots of students who wanted to “play for fun”. This was a bit of a foreign concept to Elena, having grown up with very serious classical music studies. She went on a hunt for fun repertoire for her students, and gradually started to compose her own. When she saw the ABRSM jazz syllabus she was inspired to incorporate some improvising into her teaching as well. As she started to explore improvisation more, the tunes started to flow and Higgledy Piggledy Jazz was born. The Higgledy Piggledy Jazz book has helped to get so many students started with improvisation, and I’m so excited to get Elena’s thoughts on teaching creatively in today’s interview. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why Elena wrote the Higgledy Piggledy Jazz books * How to get students improvising in a no pressure way * What students often really mean when they ask to play jazz piano * How to make jazz less intimidating to classically trained students * Why you need to understand that in jazz you don’t need to change every note * How to get started with just one note and a great rhythm * How teaching creatively can take just 5 minutes of lesson time * Why backing tracks are so valuable to get students really listening * How Elena grew from a self-published author to a publisher of other composers Items mentioned in this podcast: * ElenaCobb.com * Higgledy Piggledy Jazz * ABRSM Jazz Piano Syllabus * TTTV002: Using Piano Improv to Create a Musician for Life with Christopher Norton 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. Do you take a few minutes of every lesson to improvise? Is teaching creatively a regular part of your lesson time? Have you used any of Elena’s resources to open up your students to improvisation?

I’m so excited to be getting the opportunity to explore Orff with Vashti Summervill. Orff-Schulwerk is a philosophy of music teaching that is often used in school music classrooms – but it can be put to great use in the private studio as well.  I think the quote Vashti uses at the beginning sums it up pretty well: “Show me – I forget, Teach me – I learn, Involve me – I understand.” Vashti’s students are definitely involved in every part of their music education. In her teaching, Vashti uses so many creative and collaborative activities to teach all sorts of concepts. As she says on her website, reading is only one tool in the musical toolbox and there are so many more to explore! If possible, you’re definitely going to want to watch the video on this one – not just listen. Vashti has invited in some students to demonstrate the activities. Plus you’re going to want to see her equipment, I’m green with envy! In this episode, you’ll learn: * What Orff-Schulwerk means * The philosophies behind the Orff approach * How Vashti adapts this approach from classroom to studio * What it means to be an Orff teacher * Where you can get Orff training and the certification process * Who the Orff approach is for and what the advantages are * Activities you can do with minimal equipment and investment * How a rhythm activity could progress over several weeks * Lots of fun activities that you can use in lessons straight away Items mentioned in this podcast: * The Ways Children Learn Music * Open Door Music Studio * Bradley Sowash * TTTV009:Simultaneous Learning with Paul Harris Today’s Free Download: 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. How often do you use rhythm instruments in your teaching? Do you normally introduce rhythm concepts away from the piano? Which activity that Vashti demonstrated are you most looking forward to trying out? What did you know about Orff before listening to this podcast? Did anything surprise you? I’m so excited to be getting the opportunity to explore Orff with Vashti Summervill. Orff-Schulwerk is a philosophy of music teaching that is often used in school music classrooms – but it can be put to great ...

