Podcast - Page 2 of 4 - Piano Parent Podcast

04Oct 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP261: Stacy Fahrion with Whimsically Macabre

Piano teacher and composer, Stacy Fahrion, didn't start composing until her adult years. Because she found her musical voice at a later age, she is intentional about making sure her students start composing as early as possible. Listen to the full episode here Stacy's Bio Stacy Fahrion is a Colorado-based composer, pianist, and piano teacher who loves encouraging everyone to compose. She holds a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa. Stacy writes in a style she calls “Whimsically Macabre.” Stacy’s poet-friend, Wayne A. Gilbert, describes her music best: “Offbeat quirky seriously beautifully funny mischievously madly serious.” Her educational piano music is published by Piano Pronto Publishing, and includes books such as Lullabies for Arachnophobes, Whimsy & Wonder, Tricks & Treats, Once Upon a Time, These Are…

27Sep 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP260: Ten Sound Effects You Can Create on the Piano

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

Making music at the piano is just plain FUN!! In today's show, you will learn ten cool sound effects you can use to create interesting music on your piano. Listen to the full episode here 10 Sound Effects you can create on your piano In this week's show, you will learn ten different sound effects you can create on your piano. Give it a listen and have fun making your own music!Running upstairs - all half steps (chromatic)Two notes - JAWS!!!Spinning - chromatic up and down C to E or F to B"And many more!"Basic Boogie PatternBasic Boogie Pattern with 12 bar blues chord progression"Shave and a Haircut - Two Bits!"Dream sequence - whole tone scaleArpeggio endings (three ways)Silent Movie Gasp Conclusion, call to action, resources To hear more Piano…

20Sep 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP259: Music Maker – Harmony

Music Theory, Podcast

Continuing our sessions on music making, today we will talk about adding harmony to melodies. I will teach you a simple formula to follow to help you know which scale notes will likely sound good with the melody notes you are playing. I believe learning to read music is a very challenging task, for anyone, but especially for children. My Music Maker series is designed to help piano kids solve puzzles which ultimately creates music for them to play. In a way, we are reverse engineering music to help young musicians gain a clearer understanding of how music is built. Listen to the full episode here Listen to previous Music Maker topics PPP239: Music Maker - Intervals PPP249: Music Maker - Scales Get your Music Maker Sampler today! Yes! Send…

13Sep 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP258: Serve up a delicious “Practice Pie” with author Nicola Cantan

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation, Teacher Interviews

A practice pie? Just like learning to bake a delicious pie takes a bit of trial and error, helping your piano kid with their home practice isn't an easy accomplishment.A pie is a perfect analogy because the basic, essential elements are the same yet there is so much variety with flavors and textures. Your home practice also needs a few essential ingredients but you will never get bored as your child grows as an individual and as a musician. Listen to the full episode here Nicola Cantan is a piano teacher, author, blogger and creator of imaginative and engaging teaching resources. She loves getting piano students learning through laughter, and exploring the diverse world of music making; through improvisation, composition and games. Nicola's Vibrant Music Teaching Library is helping teachers all over…

06Sep 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP257: Let’s talk about studio policies! A teacher chat with Vanessa Chisler and Kelli Cooper

Communication, Podcast, Teacher Chat

So many problems can be avoided if there is clear communication between parents and teachers. A studio policy is a good place to begin.Knowing and following your teacher's studio policy frees both of you up to focus on the most important thing - your child learning to make music.Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Vanessa ChislerVanessa was born and raised in Daingerfield, Texas where she began piano study at age 8. She earned an Associate of Arts degree from TJC and a B.A. Music degree from UT Tyler. She also holds a Texas State Educator Certificate for All Level Music. An active member of ETMTA since 2006, Vanessa has held many positions including Librarian, Publicity Chair, Achievement Auditions Chair, Student Affiliate/Theory Chair, and…

30Aug 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP256: Musical Mystery Opus 3, No. 1 “The Original Piano Guy”

Music HIstory, Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a musician or song or a moment in music history. I use these musical mysteries to tell you something you might not know about someone or something that is somewhat familiar; in this case, I will tell you the story of the person I am calling "The Original Piano Guy". Listen to the full episode here Happy September!!! Did you know that September is National Piano Month? I tried to find out how these things are decided or why September was chosen for this special honor but I came up empty. I did discover this, in 1991, the National Piano Foundation selected…

23Aug 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP255: Piano Practice is Supposed to be Messy! – This one’s for the piano kids.

Mom to Mom, Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

Piano kids sometimes have the misconception or misunderstanding that practicing piano at home should sound perfect.Learning to play the piano, just like any other job, is going to have messy bits.Have you ever watched a painter or an artist at work?Have you ever helped your parents do yardwork?Have you ever baked cookies with your grandmother?Paintings, manicured landscapes, and chocolate chip cookies all start messy before they become beautiful. Listen to the full episode here Painter A painter adds texture and color to a blank canvas.When you practice, you are adding new skills and musical ideas to your brain and fingers. You are noticing details in the music to add to your final performance. As you become more proficient in your playing, you will add dynamics and musical expressiveness to your…

16Aug 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP 254: Practice is NOT the Same as Playing with Clinton Pratt

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation, Teacher Interviews

Clinton Pratt (BM, MM, NCTM) has a Masters degree in Piano, training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, over 20 years teaching experience, and was the 2016 Certified Teacher of the Year for his OhioMTA district.His successful private studio offers students a solid musical foundation, but with the added benefit of improvisation, ear training, rhythmic games, and multimedia recitals. He has served on local and OhioMTA boards, is on the editorial committee for American Music Teacher, and is a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music.Clinton has presented at local and state conferences, MTNA, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. Listen to the full episode here Session Topics In today's session, Clinton talks about:Parenting StylesParental InvolvementCreating a Habit LoopPracticing at Home Connect with Clinton cj@pianosensei.comPianoSensei.com Resources Mentioned…

09Aug 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP253: Three Myths About Piano Practice

