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One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching piano is witnessing how musical education transforms students far beyond their ability to play an instrument. The skills developed through consistent piano study create a foundation for success that extends into every area of life. As an educator, I've observed how the discipline, patience, and problem-solving abilities cultivated at the piano bench translate into academic achievement, professional success, and personal fulfillmen

Encouraging discovery in young piano students is fundamental to developing lifelong musicians. When we create environments where students feel safe to explore, experiment, and even fail, we're fostering the curiosity and resilience that sustain musical growth throughout life. Encouraging Attempts at Difficult Tasks I encourage any attempt to try something difficult, even if it's not exactly correct. When a young student reaches for a challenging piece or experiments with soun

The practice of recognizing alternative ideas and possibilities that may be useful in entertaining ourselves, others, communicating and solving problems—what we might call "thinking outside of the box"—is what separates musicians from mere note-readers. Creating encompasses improvisation, composition, arranging, and interpretation, all skills that require students to think beyond the written page. The Creative Imperative in Music Education Too often, piano education focuses e

Adult Repertoire Selection: Finding Music That Speaks to Your Soul Choosing repertoire for adult piano students requires a fundamentally different approach than selecting pieces for children. Adults bring sophisticated musical tastes, life experiences, and personal preferences that must be honored while still ensuring proper technical and musical development. The key is finding pieces that resonate emotionally while providing appropriate learning challenges. Beyond "Mary Had

Teaching composition to piano students is one of the most rewarding aspects of musical education. When students learn to create their own music, they develop a deeper understanding of musical structure, enhance their interpretive abilities, and discover their unique artistic voice. Composition lessons shouldn't be reserved for "gifted" students—every piano student can benefit from learning to express their musical ideas through original creation. Why Every Piano Student Shoul

As piano educators, we often underestimate one of our most powerful teaching tools: games. Far from being mere entertainment or time-fillers, games are fundamental to how children learn, process information, and develop crucial skills. When we incorporate thoughtful, purposeful games into our piano lessons, we're not just making learning fun—we're tapping into the natural learning mechanisms that have evolved over thousands of years of human development. The Science Behind Pl

One of the most rewarding aspects of piano teaching is working with adult students who bring life experience, clear goals, and genuine passion to their musical journey. Adult learners often worry they're "too old" to start piano or that they'll never achieve the fluency of childhood learners. In reality, adults possess unique advantages that can make them exceptionally successful piano students when teaching approaches are adapted to their learning styles and life circumstanc

Teaching DJ skills to piano students might seem like an unexpected combination, but it's actually a natural extension of musical education. Students with solid musical foundations bring sophisticated listening skills, rhythmic understanding, and harmonic awareness that give them significant advantages in DJ performance. More importantly, DJ skills can enhance their overall musicianship in surprising and valuable ways. The Musical Advantage in DJing Piano students approach DJi

Music is a language that speaks directly to the soul. When I first began my journey into music education, I quickly realized it was much...

Instead of saying “you have such a talent in playing by ear” Say “You must have worked very hard to become so good at playing by ear!”...

It is no surprise that the mindset you are in when you sit down at the piano to practice each day will affect how much you learn, and how...

A helpful practice strategy for learning new music, which you are well aware of if you have taken a piano lesson before, is slow...