Looking for this month’s free download? Scroll down and get instant access to Tess’ updated Resource File with quick links to everything you need. The best teachers are lifelong learners, always questioning the way they do things and trying to better themselves. When we continue to learn, we stay passionate about our teaching and have a better understanding of our students. One great avenue for professional development is to study for a teaching diploma. Tess Hill designed the syllabus for the CTMusA (Certificate of Teaching Music Australia) and is passionate about helping teachers. She mentors candidates for the AMEB teaching diplomas, as well as examining and teaching piano students. She loves helping teachers to improve their teaching skills, and discover new ways to inspire young learners. Having a teaching mentor and taking lessons yourself is really the best way to improve your teaching. We can learn so much by modelling more experienced teachers, much more than we can from a book. As Tess says to her students: “Do it my way until you’ve find a better way, and when you’ve found a better way come back and tell me because I want to do it!” Tess’s passion for pedagogy is inspirational. Whether you’re in Australia or elsewhere I think you’ll learn a lot from her approach to teacher mentoring. In this episode, you’ll learn: * The types of teaching diplomas offered by the AMEB * How you can benefit from taking a teaching diploma * How much the exams are likely to cost you * Why it’s so important to continue taking lessons as a teacher * The structure of the CTMusA and ATMusA and the type of questions to expect * How Tess mentors teachers through their diploma studies * What the performance component of the exam looks like * What it takes to get a distinction in the teaching diplomas This Month’s Sponsors: Yes, this month I’m sponsoring my own podcast! The Inner Circle is my private community of the best piano teachers from all across the globe who are committed to creative teaching, progressive piano pedagogy and creating the best learning opportunities for their students. As a member of the Inner Circle, you get access to all of my resources including my top-rated PianoFlix 8-part video course all about teaching pop music, videos of me teaching my students, tech-training videos to help you see how to use apps in your teaching, recordings of all my live workshops and keynote speeches and much more. You’ll get to hang out with me and all the other members on our Monthly Member Masterminds and you get free access to all my downloads, PDFs, lesson plans and resources. You may also like to accept one of our regular member challenges designed to get you trying new things, pushing your comfort zone and improving your teaching. Connect with expert teachers from all over the world including the likes of Bradley Sowash, Hugh Sung, Paul Myatt, Leila Viss, Daniel McFarlane, Nick Ambrosino and many more. Access exclusive member bonuses including discounts on courses and sheet music that are simply not available anywhere else. Best of all, you’re membership gives you access to our members’ forum where you can ask any questions you want, share ideas, upload resources and generally hang-out with the most dedicated, creative, fun and friendly teachers from all over the world. Keen to try it out? Click the button below to learn more. Forte School of Music has been a success story in Australia and around 4,000 students with music schools in all major capital cities and in New Zealand and the UK. Many of you will know Gillian & Paul from

If you’ve been following the blog or podcast for any time at all, I’m sure you’ve heard of today’s guest. David Cutler wrote the indispensable book ‘The Savvy Music Teacher‘, that I recommend to any music teacher who’s looking to up their game. As David says, the world is changing. If you want to stand out in the performance world you need to do something other than play a note perfect performance exactly as the composer intended. Similarly, if you want to stand out in the teaching world you need to teach differently too. David Cutler not only advocates for teaching creatively, but he looks at the business side of teaching creatively too. The most successful teachers financially are often also the ones making the biggest mark. Building impact and building income are usually linked. If you’ve ever wanted to have a greater impact or make more money, you’re not going to want to miss this episode. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why you should think about your impact to income ratio * The surprising side effect of creative teaching on teacher income * Why we need to shift some of our focus from authentic to innovative performances * How a mindset change can lead to greater success * How to differentiate your studio so you can charge more than the competition * What you can do to reach more people and make more money in less time * How to succeed in this new technology driven world * Why you should hold yourself accountable with specific, measurable goals This Month’s Sponsors: Yes, this month I’m sponsoring my own podcast! The Inner Circle is my private community of the best piano teachers from all across the globe who are committed to creative teaching, progressive piano pedagogy and creating the best learning opportunities for their students. As a member of the Inner Circle, you get access to all of my resources including my top-rated PianoFlix 8-part video course all about teaching pop music, videos of me teaching my students, tech-training videos to help you see how to use apps in your teaching, recordings of all my live workshops and keynote speeches and much more. You’ll get to hang out with me and all the other members on our Monthly Member Masterminds and you get free access to all my downloads, PDFs, lesson plans and resources. You may also like to accept one of our regular member challenges designed to get you trying new things, pushing your comfort zone and improving your teaching. Connect with expert teachers from all over the world including the likes of Bradley Sowash, Hugh Sung, Paul Myatt, Leila Viss, Daniel McFarlane, Nick Ambrosino and many more. Access exclusive member bonuses including discounts on courses and sheet music that are simply not available anywhere else. Best of all, you’re membership gives you access to our members’ forum where you can ask any questions you want, share ideas, upload resources and generally hang-out with the most dedicated, creative, fun and friendly teachers from all over the world. Keen to try it out? Click the button below to learn more. Forte School of Music has been a success story in Australia and around 4,000 students with music schools in all major capital cities and in New Zealand and the UK. Many of you will know Gillian & Paul from Episode 33. Paul Myatt is one of my Expert Teachers in the Inner Circle. Gillian and Paul are looking for entrepreneurial music teach...