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

As we gear up for a brand new school and a new year of piano lessons, I thought it would be a good idea to visit three common myths about piano practice. Listen to the full episode here Myth 1: Piano practice happens with the teacher "We won't be at piano practice today."Piano lessons are not like sports or dance or gymnastics or other group activities where practicing happens with the group.Your lesson time is like the game or the dance meet. It's the time to see how your practice has moved you forward. The teacher instructs and corrects during the lesson but practice happens at home.When setting up your school calendar, you not only need to include your lesson time but also schedule time to practice as well. I've…

02Aug 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP252: Make a BIG DEAL of your piano kid’s playing, with Jennifer Eklund

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation, Teacher Interviews

Jennifer Eklund is the founder of Piano Pronto Publishing, Composer's Community, and FM Sheet Music. In today's episode, we dig into Jennifer's personal piano story and how inspirational her mother was for Jennifer's success as a pianist. We will learn about the struggles she faced to try to get her Piano Pronto method series into the hands of established publishing houses and how she determined to create her own publishing firm. Parents are invited to browse the Piano Pronto website to discover new music with their piano kids. The Sheet Music Wizard is a wonderful tool, not only for discovering new, original piano music but also a great tool for listening to music in various styles, keys, and meters. Jennifer's first love is arranging music and she is a signature…

26Jul 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP251: The path of life often takes unexpected turns with Adonna Donovan

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Adonna Donovan was a professional trumpet player making her way in the world of orchestral music. Her musical journey was a winding pathway that weaved in and out of various musical groups, teachers, and schools. Adonna even spent time working for Southwest Airlines! Two weeks after enjoying the pinnacle opportunity of performing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in New York's Carnegie Hall, Adonna was on her way to have lunch with a friend and share pictures from the experience. As she was walking to the restaurant, Adonna stumbled and fell. With pictures in her hands, she had no way of catching herself and hit the pavement face first. What does a professional trumpet player do after such a devastating mouth injury? Listen to today's interview to find out. Listen to…

19Jul 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP250: Ten Standard Teaching Pieces for the Early Years

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

When students begin their piano journey, they often aspire to learn iconic piano pieces. Parents mention melodies like Fur Elise or Moonlight Sonata or The Entertainer to their teachers. I don't think parents intend to ask too much of their children or their teacher. I believe they are simply trying to connect with this new venture for their child and these are the pieces that pop into their head. Unfortunately, those iconic pieces are far too advanced for beginning students. Listen to the full episode here It would be like me meeting an astronaut and saying, "Hey, been to the International Space Station lately?" That's one of the few things I know about the American space program. There are plenty of other jobs and responsibilities and accomplishments NASA employees achieve…

12Jul 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP249: Music Maker – Scales

Music Theory, Podcast

Does your piano teacher assign scales for you to practice? Is playing major scales part of your piano kid's practice routine? I remember playing scales as part of my homework assignment at times but I never really connected them to the pieces I was playing. In my mind, they were a separate chore. I wonder if your piano kid sees the value of learning and playing scales as part of their musical abilities. Listen to the full episode here According to Brenden Hogan, founder of Musiah, here are some reasons for practicing scales: scales develop your awareness of tonality and knowledge of the keys scales help you develop fast fingers playing scales helps you learn to move your thumb under your hand scales improve keyboard geography playing scales helps coordinate…

05Jul 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP248: How to Win Arguments with Your Older Piano Kid

Communication, Mom to Mom, Podcast

I've said more than once on this show that parents are the most important people in the world to their children. As they grow into the teen years, it may feel like you are their least favorite person and that hurts. It's a natural part of the growing process but it still hurts. Listen to the full episode here As your child ages and gets into the teen years, they need to start being a little more independent. The road to independence can be a very bumpy one that can lead to a lot of arguments if you continue to parent your teen like you did when they were younger. (PPP194 Trent Dilfer talks about four stages of parenting.)My goal for today's show is to help you keep the upper…

28Jun 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP247: Teacher Chat – YouTube Videos with Clinton Pratt and Janna Williamson

Podcast, Teacher Chat

YouTube launched in May 2005. The first video posted on YouTube showed 18 seconds of cofounder, Jawed Karim talking about elephants at the zoo.Now, there are more than 31 million YouTube channels covering absolutely ANY topic you can imagine. It is second only to Google as the largest search engine online. 1 billion + videos are viewed each day.YouTube can be an important tool in musical education; from listening to performances and learning music theory, to sharing unlisted videos with loved ones.What is the most unusual thing you've learned to do by watching YouTube videos? Let me know in the comments below. I actually learned to podcast by watching YouTube videos!Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Janna WilliamsonJanna Williamson, NCTM, is a pianist,…

21Jun 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP246: Musical Mystery – Opus 2, No. 5 “Her Declaration of Independence”

Music HIstory, Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a musician or song or a moment in music history. I use these musical mysteries to tell you something you might not know about someone or something that is somewhat familiar; in this case, I will tell you the story of a young woman who had no choice but to declare her own independence. Listen to the full episode here Here, in America, we are approaching our annual birthday celebration. July 4th commemorates the day our founding fathers let King George know he wasn't the boss of us anymore.As I was researching our mystery guest for today's show, I discovered that she…

14Jun 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP245: Tactile Toy, Tension Terminator, or Technique Tool?

