Valerie Altman is a piano teacher from New York. She knows what students face as they work to sight-read new music and try to find time to practice. She encourages her students with lots of genuine praise. (more…)
How can you help your child when they are dealing with anxiety, particularly performance anxiety?Part of the learning experience for musicians is performing before an audience. We might sign our piano kid up for a piano recital, playing for grandparents, a piano audition or festival, a talent show at school or even playing for church. Anytime there is a performance opportunity, it stands to reason that your child will be a little anxious. Listen to the full episode here In fact, public speaking or performing is one of the top fears for most adults. You can read more about this in this article.As parents, how do we know how far to push our children? Are we asking them to do more than they are capable of doing? How do we strike…
[caption id="attachment_1133" align="alignleft" width="800"] #pianodoodles[/caption] Listen to the full episode here Giving your child freedom to doodle at the piano is more beneficial than youmight thinkThe next time you hear your piano kid creating and improvising on the piano keys consider giving them more time to do that before you redirect them back to their assigned pieces.Creativity & DiscoveryLearning to read a piece of music begins externally. Creating sounds on the piano begins internally.Stumble upon familiar melodies and play pieces by ear - melodies at first and then harmonies to go along with the melody.Create your own fun and you'll never be boredImprovementListening - creating original sounds at the piano helps your piano kid develop a stronger sense of listeningHand efficiency - students learn to use their hands more efficiently when…
Welcome back and Happy New Year 2018! This is the time of year when we evaluate our lives and see where there is room for improvement. It is also a great time to set goals or set a new determination to reach goals we've already set. Listen to the full episode here My goal for my children as they grow and mature and become independent adults is for them to be happy, healthy, and contributing members of society. Learning to play the piano and make music was a big factor in achieving that goal. (more…)
You've heard me talk a lot about keeping a consistent routine. I still stand by that claim but today I want to talk about the importance of breaks. (more…)
Do you ever wonder what inspires composers and songwriters to create the music they do? Would you be surprised to learn that some of our favorite Christmas tunes were written in the heat of the summer? (more…)
Is there hope for your non-practicing piano kid? Are they going through a season of no motivation to practice? Are they needing some new music that they are passionate about learning? Nicola Cantan shares the value of great music and encouraging parents in today's show. Nicola Cantan is a piano teacher from Dublin, Ireland. Nicola readily admits that there was a time in her younger years as a piano student that she didn't practice as much as she should have. This should be music to the ears of piano parents with children who are struggling to get to the piano. Help them get through this season and spur them on with engaging music and positive feedback. Listen to the full episode here In addition to being a passionate piano teacher,…
[caption id="attachment_1048" align="alignnone" width="410"] 'Tis the season for gift-giving and letting your teacher know how much you appreciate the influence they are having on your child's life. On this 70th episode of the Piano Parent Podcast, I will share with you some of my favorite Christmas gifts and why some piano teacher might prefer something else. Listen to the full episode here (more…)
As parents, we want to give our children every opportunity to learn and grow and experience wonderful things. Sometimes our eagerness can cause us to start our children in activities before they are ready for them and can get the most use out of them. (more…)
Newsflash: Parenting is hard Piano Parenting doesn't make things easier. When it comes to piano practicing, a good piano parent is prepared when their piano kid puts up an argument. The next time your piano kid tries to get out of piano practice, give these offensive maneuvers a try. State the Facts Because you've listened to past episodes, you know that it's best to schedule piano practice ahead of time. When practice time rolls around, simply tell your piano kid, "It's time to practice." There is no need for argument, no need to negotiate. Expect them to push back and try to get you to wait until later. Don't fall for it. You know that "later" will only bring more complaints and stalling. Do the practicing now and enjoy other activities…
Marcia Vahl is a piano teacher in Minnesota. She is currently serving as President of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association. In addition to sharing her own piano insights, Marcia will also tell us a little history about the three forms of minor scales. Listen to the full episode here. Tell us your personal piano story as well as how you chose piano teaching as a career.My piano story didn’t start until I was in 6th grade when my grandmother gave us her old upright piano. Some of the cousins were jealous, but later said the right person got it! We had it in our basement, where I practiced, for years. My cousins and I took lessons from the same teacher, who simply took us through the John W. Schaum series.…