When Hugh Sung went paperless and started creating page turning pedals, the iPad was a long way off from being invented. Through Airturn, Hugh discovered the art of business, and learned to love this part of his work. Hugh used this business attitude to build up his online teaching, and now reaches hundreds of students a week. As musicians, we’re often reluctant to charge for what we do. We love doing it so much, that we almost feel guilty charging any money at all. Many piano teachers are not charging what their worth, working long hours, and feeling like they’re not making an impact. To change this you need to think about the art of business, and we need to get creative. If you feel like you’re in a rut with your studio, Hugh recommends setting aside a dream day or a dream hour. Use this dream hour to brainstorm how you would like to move forward, and set aside some time each week to change your situation. Hugh Sung has such a unique insight into the business side of teaching, and I’m so excited to have him back on the podcast for business month. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How the business side of piano teaching can be creative * Why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions and share with other teachers * Why relationships should always come before product * How to invest in yourself * Why you should set aside a dream hour every so often * What ‘A Musical Life Mastermind’ is for and why Hugh started it * Why if you don’t have a website you need to get one now * How to start optimising your website once you have one This Month’s Sponsors: Yes, this month I’m sponsoring my own podcast! The Inner Circle is my private community of the best piano teachers from all across the globe who are committed to creative teaching, progressive piano pedagogy and creating the best learning opportunities for their students. As a member of the Inner Circle, you get access to all of my resources including my top-rated PianoFlix 8-part video course all about teaching pop music, videos of me teaching my students, tech-training videos to help you see how to use apps in your teaching, recordings of all my live workshops and keynote speeches and much more. You’ll get to hang out with me and all the other members on our Monthly Member Masterminds and you get free access to all my downloads, PDFs, lesson plans and resources. You may also like to accept one of our regular member challenges designed to get you trying new things, pushing your comfort zone and improving your teaching. Connect with expert teachers from all over the world including the likes of Bradley Sowash, Hugh Sung, Paul Myatt, Leila Viss, Daniel McFarlane, Nick Ambrosino and many more. Access exclusive member bonuses including discounts on courses and sheet music that are simply not available anywhere else. Best of all, you’re membership gives you access to our members’ forum where you can ask any questions you want, share ideas, upload resources and generally hang-out with the most dedicated, creative, fun and friendly teachers from all over the world. Keen to try it out? Click the button below to learn more. Forte School of Music has been a success story in Australia and around 4,000 students with music schools in all major capital cities and in New Zealand and the UK. Many of you will know Gillian & Paul from Episode 33. Paul Myatt is one of my Expert Teachers in the Inner Circle. Gillian and Paul are looking for entrepreneurial music teachers who are inte...

Do you identify as a business owner? Do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? The more you treat your piano teaching as a business, the more others will too. Even if you’re happy with how things are running at the moment, some business savvy could improve your studio. The first business month podcast profiles the fascinating story of Brandon Pearce. Brandon started Music Teacher’s Helper because of a frustration he was having in his own teaching. Over the years he has grown this business, putting in hours and hours of work on top of his day job. Slowly but surely, he went from piano teacher to CEO and now travels the world with his family while running his company. You may not want to run a company of 20 employees from a beach in New Zealand (are you sure?!)…but we can all learn a lot from Brandon’s approach to business. Whether you do want to go from teacher to CEO, start selling something on the side of teaching, just want to make your studio run more smoothly, or are simply fascinated by how someone can travel the world while raising kids; listen in! You’re sure to learn something new. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why you should think of yourself as an entrepreneur * How and why Brandon went from piano teacher to CEO of Music Teacher’s Helper * What inspired Brandon to create Music Teacher’s Helper * Why you should stop feeling guilty about making money as a teacher * How to make what you’re worth * How Brandon manages to travel the world while running a successful business * Where to start looking for new business ideas * What to do if you start to feel burnt out by your business * Brandon’s other upcoming projects and what’s in store for Music Teacher’s Helper This Month’s Sponsors: Yes, this month I’m sponsoring my own podcast! The Inner Circle is my private community of the best piano teachers from all across the globe who are committed to creative teaching, progressive piano pedagogy and creating the best learning opportunities for their students. As a member of the Inner Circle, you get access to all of my resources including my top-rated PianoFlix 8-part video course all about teaching pop music, videos of me teaching my students, tech-training videos to help you see how to use apps in your teaching, recordings of all my live workshops and keynote speeches and much more. You’ll get to hang out with me and all the other members on our Monthly Member Masterminds and you get free access to all my downloads, PDFs, lesson plans and resources. You may also like to accept one of our regular member challenges designed to get you trying new things, pushing your comfort zone and improving your teaching. Connect with expert teachers from all over the world including the likes of Bradley Sowash, Hugh Sung, Paul Myatt, Leila Viss, Daniel McFarlane, Nick Ambrosino and many more. Access exclusive member bonuses including discounts on courses and sheet music that are simply not available anywhere else. Best of all, you’re membership gives you access to our members’ forum where you can ask any questions you want, share ideas, upload resources and generally hang-out with the most dedicated, creative, fun and friendly teachers from all over the world. Keen to try it out? Click the button below to learn more.

