One of the reasons piano teachers don’t improvise in their piano lessons is that they’re scared. The other big reason is that they just cannot find the time. If you’re apprehensive and need the confidence to jump in then go read this article. But if you’re in the second “no time” camp then stick around….
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CKQC050: Understanding intervals with Interval Sprinterval Shminterval
This was one of the first games I created especially for Vibrant Music Teaching members, and it’s become a go-to resource in many studios worldwide…including mine! Here we work on counting out the intervals carefully (counting one where we are) and later on we progressed to counting them in our heads so that the students…
Improvisation and Cats: How to Start Scared!
Are you scared to start using improvisation in your piano teaching? I’ve totally been there. 7 or 8 years ago I had basically never sat down at the piano without a piece of paper in front of my face. It would not have even occurred to me. But then I discovered improvisation. I found out…
How to Teach Piano to Beginners with Games and Creativity
Let’s explore how to teach piano to beginners. Is it as simple as following a method book? Is there more to consider? Most beginner piano students arrive to us super enthusiastic to dive in to this world of music making. I believe we have a responsibility to teach piano to beginners in a way that…
CKQC049: Building a note value tree
Here we use my proportional rhythm cards to build a tree of note values and further reinforce the relationship between the different note values. This type of exercise can help head off any note value confusion at the pass and is a great review to do before playing a rhytm/note value game. What are…
A Very Irish Improvisation Game for Paddy’s Day
Looking for a way to celebrate Paddy’s day in your music studio? This improvisation game is the perfect activity. At the risk of sounding gushy, I do love that people all over the world celebrate my little country’s national holiday. Last year for Paddy’s day, I shared a super fun game for beginners to practice…
The Ultimate Guide to Your Piano Teaching Curriculum (Part 2)
Creating a piano teaching curriculum might seem like an overwhelming or perhaps even Herculean task, but it doesn’t have to be. In my last article, I shared the why behind creating a piano teaching curriculum. In this post, I’ll talk you through the how. As I see it, there are 3 ways to go about setting…
CKQC048: Working on harmony in a student’s composition
At a certain stage of my composing projects, the students need to add harmony. How you approach this will depend on the students’ level but this will show you one way I teach this part of the composing process. Another great way to work on this is to have students find out what’s happening…
Teaching Tips for ‘Menuet in G’ by Christian Petzold RIAM Grade 1 2019
The Ultimate Guide to Your Piano Teaching Curriculum (Part 1)
Do you have a piano teaching curriculum? Have you laid out what you want your students to learn and when? I believe all teachers should have a curriculum of some sort to guide them. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does require some thought. A piano teaching curriculum is not a set of…