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

I'm wondering if you've seen these new fidget gadgets. They are made of silicone and come in all kinds of shapes and colors. Fidget spinners, cubes, and now bubble poppers are a great tool for children who need a kinesthetic activity to keep their hands busy while they are learning or concentrating. If you'd like to be a sneaky parent, listen to today's show to learn the value of this toy/tool, and then surprise your piano kid with an unexpected treat. Listen to the full episode here Why parents love bubble poppers Here are just a few reasons parents are in love with bubble popper fidget toys: inexpensive no pieces - pop all the bubbles, then turn the pad over and pop the bubbles all over again. quiet activity provides…

07Jun 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP244: The Role of the Parent is Crucial, with London piano teacher, Andra Kruka

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Piano teacher, Andra Kruka, is a delightful teacher based in London. In recent years, her attention has been drawn to a greater understanding of advanced child psychology. In today's interview, Andra shares several important considerations for parents as they fulfill their crucial role in supporting their children's musical piano journey. Listen to the full episode here Tell us your piano story. Andra Kruka, originally from Latvia, began piano lessons at the age of four. Her musical education was much different then than the way she teaches now. Her parents, like many parents today, wanted to offer a variety of learning experiences for their daughter. When her first teacher didn't connect well with Andra, her parents found a different teacher for her. Andra also enrolled in harp lessons and that teacher…

31May 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP243: Why does music use so many Italian terms?

Music Theory, Podcast

Why are so many Italian terms used in music?Three big musical things happened in Italy which influenced how music is performed, heard, and notated. Listen to today's show to learn more. Listen to the full episode here Three big musical things happened in Italy Guido d'Arezzo (1st century) established an organized way of reading the writing musical notation on a staff of five lines with four spaces in between.Toward the end of the 16th century, a new form of entertainment was originated in Italy. This new form of entertainment, opera, combined the storytelling of Greek drama with music and visual arts.Most importantly for us as pianists, the piano was invented in Italy in the early 1700's.It makes sense that with so many musical innovations coming from Italy that the earliest…

24May 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP242: Why sing if you’re a piano player?

Music Theory, Podcast

A few weeks ago, in episode 239, we talked about using your eyes to visualize how notes of the melodic line move on the staff. It is important to involve your eyes when playing the piano. Equally important, if not more so, is to involve your ears. Pianists need to be able to use their internal mechanism to imagine what the notes will sound like, even without physical sound to help them. That is the topic of today's show. Listen to the full episode here Pianists have it easier than other instrumentalists Pianists have it easier than other instrumentalists when it comes to playing in tune. Though, I suppose you could say the opposite is true. If a piano is in tune, all a pianist has to do is find…

17May 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP241: Raising EQ Kids with The Musician’s Coach, Jodie Jensen

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

. Jodie Jensen is a life coach who has taught piano lessons for almost 20 years. After studying sociology, international development, and music at Brigham Young University, she worked in a non-profit in West Africa, teaching people skills for success and self-reliance. As a mother of five, she has brought her two passions together to create resources to help young musicians to find more success in their studies. How often are you emotionally triggered by an emotional response from your child? On today's show, Jodie Jensen will help us gain a greater understanding of our own emotional intelligence so we can help our piano kids mature their emotional intelligence. Listen to the full episode here What is EQ? EQ refers to Emotional…

10May 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP240: 10 Reasons for Summer Piano Lessons

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

You might be tempted to stop piano lessons for summer break but I don't think piano and summer have to be mutually exclusive. On today's show, I'm suggesting 10 reasons why summer piano lessons are a great idea. Listen to the full episode here 1. Use it or lose it that's not just referring to piano skills. if you don't keep using your brain for cognitive processes, your response time will slow down. summer piano lessons are a great way to keep your piano skills and your brain connections fired up. 2. Change of pace a change of pace brings new opportunities - playing duets with studiomates, music camp, playing tunes by ear, focusing on a different genre of music. 3. No school homework no homework gives your more time…

03May 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP239: Music Maker – Intervals

Music Theory, Podcast

Learning to read music and play music fluently is hard. Plain and simple.Trying to decipher all those unusual symbols and find their matching sound on the piano is a complex endeavor, especially if you are 5-6 years old and simultaneously learning the symbols of the alphabet and trying to read books.Because of the vast amount of information, mistakes are common, which leads to missed notes, terrible sounds, and frustrated piano kids.What if we reverse engineer the process? What if children are guided through a process of writing the notes themselves so they can begin to notice the direction and distance from one note to the next?What if, instead of trying to be instant music interpreters they are able to become music MAKERS?That is the goal of today's show and the…

26Apr 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP238: Parkinson’s Law: Works expands so as to fill the time available for its completion

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

I often say, "I get more done, the busier I am."Cyril Northcote Parkinson said the same thing, much more elegantly. Here is the first paragraph of an article he wrote in 1955. "IT is a commonplace observation that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Thus, an elderly lady of leisure can spend the entire day in writing and despatching a postcard to her niece at Bognor Regis. An hour will be spent in finding the postcard, another in hunting for spectacles, half-an-hour in a search for the address, an hour and a quarter in composition, and twenty minutes in deciding whether or not to take an umbrella when going to the pillar-box in the next street. The total effort which would occupy a busy man…

19Apr 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP237: Teacher Chat – Recitals in 2021 with Stephen Hughes, Ben Kapilow, and Becki Laurent

Podcast, Teacher Chat

Last year, COVID-19 was making its way around the globe and our best defense was to seclude ourselves into our homes to try to prevent spreading the virus to our communities. Piano students and teachers made a swift and effective transition to online lessons.Our spring recitals, if they occurred at all, could not follow the traditional format of gathering in a local church or performance hall. Virtual recitals were the best we could do.In 2021, however, we are starting to feel more confident in our ability to ward off the dangers of the virus. Schools are back in session, on campus. Church congregations are gathering together. Some piano lessons are beginning to take place in person.What should our spring recitals look like? Should they remain virtual? Is there a possibility…

12Apr 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP236: Musical Mystery Opus 2, No. 4 “Live from the Poodle Dog Cafe”

Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a musician or song or a moment in music history. I use these musical mysteries to tell you something you might not know about someone or something that is somewhat familiar.You may have heard the expression, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It is attributed to the Roman philosopher, Seneca and my take on this quote is basically you make your own luck when you put in the work, the preparation, and then use what you’ve prepared when the opportunity presents itself.I almost titled today’s show, “When preparation tells opportunity to buckle up” because the person we are going to…

05Apr 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP235: “My first-grader doesn’t practice like I thought she would.” Is this a practicing issue or a parenting issue?

