05 Feb 2024
By Shelly Davis
PPP 357: Teacher Chat with Becki Laurent and Clinton Pratt: Artful Dodges in Piano Lessons

PPP 357: Teacher Chat with Becki Laurent and Clinton Pratt: Artful Dodges in Piano Lessons

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , ,
What's your best deflection technique? Sometimes I'll answer a question with another question to avoid giving an uncomfortable answer.What's your piano kid's best deflection technique? Do they try to memorize all their music to avoid sight reading? Do they blame the metronome when they aren't able to play along with it?Learn some common "artful dodges" in today's teacher chat with Becki Laurent and Clinton Pratt.Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in the show Notation resources for arranging and orchestration:SibeliusNotionNoteflightMusescoreMetronome resources:Sound BrennerSpeakbeatSuperMetronome Groove BoxBecki shared these stickers from Trevor and Andrea Dow's…
Read More
03 Apr 2023
By Shelly Davis
PPP 327: Teacher Chat: Hobbyist vs. Career Musicians with Joellyn Andrews and Janna Williamson

PPP 327: Teacher Chat: Hobbyist vs. Career Musicians with Joellyn Andrews and Janna Williamson

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , ,
Your musical goals have a big impact on the teacher you select and how that teacher will go about teaching you to play the piano.Some of our piano kids are doing lessons for a season, without the intention of pursuing music in college or as a profession while others have different long-term plans.To join me in this chat, I invited two well-respected teachers - Joellyn Andrews and Janna Williamson - with vastly different teaching styles to offer parents a teacher's perspective on how to help students meet their musical goals.Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full…
Read More
18 Apr 2022
By Shelly Davis
PPP 287: Teacher Chat Summer Piano Lessons

PPP 287: Teacher Chat Summer Piano Lessons

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , ,
Whew! You are about to cross the finish line of another school year and another year of piano lessons. Congratulations!What's next?Should your piano kid take a break from lessons all summer?Should you keep going, full steam ahead?Are there options somewhere in the middle between 'all or nothing'?In today's chat, you will hear several different perspectives on summer piano lessons.Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Melissa Slocum has been teaching for 28 years, the past 13 from her own private studio. Her passion is to provide individualized, quality piano lessons in a positive environment.…
Read More
07 Feb 2022
By Shelly Davis
PPP277: Finger Numbers and Hand Positions, a teacher chat with Dawn Ivers and Shelly Davis

PPP277: Finger Numbers and Hand Positions, a teacher chat with Dawn Ivers and Shelly Davis

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , ,
One of the trickiest things about learning to play the piano is mastering how to use your hands and fingers. We use our fingers independently and in all kinds of combinations. Coordinating that movement while simultaneously reading unfamiliar symbols and keeping a steady pulse is a lot! In today's teacher chat, Dawn Ivers and Shelly Davis discuss some of the obstacles piano students encounter when it comes to finger numbers and hand positions. We will share tips for piano parents to be on the lookout for potential problems and coping skills while offering suggestions for overcoming the tricky bits of…
Read More
06 Sep 2021
By Shelly Davis
PPP257: Let’s talk about studio policies! A teacher chat with Vanessa Chisler and Kelli Cooper

PPP257: Let’s talk about studio policies! A teacher chat with Vanessa Chisler and Kelli Cooper

Communication, Podcast, Teacher Chat, , ,
So many problems can be avoided if there is clear communication between parents and teachers. A studio policy is a good place to begin.Knowing and following your teacher's studio policy frees both of you up to focus on the most important thing - your child learning to make music.Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Vanessa ChislerVanessa was born and raised in Daingerfield, Texas where she began piano study at age 8. She earned an Associate of Arts degree from TJC and a B.A. Music degree from UT Tyler. She also holds a Texas…
Read More
28 Jun 2021
By Shelly Davis
PPP247: Teacher Chat – YouTube Videos with Clinton Pratt and Janna Williamson

PPP247: Teacher Chat – YouTube Videos with Clinton Pratt and Janna Williamson

Podcast, Teacher Chat, ,
YouTube launched in May 2005. The first video posted on YouTube showed 18 seconds of cofounder, Jawed Karim talking about elephants at the zoo.Now, there are more than 31 million YouTube channels covering absolutely ANY topic you can imagine. It is second only to Google as the largest search engine online. 1 billion + videos are viewed each day.YouTube can be an important tool in musical education; from listening to performances and learning music theory, to sharing unlisted videos with loved ones.What is the most unusual thing you've learned to do by watching YouTube videos? Let me know in the…
Read More
19 Apr 2021
By Shelly Davis
PPP237: Teacher Chat – Recitals in 2021 with Stephen Hughes, Ben Kapilow, and Becki Laurent