If you’re already running a successful Summer camp, you may be thinking about how to take it to the next level. The thought of scaling your Summer camp can be overwhelming, but if you want to reach more students, it might be the right choice for you. There are a lot of considerations when taking your camp from your house to a school, or from one school to several. You need to think about insurance, staff, locations, marketing, timetables, and so much more. Luckily Jennifer and Joshua are here to help us navigate these unfamiliar waters. Jennifer Auerbach started her bassoon camp in her living room. There was a huge need for what she was providing, and it quickly spiraled from there. Soon Joshua joined the team, they added oboes, and started opening multiple locations of their camp. They now have 22 successful camps in several states, and their largest Summer camp had 110 students last year. Now that’s some serious scale! I’m so excited to have Jennifer and Joshua on the podcast today to share the ins and outs of how they have managed this incredibly rapid growth. Even if you have no interest in scaling your Summer camp, you’ll definitely learn a lot from their approach to their business. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How Jennifer and Joshua got started providing Summer camps * Why they started scaling up their Summer camp & why it grew so quickly * How their camp is structured * What to think about when hiring new staff * What needs to be in place before they open a new camp * How they find locations for their new camps * The business structure of Bocal Majority and why they chose to do it that way Today’s Sponsor Are you looking for step-by-step guidance for creating your own piano summer camps and workshops this year? Are you new to the whole summer camp thing and unsure of how to get started? Want someone to help you? If you’d like someone to guide you every step of the way from planning to financing to contracts, then this course will be perfect for you. I’m so excited to be announcing that my great blogging friend Jennifer Foxx has recently released her own training dedicated to helping teachers get started with their own summer camp programs. The course is called Make More, Teach Less and it will be the ultimate companion for anyone looking to start their own summer camp program. Featuring nine online video modules that you can follow at your own pace, Jennifer’s training will cover everything you need to know. Remember that the best thing about a course like this is that it will save you heaps of time and money and avoid you making all the mistakes that Jennifer made when she ran her first camps. Do it right the first time and enjoy the extra income and benefits of a summer-time program for your students. Want to get 10% off the course today? Just click the button below to find out how. Items mentioned in this podcast: * Bocal Majority * Bocal Majority Store * Markel Summer Camp Insurance 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.

If you want to make money from your Summer camp, you need the right number of kids to attend. If you want good attendance, you need the kids to be excited about coming to your camp.   Choosing a really fun piano camp theme is a big part of this. The right theme can really sell your camp to students, and can provide you with great marketing inspiration too. Whether you want to run a small camp in your home studio, or a big operation with other staff and outside space, the theme could make it or break it. Sara Campbell and Tracy Selle are the creators of Group Lessons 101, and they have so many fun piano camp ideas to share with us today. Not only will these ideas make your camp a success, but they’ll have kids begging to come back year after year. If you’re planning any kind of camp, workshop or group lesson, you’ll definitely want to check out this podcast episode. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How to choose the type of camp that suits you and your students * Creative ideas for themes and focuses for your camp * Games that are perfect for when you have an extra few minutes to fill * The top mistakes that teachers make with their first camp * Legal and liability considerations when running a camp * How to start scaling up your Summer camps * How to market your camp and get your students excited to attend Today’s Sponsor Are you looking for step-by-step guidance for creating your own piano summer camps and workshops this year? Are you new to the whole summer camp thing and unsure of how to get started? Want someone to help you? If you’d like someone to guide you every step of the way from planning to financing to contracts, then this course will be perfect for you. I’m so excited to be announcing that my great blogging friend Jennifer Foxx has recently released her own training dedicated to helping teachers get started with their own summer camp programs. The course is called Make More, Teach Less and it will be the ultimate companion for anyone looking to start their own summer camp program. Featuring nine online video modules that you can follow at your own pace, Jennifer’s training will cover everything you need to know. Remember that the best thing about a course like this is that it will save you heaps of time and money and avoid you making all the mistakes that Jennifer made when she ran her first camps. Do it right the first time and enjoy the extra income and benefits of a summer-time program for your students. Want to get 10% off the course today? Just click the button below to find out how. Items mentioned in this podcast: * Tracy Selle’s webinars * Sheryl Welles Camps * Hogwarts Summer Camp by Carol Ivkovich * “So You Want to be a Composer?” by Joy Morin * Music Matters Camps * Rhythm Cups * Answer buzzers * Barnyard buzzers * Canva (online graphic design software) * Google Forms *