Mom to Mom, Podcast

One of the reasons I started this podcast almost five years ago is that I wanted to help parents understand the ins and outs of piano lessons. When I saw this topic come up on an online teacher forum recently, I knew it should be addressed here on the podcast. Listen to the full episode here Is this a practicing issue or a parenting issue? Here is the basic idea: The parent of a first-grader who just started lessons this year is letting the teacher know they will not be taking lessons over the summer because the first-grader isn't practicing like the parent thought they would.We will be addressing 10 reasons to continue lessons during the summer in a few weeks, in episode 240. I always bring you a list of…

29Mar 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP234: Are we having FUN yet?

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

Should piano lessons and home piano practice be fun? Is it better to have a serious piano lesson? What do you do to keep practice from becoming boring? Listen to the full episode here What do you think about this definition of fun? Here is a different take on FUN If you would like a better definition of fun when it comes to piano lessons, you might try to make them.... Fulfilling If you have a task to do, it can be fulfilling simply because you enjoy the result of the work. I don't like sweeping the floors but I do like clean floors, so sweeping is fulfilling. I've started listening to podcasts when I go for a walk which makes the chore of walking more fulfilling. Piano kids want…

22Mar 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP233: Time to Practice

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

No matter how you look at it, spending time at the piano on the days between lessons is vital. So many students tell me they didn't have time to practice. I will admit that schedules are very busy these days but part of a parent's responsibility, and a sure way to get a good return on your investment, is to MAKE time to practice. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Grab your 168-hour chart hereLearn more about Michael Hyatt's "Your Best Year Ever" course here Social Sharables Click an image to share directly to your pinterest account. Download an image to share in your social circles. If the image isn't branded, please link back to this page and help us spread the word about all…

15Mar 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP232: Practice Tempo vs Performance Tempo

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

During my interview last week with Note Quest app developer, Grace Lee, we briefly mentioned the value of slowing the tempo when practicing sight reading. I decided to spend a little more time on that topic today. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Download Note Quest (this is an affiliate link)Listen to my interview with Grace Lee.Learn more about getting SMART with your music. Social Sharables Click an image to share directly to your pinterest account. Download an image to share in your social circles. If the image isn't branded, please link back to this page and help us spread the word about all the great resources at Piano Parent Podcast. Thank you! Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:Leave a note in the comment…

08Mar 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP231: Learn How to Make Sight Reading More Fluent with Note Quest App Developer, Grace Lee

Music Theory, Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Grace Lee is a piano teacher from California who noticed a gap between traditional note naming using music flashcards or flashcard apps and fluent sight reading. In order to close that gap and help students become more secure in their sight reading abilities, Grace developed one of the fastest-growing apps focused on note reading and sight reading music - Note Quest. In today's interview, Grace shares her personal piano story as well as the process of developing Note Quest. Listen to the full episode here Grace's Piano Story Grace's family wasn't innately musical but they enjoyed classical music and church music. Grace remembers watching PBS Great Performances as a child and her parents noticed how much she enjoyed this music. Soon, they enrolled her in formal music lessons.A combination of a…

01Mar 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP230: Ten Things I Bet You Didn’t Know About Your Piano

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

The month of March hosts a very special day for piano players. March 29, 2021, is the 88th day of the year!Last week's episode gave all the fun details of how we are going to celebrate leading up to this special day. If you haven't listened to PPP229 yet, be sure to catch it when you're done with this episode. We've got a fun practice incentive that will last the whole month of March: We're playing BINGO!!If you haven't already seen it on my Instagram feed, you can find all the details at www.pianoparentpodcast.com/march (Fun fact: Listening to TODAY's episode is one of the squares on the card! After you listen here, go download your free BINGO card. You're already ahead of the game!)Today, we're playing another little game called,…

22Feb 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP229: Let’s Celebrate Piano Day!

Podcast, Practice Challenge, Practicing and Motivation

I love arbitrary holidays. I have a calendar on my studio wall created by Sandra Boynton called Every Day's a Fabulous Holiday. Because of that calendar, we've recently celebrated Static Electricity Day (Jan 9), Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day (Jan 11), Kazoo Day (Jan 28), Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (Feb. 6).You may have seen that January 21st of this year was the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st century. Nothing special happened on that day for me, this year or any year as far as I can recall but now it's kind of special because of that distinction. (If your birthday is January 21, Happy birthday, 32 days ago!)For all us math lovers, March 14 is truly a day to celebrate as Pi day.…

15Feb 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP228:Don’t Fall Into This Trap

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Okay, piano parents, it's time for a heart to heart.While I am grateful for your involvement in your piano kids' learning and I know you are trying to help, I need to let you know that the thing we are talking about today doesn't help your piano kid. In fact, you may be stalling their progress and inhibiting their ability to read music fluently.Today, we are talking about writing finger numbers and letter names in your piano kid's music. Listen to the full episode here Try these alternatives instead If you have written letters in your child's music in the past, please don't lose heart. Keep helping them; but, now you know a better way to help them.Here is how you can break yourself of this temptation.Empower your piano kid…

08Feb 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP227: Travis Lohmann Paints Musical Portraits

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Travis Lohmann is a composer and piano teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada. We first met Travis on the podcast when he chatted with Jeremy Duck and me about church modes in episode 207.You can listen to PPP207: Teacher Chat about Church Modes with Jeremy Duck and Travis Lohmann here.I invited him back today to share his personal piano story as well as his current composition project. Listen to the full episode here Here is a short video clip from my interview with Travis Lohmann Travis works out his compositions with old-fashioned pencil and paper. Each page in his music journal carries with it the blood, sweat, and tears - and memories - of writing each note. https://youtu.be/RfkdrxgGwnU Happy 89th Birthday, John Williams! The working title of Travis' latest composer portrait is…

01Feb 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP226: Musical Mystery Opus 2, No. 3 “An Unsung Hero” (If you’ll pardon the pun)

