The Vibrant Music Teaching Podcast | Proven and practical tips, strategies and ideas for music teachers

Digital piano books and piano methods have many advantages. In this episode, we’ll discuss what makes a method digital and some of the best ones out there. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

This is episode features a wonderful interview I had with Stacy Fahrion about polyrhythms and how to teach them in your studio. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

If you’ve heard the phrase, “I just want him to try it out and see” from a prospective piano parent and had your heart drop, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about those students who are just testing the waters. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Teaching preschoolers can bring you students earlier in the day and increase your reach in your community – but it's not without its challenges. Find out the foundations of great preschool piano lessons in this episode. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

What would happen if your students' ran the show? As teachers, we need to guide our students. But we also need them to have ownership over what they're doing. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Scales seem to be a given in piano lessons, but, should they be? And if they are, how can we teach them differently so that our students actually enjoy piano scales and learn them more effectively. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Music is often not taught according to a rigid curriculum. But would we do better if we did have a standard curriculum for piano? And how much should we individualise for each student? Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Do you struggle with transfer students? Here are some tips for making sure they start on the right foot in your studio. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

It's fun to celebrate occasions in our studios and Valentine's Day is a great time to bring your studio community together. Here's a fun project and freebie to help you do just that! Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Tune in for my list of goals for the first year of lessons, divided into 2 age brackets. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Joanna Shiel is on the show today and we're chatting about choosing great exam pieces that are motivating and inspiring for students. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Getting ahead of your students' music theory can have enormous benefits. Here's how you can do it. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

A step-by-step system for the simplest way to keep track of items you loan to students. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Journaling or note taking after each lesson might seem like a lot, but it can make a big difference to the quality of your music teaching. Tune in to find out how and why. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Music exams can be wonderful...when they're used with the right student at the right time. Let's unpack the pros and cons together. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Piano performance anxiety is a manifestation of certain beliefs that your student holds. Some of these thoughts might be: Fear of failure Fear of judgement or criticism Messing up in front of their peers Expectations on how their performance should go Thinking that the performance must be a perfect rendition Not trusting in their abilities There might also be some aspects of the performance or exa...

Piano exams require some thought and balance to get all the components ready for the big day. Here's how I handle it. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

When are piano exams a good idea, what's the long term benefit and risk involved. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Sometimes, your student is just not feeling the lesson you’ve planned and you need something fresh inspiration to stop the lesson getting stale. Learn how to teach the 12 bar blues and you’ll never be stuck for what to do when a student hasn’t practised or is out-of-sorts. Being able to teach the 12 bar blues at the drop of a hat is a great trick to have up your sleeve. There isn’t just one way to...

Singing should be included in ALL music lessons. But what if your student doesn't want to sing? And how can you help them sing better if you're not a voice teacher? Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Are YOU a hypocrite? I think we all are. And we need to talk about it. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

We all hit slumps from time to time. Follow this checklist to get your love of teaching back and maintain a positive attitude throughout your career. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Do you give your students any free stuff when they join your studio? Why do you do it? Let's unpack why you would or wouldn't want to give out t-shirts, bags and other goodies to new students. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Teenagers aren't going to be impressed by just using apps for technology's sake in their piano lessons. These apps are tried and tested by our team and teens love them! Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Some times our teenage music students just need a break from practice. In this episode, we’ll find ways to keep it fun and engaging in those busy periods. Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.