Piano Pedagogy Playlist

Some changes happen in a moment. Others unfold over years- like watching a wiggly beginner grow into a teenager with a musical voice of their own, or seeing an adult student find their way back to the piano. In this episode, I explore two lyrical pieces that offer different perspectives on change: Longing for Change, a late-intermediate solo by Wendy Stevens, and Winds of Change, an intermediate p...

Who, or what, is a Catherine Wheel? Chris Caine’s “November” pays tribute to one of the most dramatic fireworks around- and channels Debussy’s “Feux d’artifice” into a piece that captures the same explosive spirit at a more accessible level. We explore the history behind the firework, the British tradition of Guy Fawkes Night, and the particular challenges that make this Trinity Grade 8/RCM level...

Major and minor scales are the foundation of Western music- but what happens when you step outside them? On this episode, I explore three pieces by Suzanne Dawson, Stacy Fahrion, and Scott Price, that use modal sounds to create distinctive musical colors. Each selection also offers a particular teaching focus, connecting its musical character with a practical skill students can develop at the pian...

This week, I’m taking a little three-act adventure at the piano with music from Jason Sifford’s Beware the Jabberwock, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s poem “Jabberwocky” from Through the Looking-Glass. I begin in the serene landscape of “In the Wabe,” venture into the woods for “Whiffling Through the Tulgey Wood,” and return home for the joyful celebration of “O Frabjous Day!” Along the way, I play ea...

This week, I continue our journey through Chris Caine’s A Year in Twelve Keys with October- Modulations of Seasons and Time, a calm, expansive piece whose shifting pulse rewards careful counting with a wonderfully natural flow. Then, Wendy Stevens’s Autumn’s Awakening offers an autumn-inspired companion at the early intermediate level. Cascading hand-crossing arpeggios give way to a yearning melod...

This week’s episode is a Halloween episode. Sort of. The three pieces I play don’t involve costumes or trick-or-treating, but they each feel right at home in October- and they’ll still be worth playing in November. Jennifer Eklund’s Dark Waters is a haunting waltz with some satisfying challenges for intermediate students. Ben Crosland’s Mary Had a Scary Lamb takes some familiar childhood sounds to...

You can sense when a child’s enthusiasm and interest is beginning to wane. It could be for a variety of reasons, some of which we have no control over. But finding just the right repertoire for a student, that has the highest chance of making them eager to keep reaching for that next step- that is something we can influence. Sometimes, a student just needs a quick and easy win. In this episode, I’...

A school day in five piano miniatures: a beautiful September morning, a little studying, some blues on the playground, one kid who’s much too cool- and a daydream about the summer just past. I perform five selections from Ben Crosland’s Easy Beans and consider what makes this varied collection so appealing to young pianists. They are fairly short, accessible pieces, but each bears Crosland’s unmis...

Music becomes meaningful when it helps us explore something human. For younger students, the challenge of learning something new might be enough to maintain interest. But eventually they need to figure out that music making is about more than getting it right, more than just doing it correctly. In this episode, I play two pieces that might help students connect the dots between how we make music a...

When one of your students encounters a piece titled “Toccata” for the first time, how do you explain what that means? I think a lot of us describe a toccata as a quick, running of our fingers over the keys, kind of like checking out what’s under the hood- seeing what kind of horsepower we’ve got under there. But toccatas aren’t just about taking your instrument for a musical test-drive. In this we...

This week, I return to the music of Italian composer Giulio Pietropaolo with three selections from his collection "Dreaming": "Up and Down", "Lost", and "Quiet". Each piece begins with self-imposed constraints- a familiar chord progression, a repeating ostinato, or two quietly alternating chords. But they find their own kind of freedom within those boundaries. Together, these pieces remind us that...

This week, I present music of Amy Ferguson, a pianist, teacher, composer, and arranger whose self-published pieces grow from the practical needs of her own studio. Ferguson recently received wider recognition when her piece Relámpago won the 2026 Pianist magazine composing competition. I perform two contrasting solos: Moonlit Cactus, with its cool-jazz harmonies, two-handed syncopation, and opport...

Getting something right once is not the same thing as making it a habit. In this episode, I explore how fundamental skills become musical reflexes through two pieces by Dennis Alexander: Gentle Breezes and Sweet Jasmine. First, getting students to listen for the balance between a singing left-hand melody and understated right-hand chords in Gentle Breezes (early intermediate). Then, in the simpler...