Music HIstory, Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s podcast “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s radio show “The Rest of the Story”, this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a musician or song or a moment in music history. I use these musical mysteries to tell you something you might not know about someone or something that is somewhat familiar; in this case, I will tell you the story of a very well-known, yet unsung hero (if you'll pardon the pun). Listen to the full episode here An Unsung Hero Who doesn't love a hero? The kind of character that swoops in at the most intense moment to save the day, defeat the enemy, take us to new heights? A real hero is not only strong and commanding but…

25Jan 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP225: “2021” with Songwriter and Piano Kid, Violet Rivers (and company)

Parent Interviews, Practicing and Motivation, Teacher Interviews

Violet Rivers put a smile on my face with her delightful song and her charming interview. I love that she is learning to work through difficulties and challenging times with creativity and songwriting.Music truly can soothe the soul - and bring a giggle.In this episode, we hear from Violet along with her parents, Mark and Kristen Rivers, and her piano teacher, Gere Fennelly. Violet's dog, Walter, even makes a brief appearance! Listen to the full episode here Piano Parent Takeaways: "You can do anything for 10 minutes." Just get to the piano for 10 minutes. Your piano kid will likely play longer than that but we just have to get them started.I tip my hat to anybody who's making a living playing music. They're not working some office job they…

18Jan 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP224: The Practicing Pro, Christy Hodder

Practicing and Motivation, Teacher Interviews

Christy Hodder is a violin teacher and director of the Scotia Suzuki School of Music. She is on a mission to "help parents have effective, positive, and FUN practicing in their homes". Listen to the full episode here Tell us your music story. Christy's mother is the hero of her music story. Her mom joined the RCA record club and receive a new album every month. Christy remembers hearing amazing music in her home from a very early age. She attended an orchestra concert with her family and fell in love with the violin and knew that she wanted to learn to play.Christy's older sister studied flute in school but after about a year decided she didn't want to study flute anymore. When Christy announced that she wanted to learn…

11Jan 2021 by Shelly Davis

PPP223: The Fresh Start Effect

Podcast

I believe we all love new beginnings. Some new beginnings are obvious: January 1, the first day of school, your birthday, any random Monday.Gym memberships and diet program sales surge at the beginning of a new year. This school year will be the one where I really buckle down and study. We decide we will start that new project next Monday.We often use those arbitrary dates as an opportunity to have a Fresh Start; to begin again. Another aspect of these dates is that they give us a reason to pause and reflect on the previous time period. We want to erase the past, learn from our mistakes, and figure out how to move forward in a new, fresh way.There is a name for this phenomenon. Listen to the full…

21Dec 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP222: The Last Episode of the Year

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Enjoy this final episode of 2020. We will take a short break from December 28-January 10. We will be back on January 11, 2021. Until then, you can also find lots of previous shows in the Piano Parent Archives. Teacher Interviews Parent Interviews Teacher Chats Musical Mysteries Tenth Episode Lists Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Ryder Carroll's Bullet Journal Website Emily Mills' Sketchnote Academy Website Gretchen Rubin's 20 for 2020 List Gretchen's Podcast about the 20 for 2020 List My 2020 Bullet Journal Here are a few pages from my 2020 Bullet Journal. I clearly need to read more books in 2021!! Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below Ask a question at pianoparentpodcast@gmail.com Share this show…

14Dec 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP221: Teacher Interview Spotlight on Dorothy Yan, Tony Parlapiano, and Marvin Blickenstaff

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

This is the next to last episode for 2020. Last week we ran down some of the most popular episodes of the year so this week I thought we would highlight some of the wonderful teacher interviews. In the podcast, you will hear short excerpts from each of my interviews with Dorothy Yan, Tony Parlapiano, and Marvin Blickenstaff. If you scroll through the show notes below, you will find links to listen to their original interviews in full. Listen to the full episode here In PPP201, we learned about listening from Dorothy Yan Dorothy currently teaches at the Musical Arts Center in San Antonio, Texas as well as the University of Texas at San Antonio but her musical journey started when she was eight years old. Visit the show notes page…

07Dec 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP220: Ten Things – CHRISTMAS! Edition

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

Several years ago I established a tradition for our family. Every Christmas Eve, after we've had our evening meal and we're still gathered around the dining table (a rarity for us to all be at the same table!) we pull out a journal and write the word C H R I S T M A S down the left side. As a family we review the previous year and list highlights that fit the letters. That little journal has become a documented history of our kids as they've grown up and has marked some memorable occasions for our family. I thought I would follow the same format to compile our list of ten things for this episode. Today I am sharing ten podcast highlights from 2020. Listen to the full…

30Nov 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP219: The Creative Freedom of Constraint

Mom to Mom, Podcast

I recently read a book called, "Draw to Win". On page 142 of that book is this quote by Orson Welles, "The enemy of art is the absence of limitations." I don't know if I got anything else out of that book but this quote has stuck with me. So much so that I decided to devote an entire podcast episode to it. Listen to the full episode here Here are three thoughts I'd like to share with you about the creative freedom of constraint. Use no more than three colors One of the suggestions in the Draw to Win book was to use no more than three colors when you are creating.At first, that might seem very limiting but I think that's the point. You must learn to be…

23Nov 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP218: DECIDE to be Thankful, even in 2020

Mom to Mom, Podcast

This year's holiday season will be unconventional with many families still in lockdown or with limited gatherings, even for families. There has been so much loss this year: school, jobs, family members. Even with all the loss, I believe we must still adopt a grateful attitude. but we're going to have to be intentional about it. Listen to the full episode here In last week's chat about Christmas music, Karen Young talked about a student of hers who enjoys improvising. I thought I would take her improvisation advice to him and adapt it to the upcoming holiday. "Make a plan" (that includes flexibility) Without a plan or some sort of itinerary, everyone will have different expectations but they won't be synced together. This leaves room for disappointment. "You can do…

16Nov 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP217: Teacher Chat about Christmas Music with Anna Fagan and Karen Young