Music is everywhere and it has a powerful affect on our emotions This time of year, unusual sounding music is all over shopping malls, television shows, and even commercials. Those sounds can be frightening for young children. While I am not a child psychologist, I do want to share, mom to mom, some of my experiences working with children and music. Parents are the filter for their children First of all, you must decide what types of music you allow your child to hear. Protect them from sounds and lyrics that will be too frightening for them. Even when you share music that you feel is safe for your child to hear, they may still shudder at eerie and unusual sounds. They will take their cues from you. If you…
[caption id="attachment_951" align="alignleft" width="660"] Graphic created by Dawn Ivers[/caption] Thomas Grayston is a software developer from Tasmania, Australia. He has produced an excellent app to help piano students learn to associate notes on the staff with specific keys on the piano. Tell us a bit about your background. Are you a musician or a teacher? Thomas plays piano and was a music director for church. His wife, Kylie, teaches piano and Thomas helps in her studio from time to time. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_947" align="alignleft" width="800"] Shelly took this photo of a roadside river in Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2017.Jacki Alexander is a piano teacher and composer from Indianapolis, Indiana. She has been teaching over thirteen years. Listen to the full episode here Tell us your personal piano story as well as how you chose piano teaching as a career.I began piano lessons at the age of four. My grandmother was my teacher. As well as teaching me, she taught a full studio of 40 students. At first, it was just “Grandma and me” in the living room. As my skills grew and I got older, I was a regular student in her dedicated basement studio for both private lessons as well as group and ensemble lessons. There were…
#3020 September Practice Challenge Recap Before I jump into our next piano practice challenge, I wanted to share the ups and downs of the September Practice Challenge. Ups: There was a lot of positive feedback from parents and teachers alike. I received wonderful videos and photos of students working toward their practice goals. 27% of my own students met the challenge with success! I even met the challenge myself!! (I wouldn't have if I hadn't taken time to plan my practices and put them on my schedule.) Downs: Several of my students not only missed the goal of 20 days practice, they hardly practiced 10 days for the whole month. No wonder they're not progressing like they could. Some students were traveling and had other family outings that made getting all their…
Listen to the full episode here "The Karate Kid" movie with Noriyuki Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio came out in 1984 when I was a teenager. Even today I still love the movie and the wit and wisdom of Pat Morita's character, Mr. Miyagi. (more…)
Dawn Ivers is a teacher based in Pasadena, California. Dawn has been traveling to teach in her student's homes for the past 11 years. In my conversation with Dawn, I was struck by what an encourager she is, not only with her students but also with the piano parents in her studio. (more…)
In this week's episode of 10 somethings about music, I bring you 10 Common Practice Excuses and How you can Avoid Them (and what this teacher thinks when you try to use them) (more…)
Dan Kessinger has been tuning my piano since 2000. Dan, who is completely blind, learned the Piano Technician trade during his high school years at a school for the blind in Little Rock, Arkansas. Listen to the full episode here Dan places red relt between the strings to prepare to tune. In addition to the felt, Dan also uses two sizes of wedges to be able to reach between the multiple strings. Dan uses a tuner lever (tuning hammer) to tune each of the approximately 230 strings. For maintenance of your acoustic piano, Dan recommends the following: Find a good, qualified tuner. Check the Piano Technician's Guild website for a tuner near you. Hire a tuner to check over a piano you are interested in purchasing. Clean the surface of the…
Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on the coast of Texas Thursday, August 24 In less than four days, the storm dropped 40 inches of rain in south Texas, whose average amount of annual rainfall is 49.72 inches. The resulting flooding has caused massive damage to the homes and businesses in that area. I am a proud Texan, born and raised. Texas is a BIG place and my home is many miles away from the storm and flooding. My family is safe. (more…)
Heather Nanney is a teacher from the St. Louis, Missouri area. She has been teaching 15 years and sees about 45 students each week where she encourages them in their own creative musical journey. (more…)
Thank you for listening to the Piano Parent Podcast and visiting the website. Would you consider leaving a review on iTunes? You can leave a review here. (more…)
Dear Piano Kid, Practicing is your responsibility. Your parents will help remind you. Your teacher will do their best to make it engaging but the responsibility of getting to the piano and making progress on your pieces falls squarely on your shoulders. (more…)