PPP237: Teacher Chat – Recitals in 2021 with Stephen Hughes, Ben Kapilow, and Becki Laurent

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , , , ,
Last year, COVID-19 was making its way around the globe and our best defense was to seclude ourselves into our homes to try to prevent spreading the virus to our communities. Piano students and teachers made a swift and effective transition to online lessons.Our spring recitals, if they occurred at all, could not follow the traditional format of gathering in a local church or performance hall. Virtual recitals were the best we could do.In 2021, however, we are starting to feel more confident in our ability to ward off the dangers of the virus. Schools are back in session, on…
Read More
16 Nov 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP217: Teacher Chat about Christmas Music with Anna Fagan and Karen Young

PPP217: Teacher Chat about Christmas Music with Anna Fagan and Karen Young

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , ,
I know, I know! We just barely got past Halloween; Thanksgiving is still a week away. These poor holidays often get overlooked because retailers have to start getting ready for the next big holiday. Unfortunately, piano teachers have to be thinking ahead too. It's been sounding a lot like Christmas in our studios for a few weeks. Or, if it hasn't yet, it soon will be. Piano parents, get ready for a Christmas music avalanche! Listen in on this week's teacher chat with Anna Fagan and Karen Young as we discuss how we help our students prepare to share music…
Read More
31 Aug 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP207: Teacher Chat About Church Modes with Jeremy Duck and Travis Lohmann

PPP207: Teacher Chat About Church Modes with Jeremy Duck and Travis Lohmann

Music Theory, Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , , , , , , ,
Just when you thought you had mastered Major and minor scales, you hear the infomercial announcer say, "What, there's more!" With a collection of 12 tones, you would think the Major and minor scales would have all the bases covered. Today's show shares just a few of the other sounds and possibilities that can come from playing various combinations of those 12 tones. On today's teacher chat, Jeremy Duck and Travis Lohmann share both the historical significance and current practical use of Church Modes, or Gregorian Modes. Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here.…
Read More
15 Jun 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP197: A Broken Arm Doesn’t Have to Mean a Break In Piano Lessons

PPP197: A Broken Arm Doesn’t Have to Mean a Break In Piano Lessons

Teacher Chat, , , , , , , , , , ,
When a student of mine recently broke her elbow, her mother notified me and suggested her older sister double up on lessons for the next few weeks. I offered this mom a compromise; reduced time in lessons for her injured daughter with a book of one-handed piano pieces from my lending library. I wondered how other teachers help piano kids and their parents work through an injury like this and the result is an insightful teacher chat with three teachers. Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Resources mentioned in the show Books Melody…
Read More
06 Apr 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP187: Parent Chat: Coping with Quarantine with Sanette Brems, Beth Hughes, and Dawn Ivers

PPP187: Parent Chat: Coping with Quarantine with Sanette Brems, Beth Hughes, and Dawn Ivers

Mom to Mom, Parent Interviews, Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , ,
Up until now, I've been pretty quiet about the COVID-19 pandemic. I was being inundated with information and was feeling a bit overwhelmed and wondered if you might be feeling the same way. Now that we've had some time to adjust and get over the initial upheaval, I think it's a good time to come together to help each other through this tough situation. We have two piano parents on the podcast today to share how they are helping their children deal with uncertainty while helping them build a framework in order to continue their education and recreation while being…
Read More
27 Jan 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP177: Teacher Chat – Hanon Exercises

PPP177: Teacher Chat – Hanon Exercises

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , ,
In today's teacher chat, Antonio Gandia, Benjamin Steinhardt and I discuss Hanon exercises and other technical aspects of learning to play the piano.Listen to additional teacher chats here. Antonio GandiaAntonio is a multi-instrument teacher in New Jersey. With a background in guitar and bass, along with piano, he offers a wide perspective of technique to his students. Benjamin SteinhardtBenjamin comes to our chat from Connecticut. After working through his own piano injury as a younger student, he works to teach his students the most efficient way to use their bodies when playing the piano. Listen to the full chat here…
Read More
26 Aug 2019
By Shelly Davis
PPP157: Teacher Chat – Perfect Pitch with Brianne Lundberg and Cheryl Reeder