Podcast, Teacher Chat

I know, I know! We just barely got past Halloween; Thanksgiving is still a week away. These poor holidays often get overlooked because retailers have to start getting ready for the next big holiday. Unfortunately, piano teachers have to be thinking ahead too. It's been sounding a lot like Christmas in our studios for a few weeks. Or, if it hasn't yet, it soon will be. Piano parents, get ready for a Christmas music avalanche! Listen in on this week's teacher chat with Anna Fagan and Karen Young as we discuss how we help our students prepare to share music this holiday season. Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Anna FaganAnna Fagan is a vibrant teacher from central Florida. With over 40 years…

09Nov 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP216: Musical Mystery Opus 2, No. 2, “One Night at the Opera”

Music HIstory, Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a musical group who had an unexpected interruption during their performance at the Opera House in the oldest town in Texas. Listen to the full episode here This story is about a mother's desire to give her young sons something productive to do to keep them from getting mixed up with the wrong crowd on the streets of New York. While her plan worked, it didn't turn out exactly the way she might have imagined. Happy Birthday, Minnie! In true Piano Parent fashion, our story today begins with the mother of a group of entertainers. On this day, November 9, 1864, Minnie Shoenberg…

02Nov 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP215: External Motivation to Practice – PIANOVEMBER

Podcast, Practice Challenge

At the beginning of this semester, in August and September, our excitement and enthusiasm for the new school year were high. As October came and went, our school workload got heavier and our schedules got busier; and piano practice became less consistent. Now that November is here, we are full-on in a mid-semester slump. This is true not only for piano kids but also for piano parents. This is the perfect time for a world-wide piano practice challenge. Enter PIANOVEMBER!! Listen to the full episode here You might also enjoy these previous episodes PPP105: The Blessing of Routine PPP126: Building Practice Habits PPP198: The Etching of Character Social Sharables Click an image to share directly to your pinterest account. Download an image to share in your social circles. If the…

26Oct 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP214: LSSL – The Key to Unlocking Key Signatures

Music Theory, Podcast

Over the last few weeks, I've been preparing my students for the Texas Music Teachers Association written theory exam. One of the key concepts that has been difficult for me to teach has been drawing key signatures. I finally discovered a little secret that has been a game-changer for my studio. I thought you might like to hear about it too. Listen to the full episode here Catch the podcast on video https://youtu.be/uGOXHyrKq5U Resources mentioned in today's show Texas Music Teachers Association From the PPP Arvhives: PPP013: Magic Wand, Part 1 PPP023: Magic Wand, Part 2 PPP033: Magic Wand, Part 3 Social Sharables Click an image to share directly to your pinterest account. Download an image to share in your social circles. If the image isn't branded, please link back…

19Oct 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP213: Interleaved Practice (Couldn’t they come up with a better name?)

Podcast, Practice Challenge

I learned a new word this summer. Here is a great definition from the University of Arizona, Academic Affairs "Interleaving is a process where students mix, or interleave, multiple subjects or topics while they study in order to improve their learning. Blocked practice, on the other hand, involves studying one topic very thoroughly before moving to another topic." Listen to the full episode here Interleaved in other academic studies Before we talk about how this works for piano lessons, here are a couple of examples related to school. One article http://pianopracticeassistant.com/interleaved-practice/ I read used learning the state capitals as an example. You could recite 10 times in a row, "Montgomery is the capital of Alabama. Montgomery is the capital of Alabama" and then "Juneau is the capital of Alaska. Juneau is the capital…

12Oct 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP212: The Importance of Note Values – Musical Speech Patterns

Music Theory, Podcast

You may have heard the expression that music is the universal language. I agree. There is an article on Psychologytoday.com that goes into greater detail about what comprises language. I'll link it in the show notes for you. Listen to the full episode here I often equate music reading to reading a book; young students learning to read music is similar to learning to read words. Music is called a language, rightly so. It uses all the elements of language We first become acquainted with the alphabet and what the letters look like. We start to associate a sound with the symbol we see. Early childhood books use simple words in short sentences to help students learn to connect letters into words. Over time, children add more words and sounds…

05Oct 2020 by Shelly Davis

Encore Presentation PPP032: An Interview with my favorite piano parents, Jerry and Patricia Truett (Dedicated to the memory of my mom.)

Parent Interviews, Podcast

Back in March of 2017, I invited my parents, Jerry and Patricia Truett, to interview with me for this podcast. We had a wonderful conversation about my musical journey and how they encouraged and supported me along the way. I knew at the time that this recording would become a treasure, though I hoped it would be many, many years down the road; to be able to hear their voices and laughter again. Though this interview is very personal to me, I believe it will also be helpful to piano parents today. Listen to the full episode here

28Sep 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP211: Just Keep Swimming

Mom to Mom, Podcast

It's been a while since it was just you and me. - all the way back to 203. 7 episodes. We've had some wonderful guests on over the last several weeks but I'm kind of glad to be a little more personal today. I wonder, how are you doing? Really?? I'm a little overwhelmed, honestly. Listen to the full episode here It seems like all my time is obligated, committed, dedicated. To good things: husband, children, parents, teaching To things I've signed up for Time that is no longer "mine" I think this is a common cycle for parents. When I with children, I think of the other things I ought to be doing. When I find time to do something that "I" want to do, I think I'm missing…

21Sep 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP210: Ten Things You Should Know About Copyright

Podcast, Technology, Tenth Episode List

I am not an attorney. Any comments made on the podcast or in the following show notes are my attempt to offer you guidelines for the proper use and purchase of someone else's copyrighted material.It is my utmost desire that we respect and value those people who have the skills and knowledge to produce printed music for our piano kids from which to learn, play, and enjoy. Listen to the full episode here 5 Things you CAN do with copyrighted music 1. Make a copy of a page to eliminate page turns.2. Make a full copy of the entire song that you own to place in a binder (ie for church or weddings). You are also allowed to make copies as a personal backup.3. Upload the score to a tablet…

14Sep 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP209: Good Parent VIBES with School Counselor, Cher Kretz