James King III is a piano teacher and composer from Key West, Florida. His studio is a mixture of children and retired adults. He says he began piano lessons by accident because of an old piano that belonged to his grandmother. (more…)
If you do a search on Google for "Why to read piano sheet music" you will find lots of blog posts and websites telling you how to read music but not why reading lots of music is so important. On today's show, I will share my opinion of why reading music is so important for your child's musical development, what to look for when choosing supplemental music, and where to shop online for piano music. Listen to the full episode here Why reading sheet music is so important Build fluency - The more music your child encounters, the more opportunities they have to practice the musical skills they are learning. Become more independent - Students need to learn how to decipher and interpret music independently from their teacher. They need to learn to listen…
Over the last year of producing this podcast, one of my favorite things has become the parent interviews. I have really enjoyed chatting with parents from my studio and other studios to learn how they motivate their children and help them face the challenges that come with piano lessons. One of the last things I ask them is to share their experience and offer words of advice for parents of new piano students. This week I've put together a compilation of all the answers from parent interviews so far. (more…)
Last summer when I first began producing the Piano Parent Podcast, I sent an invitation to the piano teachers in one of the Facebook groups I belong to asking teachers to do an interview with me. The men and women in this group are some of the best piano teachers in the world and their overwhelmingly positive response gave me the boost of confidence I needed to keep pursuing this online dream. (more…)
Sometimes parents just don't realize the piano mistakes they make. By listening to the Piano Parent Podcast, you can save yourself some embarrassment and save your teacher much anguish by avoiding these common problems. Listen to the full episode What NOT to do as a Piano Parent:1. Show up early - Try to arrive as close to your lesson time as possible, no more than five minutes early. Early arrival can catch your teacher unprepared or cause a distraction for the student before you.2. Show up late - Don't expect your piano teacher to babysit your piano kid. Manage your time wisely if you run errands during your child's lesson.3. Make yourself at home - Don't rummage through shelves or cabinets or wander around other parts of your teacher's home.4.…
Change is inevitable. Seasons change, needs change, locations change. It stands to reason that, at some point, you will need to change piano teachers. When that time comes, you need to ensure the easiest change possible for your child and your piano teacher. (more…)
Welcome back, Becki Laurent! We first spoke to Becki in her teacher interview on Episode 037. Today Becki and I are discussing our favorite apps for helping kids learn to play piano. Apps help teachers and students isolate a specific skill for improvement in understanding and performance. (more…)
This is a continuation of the get SMART project with my piano students. You can listen to the first part here. The idea for recording this project came from a wonderful listener in Australia. (more…)
Karen Farrell is the mom of three sons and a daughter, three of whom currently study piano with Ms. Becki Laurent at The Music Studio in Lubbock, Texas. (more…)
Part Three of the three-part series AKA "Linear Circle of 5ths" (Magic Wand is a much cooler name, don't you think?) My students take the annual theory exam offered by Texas Music Teachers Association. The information I describe in this podcast coincides with the concepts students need to know for the Level 7 through Level 12 theory exam. Listen to the full episode here: (more…)
What a joy it was to talk to my own parents, Jerry and Patricia Truett, about my piano lessons growing up! Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights On this week's episode, I get to interview my two most favorite piano parents in the whole world: my parents, Jerry and Patricia Truett. They were first introduced to the idea of piano lessons through a cardboard keyboard that was sent home from the Dallas Public School District. This was my very first piano lesson book. It was published by the Dallas Independent School District. Amazing! [caption id="attachment_506" align="alignnone" width="474"] Music lets ME be someone. What a lovely quote, then and now. How did you find a new piano teacher after you moved from the Dallas area? Mostly word of…
Listen to the full episode here Internalizing a steady beat can be a very challenging concept for beginning piano students. This episode will offer some ways parents can help their piano kid. (more…)
Dr. Mario Ajero is internationally recognized as an authority in technology in piano pedagogy and music education. He has been invited as a presenter and performer at conferences such as the MTNA National Conference, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference, and the Royal Conservatory Summer Summit. Dr. Ajero is Professor of Piano at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where he serves as the Keyboard Area Coordinator, teaches applied piano, piano pedagogy, and group piano classes. (more…)