Season two begins with two contrasting selections to help us savor the many moods of summer. Chris Caine’s “Hanging Out on the Beach” brings syncopation, rhythmic drive, and a bright popular-style energy, while Martha Hill Duncan’s “Misty Morning” unfolds at its own unhurried pace. Along the way, we dicuss how all those crazy rules about beaming and ties can make syncopated rhythms easier to see-a...

For the Season One finale of The Piano Pedagogy Playlist, we’re doubling up on Chris Norton’s A Year in Twelve Keysand exploring both the June and July movements before taking a short summer break. First, we’ll hear Fughetta, a lively contemporary miniature fugue that showcases the composer’s skillful contrapuntal writing and rhythmic energy. Then we’ll move into Dozing on a Hot Summer’s Day, a dr...

This week, we’re taking a musical trip around the world with Wynn-Anne Rossi’s newly released series Dancing With the World. Designed as a four-volume collection spanning multiple levels, the series explores traditional dance styles from a variety of cultures and transforms them into engaging piano repertoire for students. In this episode, I’m focusing on six selections from Volume 2, written for...

School’s almost out, summer is calling, and this week on The Piano Pedagogy Playlist we’re packing up the car and heading out on a musical road trip. Join me for a journey from Chicago through the Great Smoky Mountains and on to Myrtle Beach as I explore music by Chicago composer Christopher Goldston, along with one special selection connected to the legacy of his mother, Margaret Goldston — one o...

Last week, the piano world lost the American pianist, composer, teacher, and author Seymour Bernstein at the age of 99. In this special episode of The Piano Pedagogy Playlist, I reflect on Bernstein’s extraordinary life and legacy — not only as a concert artist, but as one of the great master teachers of American piano pedagogy. Although Bernstein enjoyed a successful performing career, he made th...

On the first Monday of each month, The Piano Pedagogy Playlist features a piece from Chris Caine’s A Year in Twelve Keys—a collection that explores all twelve key signatures using only the notes within each key. For May, we turn to Dance in May, an expressive and graceful work in 3/4 time that deliberately avoids the feel of a traditional waltz. Instead, the piece invites students to think in long...

Today’s episode is for a very specific student. The one who’s deeply immersed in video games and gaming culture… who loves music—but doesn’t think they love piano. Maybe they’ve even decided they’re a little too cool for it. This week I’m sharing music that can change that perception. Featuring selections from Let’s Quest, Volume 2 by Chrissy Ricker, these original piano pieces capture the sound w...

Students often fall in love with pieces like Clair de lune long before they have the technique to play them well. And as teachers, that puts us in a tricky spot. We don’t want to dampen that enthusiasm—but we also know those pieces are, at the moment, out of reach. And handing them a simplified version rarely captures what drew them in to begin with. In this episode, I explore a collection that of...

Method books give us structure and sequence, but they don’t always provide enough reinforcement—or enough variety—to keep students fully engaged. That’s where supplemental repertoire can make a meaningful difference. In this episode, we explore Very Easy Little Peppers by  Elissa Milne —a collection of short, engaging pieces designed for early elementary piano students. These pieces offer teachers...

Spring rain provides the inspiration for this week’s episode of The Piano Pedagogy Playlist, as I explore two contemporary piano pieces that capture its sound, motion, and atmosphere in very different ways. I begin with April – La pluie de printemps (Spring Rain) by  Chris Caine , an advanced-level work from his collection A Year in Twelve Keys. This piece offers a rich, atmospheric sound world an...

This week, I’m sharing six short pieces from Kevin Olson’s Preludes in Patterns—music that sounds impressive, but is built from simple, repeating ideas. These pattern-based preludes help students build confidence, improve reading, and prepare polished performances in less time. A great resource for recital season or anytime you need a piece that comes together quickly. Prelude in C major (from Pre...

This week we explore music by Angeline Bell, a UK-based pianist and teacher whose “Notebook” collections have quickly become favorites among piano teachers. Selections from My Quirky Notebook show her gift for writing short, imaginative pieces that students enjoy while still developing real technique and musicality. These works combine humor, strong character, and practical pedagogy — perfect for...