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Cher Kretz is a Solution Focused Mindset Coach, school counselor, and host of the Parenting 2.0 The Focused Mindset podcast.Cher joins us on the podcast today to help parents touch base with their kids now that we are several weeks into this crazy school year. How are things going at home? Is there anything your kids need to tell you that would help them navigate their school work?Listen to the episode to learn how to create good VIBES for yourself and for your children. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Parenting 2.0 The Focused Mindset PodcastCher's website, The Focused MindsetCher's free VIBES download for Piano Parent Podcast listeners.From the PPP Arvhives:PPP110: Ten Ways to Genuinely Compliment Your Piano Kid Social Sharables Click an image to…

07Sep 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP208: The Perfect Blend of Music and Technology with “Lion Theory” creator, Cameron Dennis

Music Theory, Podcast

On today's show, Cameron Dennis shares his exciting online resource, Lion Theory, which helps students prep for written theory exams. You will also learn about another way your piano kid can use their musical training, blended with technology, to create a valuable career path. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Lion Theory.com Music Teachers Association of California Florida Music Teachers Texas Music Teachers From the PPP Arvhives: PPP200: Ten Common Reasons Students Quit Piano Lessons Social Sharables Click an image to share directly to your pinterest account. Download an image to share in your social circles. If the image isn't branded, please link back to this page and help us spread the word about all the great resources at Piano Parent Podcast. Thank you! Thanks…

31Aug 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP207: Teacher Chat About Church Modes with Jeremy Duck and Travis Lohmann

Music Theory, Podcast, Teacher Chat

Just when you thought you had mastered Major and minor scales, you hear the infomercial announcer say, "What, there's more!" With a collection of 12 tones, you would think the Major and minor scales would have all the bases covered. Today's show shares just a few of the other sounds and possibilities that can come from playing various combinations of those 12 tones. On today's teacher chat, Jeremy Duck and Travis Lohmann share both the historical significance and current practical use of Church Modes, or Gregorian Modes. Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Jeremy Duck Jeremy Duck is currently pursuing the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in piano at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research interests generally center around music composed after World…

24Aug 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP206: “I Wish I Didn’t Quit” author, Nate Holder

Music HIstory, Podcast

I first e-met Nate Holder when I started following him on Instagram. His account shares beautiful pictures of musicians at every level and age.Nate's passion is to broaden the spectrum of music education to include voices from all walks of life. While celebrating the works of traditional classical giants, he also shines a light on lesser-known composers and song writers.Music is a language and it includes many dialects. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Nate Holder MusicFollow Nate on InstagramPre-order your copy of "Why is My Piano Black and White?"The Why BooksDuring our conversation, I thanked Nate for introducing me to Khatia Buniatishvili. Click here to listen to her lovely performance of Lizst's "Hungarian Rhapsody, No. 2."From the PPP Arvhives:PPP010: Ten Ways to Encourage a…

17Aug 2020 by Shelly Davis

Encore Presentation PPP025: Piano Parent Interview with Melissa Cornelison

Mom to Mom, Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

This is an encore presentation of episode 025, an interview with piano parent, Melissa Cornelison. 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…

10Aug 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP205: Marvin Blickenstaff talks about Shaping the Sound

Music Theory, Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Marvin Blickenstaff rightly says, "Music is a lot more than playing the right notes and playing the right rhythm. Music is basically expressive sound. The reason for music's existence is to express who we are as human beings and the feelings that we have as we go through life's journey." Listen to the full episode here Shaping the Sound With all the information composers and publishers place on the music score, there is still much more that goes into shaping the sound to create beautiful, expressive music.Here are a few of the Shaping the Sound Rules of Thumb Marvin mentions on the show.No two notes in a row may sound exactly alike, because if they're alike, they're not doing anything. Students are so focused on playing the correct note at the…

03Aug 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP204: Dr. Kathy Koch Shares Your Piano Kid’s “8 Great Smarts”

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

The first time I heard Dr. Kathy Koch, I was driving my car in Tyler, Texas on my lunch break in the early 2000's. She was on a mid-day radio program speaking about the variety of ways God has fashioned our brains to receive and retain information. From that first encounter, I have become a huge fan of Dr. Kathy. I have read several of her books, listened to her talks out on YouTube, and now follow her podcast. Since the early days of my own podcast, one of my hopes was to one day bring Dr. Kathy on my show so you could hear her inspiring message. Friends, today is that day! Listen to the full episode here The 8 Great Smarts (Summarized because I'd rather you listen to Dr. Kathy's…

27Jul 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP203: What do you expect?

Mom to Mom, Podcast

On our annual road trip this summer to celebrate our anniversary, my husband Duane and I listened to a couple of audio books. We would listen a while and discuss a while. It was an interesting way to learn more about each other and help pass the time driving those long west-Texas miles. One of the books I selected was Gretchen Rubin's book The Four Tendencies. I thought you might enjoy hearing what we thought about the book, and each other's tendency. Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show The Four Tendencies Book Take the Four Tendencies Quiz From the PPP Arvhives: PPP002: The Parent Teacher Relationship PPP180: Ten Ways to Flip the Script, with Kate Webb PPP201: This is a crucial time to talk about…

20Jul 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP202: Let’s Talk About Lead Sheets

Music Theory, Podcast

Summer time is one of my favorite times with students. I still get to see them regularly but our schedule is much more relaxed. We're not aiming for a challenging goal like spring recital or piano festivals and auditions so we can slow down and just enjoy playing the piano. Summer is when students have a little more time to play the music THEY want to play. With the current pandemic, your piano kid may have a little more time on their hands and they may not have been able to see their piano teacher as much as you would like. Getting new music to play can be tricky when you, the parent, aren't sure what to buy and you aren't able to hop in your car and drive to the…

13Jul 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP201: This is a Crucial Time to Talk About Listening | Dorothy Yan