When you "hire" a teacher, is it the same as an employer hiring an employee?Are you more like a customer buying services similar to the electric or telephone company?Is it like a restaurant where you order what you want off the menu and can request a customized meal?Maybe it's like using a doctor for his or her knowledge and expertise. Listen to the full episode here When you "hire" a teacher, is it the same as an employer hiring an employee?Are you more like a customer buying services similar to the electric or telephone company?Is it like a restaurant where you order what you want off the menu and can request a customized meal?Maybe it's like using a doctor for his or her knowledge and expertise. (more…)
Melissa Cornelison is the mom of two boys who have been studying piano since they were very young children. Her family recently moved and had to transfer to a new piano teacher. Learn about how they made a smooth transition for their boys in this episode. Listen to the full episode here How do you schedule practice at home? Treat home practice like homework, chores, or any other responsibility. Kyle, Melissa's older son, practices three hours each day. He hopes to make music part of his profession some day. While Kaden isn't as passionate about music as Kyle, he still practices piano 30-45 minutes daily. What struggles have your guys overcome through piano study? Kaden struggled with self confidence, especially with the shadow cast by his older brother's musical talent and…
Listen to the full episode here: AKA "Linear Circle of 5ths" (Magic Wand is a much cooler name, don't you think?) My students take the annual theory exam offered by Texas Music Teachers Association. The information I describe in this podcast coincides with the concepts students need to know for the Level 5 and Level 6 theory exam. (more…)
Gladys Casper is the mom of three daughters, two of whom studied with fellow East Texas teacher, Donna Calaway. Gladys recognizes music as a core subject for students and sought to find a compatible teacher for her girls. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_1034" align="alignleft" width="410"] 10 Reasons to Maintain a Piano Playlist[/caption] Mentioned in this episode: Florida Stephen Foster State Park Musical Instrument Museum These are my ten reasons....today. What would you add to this list? Please comment below. Listen to the full episode here
Sanette Brems is the mom of six daughters, five of whom I get to work with every week. The Brems family realized the importance of piano study as a basic, foundation instrument. Kids need a hobby, something to do that gets them excited, and piano is something they could do year-round. They invested in a quality piano their girls could practice on rather than trying to arrange practice at a friend's house. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_205" align="alignnone" width="960"] Emily Quiles, Teacher Interview[/caption] Episode Highlights: Emily Quiles is a piano teacher from Manhattan, Kansas. (more…)
Wow! What an amazing response you all have given me with this new venture! As a 'thank you' for listening to any of my podcast episodes, I'd like to send you a compilation list of the TEN most popular episodes to date. Simply complete the form below and I'll send the list straight to your inbox, completely free! I really appreciate your support and encouragement!
[caption id="attachment_210" align="alignnone" width="560"] Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights: 45 Gratifying Facts about Thanksgiving A little more about Sarah Hale, the Mother of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving makes me think of food, family and football. Football makes me think of the Parent/Teacher/Student relationship (Episode 002) (more…)
[caption id="attachment_199" align="alignnone" width="554"] Suzanne Tapley, piano parent[/caption] Suzanne Tapley is a piano parent from my own studio in East Texas. Her daughter, Ashlynn, showed an interest in the arts as a young child. Suzanne gave her opportunities to experience the arts in many areas: art, ballet, band, piano, etc. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_173" align="alignnone" width="960"] Hetty Jagersma, independent teacher from Edmonton, Alberta[/caption] Episode Highlights: Hetty Jagersma is a piano teacher from the Edmonton, Alberta area. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_180" align="alignnone" width="660"] If the majority of piano students do not become concert pianists, why are we training them as if they are?[/caption] Why do you have your child enrolled in piano lessons? (more…)
AKA "Linear Circle of 5ths" (Magic Wand is a much cooler name, don't you think?) My students take the annual theory exam offered by Texas Music Teachers Association. The information I describe in this podcast coincides with the concepts students need to know for the Level 3 and Level 4 theory exam. One of the primary concepts students need to know for this test, and musicians need to be familiar with in general, is key signatures. Listen to the full episode here: It all starts with a goofy sentence about a Fat Cat: Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Bacon Third Graders taking the TMTA theory test only need to know the first three letters: F, C, G. Students can remember: "F uses the Flat" meaning the F major scale uses a black…