PPP157: Teacher Chat – Perfect Pitch with Brianne Lundberg and Cheryl Reeder

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , ,
In our sixth teacher chat, Brianne Lundberg, Cheryl Reeder, and I discuss perfect pitch with all its advantages and fun challenges. Listen to additional teacher chats here. Listen to the full episode here Brianne Lundberg Brianne Lundberg chats with us from California. Click her photo to visit her studio website, Musical Bri. Scroll down below to the connect section for a link to her sheet music website, Music and Theory. Cheryl Reeder Cheryl Reeder chats with us from Colorado. Cheryl enjoys using her perfect pitch to accompany choirs and help them sound their best. Click her photo to visit her…
Read More
17 Jun 2019
By Shelly Davis
PPP147: Teacher Chat – Screen Time

PPP147: Teacher Chat – Screen Time

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , ,
In our wonderful age of technology, entertainment and information are at the tips of our fingers 24/7. Technology can be a powerful education tool but too much technology can have harmful effects on our children's developing brains. That is the topic of today's chat with Judy Wilkins and Dawn Ivers. Listen to additional teacher chats here. Listen to the full episode here Judy Wilkins Judy Wilkins, NCTM, featured in Episode 144, is a dear friend of mine and a passionate proponent of all things that would build up a child's well-being, including the limitation of screen time. Dawn Ivers Dawn…
Read More
08 Apr 2019
By Shelly Davis
PPP137: Teacher Chat – Fingernails and Hand Hygiene

PPP137: Teacher Chat – Fingernails and Hand Hygiene

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , , , , ,
In our fourth teacher chat, Beth Horton and I discuss hand hygiene and fingernails.Listen to additional teacher chats here. Listen to the full episode here Beth HortonBeth is a teacher in Lubbock, Texas who teaches in a multi-teacher studio, travels to students' homes, and offers online piano lessons. Beth will be featured in the next teacher interview coming out May 6, Episode 141. What do you expect as far as hand hygiene from your students? Beth - In a word, CLEAN. As for length, hold your hand up and look at your palm, if you see you fingernail over the…
Read More
28 Jan 2019
By Shelly Davis
PPP127: Teacher Chat: Popular Music Styles with Stephen Hughes and Tony Parlapiano

PPP127: Teacher Chat: Popular Music Styles with Stephen Hughes and Tony Parlapiano

Music Theory, Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , , , ,
In our third teacher chat, Stephen Hughes and Tony Parlapiano and I discuss popular music styles and the value of incorporating reading and listening when it comes to playing the piano. Listen to additional teacher chats here. At one time, pop music was considered an add-on to traditional, classical piano lessons; something students might do on their own but not something useful to be included in the lesson. Times have changed and teachers are finally noticing the value of including popular music styles in their curriculum. They now see the value of teaching from chord charts and lead sheets or…
Read More
05 Nov 2018
By Shelly Davis
PPP117: Teacher Chat: On Teaching Preschoolers with Mallory Byers and Dawn Ivers

PPP117: Teacher Chat: On Teaching Preschoolers with Mallory Byers and Dawn Ivers

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , ,
In our second teacher chat, Mallory Byers and Dawn Ivers and I discuss preschool music with all its advantages and fun challenges.   Listen to additional teacher chats here. Mallory ByersMallory is a teacher in California who travels to her students' homes. About a third of her students are age six and under. She started lessons with her own father at the age of four. Dawn Ivers Dawn's first student was a three-year-old preschooler. She recently moved her home and studio to Kansas. In establishing her studio in her new hometown, she has branded herself as someone who teaches preschool lessons.…
Read More
27 Aug 2018
By Shelly Davis
PPP107: The First 24 Hours – Teacher Chat with Dawn Ivers and Becki Laurent

PPP107: The First 24 Hours – Teacher Chat with Dawn Ivers and Becki Laurent

Podcast, Teacher Chat, , , , , , , ,
PPP107: The First 24 Hours - Teacher chat with Dawn Ivers and Becki Laurent Today's episode brings you not one, but two teachers! Today, Becki Laurent, Dawn Ivers and I chat about the topic of practice and the value students receive when they practice within 24 hours of their piano lesson.Becki and Dawn are not strangers to the podcast. You can hear their previous episodes here:Becki LaurentEpisode 037: Teacher Interview with Becki LaurentEpisode 046: Our Favorite Music Education Apps with Becki LaurentDawn IversEpisode 061: The Importance of a Good Practice Environment with Piano Teacher, Dawn IversEpisode 080: Ten Books to…
Read More