Launching your first Summer camp (or anything new!) can be daunting. If you haven’t run a camp or workshop before, it can be difficult to know where to start. What if you don’t have enough activities planned? How can you make sure all the kids have a great time? Running a Summer camp can be a great asset for your studio. It can free up your Summer months while maintaining your regular teaching income, but it’s also extremely valuable for our students. Piano can be a lonely activity, and the more opportunities you provide to bring students together, the better. Summer camps can also be a great time to learn all those things that we run out of time for in our weekly lessons. Whether you always want to include more theory, improvisation, composition or lead sheet playing; camps and workshops can be a fantastic opportunity to explore these things in more depth. Jennifer Foxx has been running piano camps in her studio for the last 20 years. She has come across any and all of the challenges you might face running your first camp, and she’s here today to share her experience and expertise. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How Summer camps can give you the opportunity to explore different activities * The financial benefits of offering a Summer piano camp * How to get started with your first Summer camp * When to announce your camp details to parents * How Jennifer makes her camps mandatory for her piano students * Ideas for Summer camp themes * Legal and insurance aspects you may need to consider * Jennifer’s top tips for planning a camp Today’s Sponsor Are you looking for step-by-step guidance for creating your own piano summer camps and workshops this year? Are you new to the whole summer camp thing and unsure of how to get started? Want someone to help you? If you’d like someone to guide you every step of the way from planning to financing to contracts, then this course will be perfect for you. I’m so excited to be announcing that my great blogging friend Jennifer Foxx has recently released her own training dedicated to helping teachers get started with their own summer camp programs. The course is called Make More, Teach Less and it will be the ultimate companion for anyone looking to start their own summer camp program. Featuring nine online video modules that you can follow at your own pace, Jennifer’s training will cover everything you need to know. Remember that the best thing about a course like this is that it will save you heaps of time and money and avoid you making all the mistakes that Jennifer made when she ran her first camps. Do it right the first time and enjoy the extra income and benefits of a summer-time program for your students. Want to get 10% off the course today? Just click the button below to find out how. Items mentioned in this podcast: * Music Educator Resources * Sheryl Welles Camps * Theory Time Camps * Music Ed Market Camps * 100 Summer Camp Themes * TTTV034: Building a Piano Community that Students Love with Laura Kahar     Thank you for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today...

The Inner Circle is up and running, and today we’re taking a look inside through the eyes of Marie Lee. Marie is great at getting things done, one step at a time. She doesn’t let herself get overwhelmed by all the new ideas she reads about, but just picks one goal to accomplish and gets started. Marie believes in creative piano teaching that leads to confident and well-rounded students. She doesn’t want to teach concert pianists, and she’s upfront with parents about this. She wants to create pianists that can enjoy making music in diverse and modern contexts. I’m so excited to have Marie on the podcast today to talk about what the Inner Circle experience has been like for you. Marie’s creativity and willingness to embrace new ideas makes her to perfect person to give you an insider’s look at Inner Circle membership. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why I started the Inner Circle * How the forums create a greater sense of community * How making a financial commitment will make you achieve more * Why if you’re thinking about joining you should do so sooner rather than later * Why I chose a private forum rather than a facebook group * What you’ll find inside the Inner Circle and what will remain free * What inspired Marie to become a part of the Inner Circle * Some of the things Marie has already gotten out of her membership Today’s Sponsor How would you like to access step-by-step instructions and resources for running group classes? Are you ready to try adding some group teaching to your studio or trying a summer camp this year? How cool would it be to hear first-hand from people already ‘in the trenches’ and grab all their best ideas?! It this sounds cool, then you MUST check out the latest webinar series from Tracy Selle and Sara Campbell called Group Teaching 101. All podcast viewers get 10% off access during April, so don’t miss out.  Click here to find out more and get your code. Items mentioned in this podcast: * The Inner Circle * Marie never wanted to be a piano teacher * Supersonics Piano by Daniel McFarlane * Theme from Amelie on Noviscore * Piano Maestro iPad app * MusiClock iPad app 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 o...