[caption id="attachment_135" align="alignnone" width="800"] Piano lessons are a commitment. Piano parents need to manage their family schedule to avoid conflicts.[/caption] Episode Highlights: When you say "Yes" to something, you're saying "No" to something else. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_132" align="alignnone" width="960"] Teacher Interview with Rondi Allen from The Studio of Music in Highland Village, Texas[/caption] Episode Highlights: Rondi Allen is a piano teacher and studio owner of The Studio of Music in the Northwest Dallas/Ft. Worth area. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_128" align="alignnone" width="637"] 10 Ways to encourage a love of music[/caption] Welcome to the 10th episode of Piano Parent Podcast! Listen to the full episode here
[caption id="attachment_124" align="alignnone" width="960"] Students sometimes feel even their practice should be perfect. They need to be encouraged to keep trying and work through mistakes.[/caption] Kids are often surprised to learn that their parents don't know something...until they become teenagers, and then they don't think their parents know anything. (more…)
Listen to the full episode here Every week or two, piano students are assigned a new piece of music to learn. This ongoing challenge of facing new music can be daunting so here are a few suggestions to help the process run more smoothly. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_96" align="alignnone" width="652"] Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights: Sometimes it seems like no progress is being made in lessons. Keep an audio record of your child's piano playing to compare musical maturity Let them listen: to critique their own performance and to realize how they have improved over the course of time Intermingle easier pieces Students face a new challenging piece as soon as they complete the current one. This can be frustrating. Allow students to play an easier piece before jumping to the next challenge if they are feeling pressured or frustrated. In my studio, students are assigned a "for sure" piece and a "bonus" piece. This gives them a second piece of equal difficulty to the assigned piece they may choose to study or not.…
Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights: A piano or keyboard is a MUST HAVE for piano lessons. (Seriously, you'd be surprised how many parents don't take this into consideration) (more…)
Links mentioned in this episode: Purchase Roth's Book: Do Re Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido D'Arezzo Grand Staff Information Sheet from Susan Paradis Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights: Historically, until Guido d'Arezzo devised a form of written notation, music was passed orally from generation to generation. If a song was forgotten, it was lost forever. Today, part of a student's piano lesson is teaching them to read music notation. Music is a type of language and piano students truly learn to READ music. Every music symbol has meaning that must decoded to create beautiful music. Piano students in particular learn to read multiple notes on multiple staves. This makes piano an excellent beginning instrument because piano students are able to transition to band, orchestra, and choir…
Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights: Communication Read your teacher's studio policy. Make sure you adhere to the terms of the policy. Find out the best way your teacher receives communication. Text? Email? Telephone? Respect your teacher's office hours. Your child's teacher has the gift of 30-60 minutes of dedicated time with them. Be sure you have hired a teacher who will speak positive encouragement to you son or daughter during that personal time. Listen to your teacher when they recommend additional vision, hearing, or learning tests for the benefit of your child. They are able to observe their students more closely then even classroom teachers and might pick up on potential problems that can be addressed early. NEVER discuss problems in front of your child! Don't let…
Listen to the full episode here DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BUY THOSE CHEESY MUSIC ALPHABET STICKERS!! You, as a Piano Parent Podcast listener, are too smart to fall for that retail trap! Helping your child learn the names of the piano keys is too easy and too essential for their piano proficiency to depend on stickers or any other external aid. (more…)
[caption id="attachment_8" align="alignleft" width="335"] Making the most of piano lessons.[/caption] In less than one month, this one-of-a-kind podcast will launch! Mark your calendar for August 15, 2016 for the launch of a brand new podcast dedicated to parents of piano students; the Piano Parent Podcast. If you do a Google search for piano podcasts, you will find many to choose from that are directed at piano teachers. Every issue from proper technique to the latest music apps to standard teaching repertoire is addressed in order to equip piano teachers with knowledge so they can provide the best musical education for their students. While these issues are important and necessary, what about the parents of piano students? (more…)