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

When I heard Dorothy Yan present her session about three levels of listening at the 2019 TMTA Convention, I knew we needed to bring her on the show! Now, a year later, our need to listen and learn from others is greater than ever. I am delighted for you to hear everything Dorothy has to share on this episode! Listen to the full episode here Tell us your piano story. Dorothy currently teaches at the Musical Arts Center in San Antonio, Texas as well as the University of Texas at San Antonio but her musical journey started when she was eight years old. Dorothy's wise parents told her they would support her choice to study piano but the decision had to be hers. If she made the decision to study…

06Jul 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP200: Ten Common Reasons Students Quit Piano Lessons

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

I can't tell you how many times adults learn that I teach piano and tell me their sad story of their own lessons as a child. Without fail, they tell me they wish they hadn't quit. This is our opportunity to help our own children reach a different conclusion with their piano studies. Let's talk about why children often quit piano and how we can help them persevere. Listen to the full episode here 10. Middle School When students grow up and gain a little more independence and get involved in extra-curricular activities, piano often gets pushed to the wayside. Adding band or sports in middle school doesn't have to mean the end of piano lessons. In fact, all the training your piano kid has had in piano will help them…

29Jun 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP199: “I Played It Better At Home!” aka The Observer Effect

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

I can't tell you how many times I said those very words to my piano teachers! Even as an adult I would occasionally say, "Seriously, I played it better at home!" The interesting phenomenon of having your actions affected when you know you are being watched is called the Observer Effect. I first learned the name for this when I read Mike Rowe's book, "The Way I Heard It." I'm not affiliated with Mike Rowe or his book or his podcast but am a huge fan! Listen to the full episode here The Observer Effect, as explained through physics I never thought I'd be talking about physics on this piano parent podcast, and the less I say about physics, the better, since I've never studied that topic! I did come…

22Jun 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP198: The Etching of Character

Mom to Mom, Podcast

The word character comes from the Greek Kharakter (kar-ak-Tour) which means to engrave or stamp or brand. Aristotle said the development of character comes from making 1000 choices and then making 1000 choices again. He also said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit." Listen to the full episode here Part of the professional development of the staff at the charter school where I teach includes a wonderful lecture series from Hillsdale College. A primary focus of Hillsdale College and their academies, and the school where I teach is developing character in our students. Some of the character virtues we teach at school are self-control, integrity, honor, gratefulness, compassion, wisdom, humility, justice, and courage. I spotlighted a composer to share with the…

15Jun 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP197: A Broken Arm Doesn’t Have to Mean a Break In Piano Lessons

Teacher Chat

When a student of mine recently broke her elbow, her mother notified me and suggested her older sister double up on lessons for the next few weeks. I offered this mom a compromise; reduced time in lessons for her injured daughter with a book of one-handed piano pieces from my lending library. I wondered how other teachers help piano kids and their parents work through an injury like this and the result is an insightful teacher chat with three teachers. Click here to find other teacher chats. Listen to the full episode here. Resources mentioned in the show Books Melody Bober - Grand One-Hand Solos for Piano Jennifer Eklund - Piano Pronto Publishing Sarah Reaser O'Brien - Staff Identification Pieces Christy Ricker - Hit Singles John Robert Poe - On…

08Jun 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP196: Musical Mystery Opus 2, No. 1 “Yeah, but will they fall for it?”

Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you a Musical Mystery; the lesser known story of someone or something you’ve likely heard about all your life. Listen to the full episode here Today's Musical Mystery started with a song. I only wanted to learn more about the history of a familiar tune but like most good mysteries, my research took me on a journey around the world and introduced me to some very interesting characters along the way. The result is less about the origin of the song and more about three ingenious dreamers who refused to let obstacles get in their way. Commodore Vanderbilt Wood, Jr. Our first dreamer started his career at…

01Jun 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP195: Dr. Heather Nelson Shares How to be Cautiously Creative During This Time of COVID

Mom to Mom, Podcast, Teacher Interviews

During times of crisis, many of us find comfort in gathering together, often singing in worship. Unfortunately, that might not be a good idea right now due to the uncertainty of exactly how COVID is spread and contracted in the community. Dr. Heather Nelson, a vocologist with a PhD in voice pedagogy and voice science shares, her insight into how we can be cautiously creative when it comes to gathering and singing at this time. Listen to the full episode here Singing is a valuable asset for music study Parents can help their piano kids develop a stronger sense of music internally through singing and listening. Use singsong in your conversations. Instead of speaking, sing your words. You may feel silly at first but that's what children love! Call and…

25May 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP194: You’re Awesome, But…

Practicing and Motivation

Read that title again and make sure you don't miss the punctuation! This is not a podcast about our posterior, today's show highlights a philosophy in which we can engage with our piano kids in a positive and constructive way. I recently subscribed to a podcast, Positive University Podcast, by Jon Gordon. My husband suggested an interview on the podcast with Buzz Williams, the Texas A&M Basketball Coach. That interview was awesome so I subscribed to the podcast and have heard many other motivational talks. In today's episode of the Piano Parent Podcast, I am sharing my perspective on Jon Gordon's interview with former NFL quarterback, Trent Dilfer and his coaching philosophy, 'You're Awesome, But..." Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's show Trent Dilfer's NFL career…

20May 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP193: This is a Good Time to Reevaluate Your Home Practice Environment

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

The global shift to online piano lessons has shown piano teachers what's really going on at home. We see the instrument your piano kid is using for practice and we see how they are sitting at the piano. This is a great time for you to take a closer look at your piano or keyboard and notice how your piano kid is sitting at the piano when they practice. Listen to this week's show for tips and suggestions that will not only help your piano kid but will give you bonus points with your piano teacher as well. We've also got some things to look for when you do your online recital video too! Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned on today's show If you are needing to upgrade your…

11May 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP192: These are Difficult Time(Signatures)

Music Theory, Podcast

Time Signature or Meter is a way of measuring time in music. Located at the top left of the music you may be reading, the bottom number indicates the type of note that gets the beat. The top number indicates how many beats are contained in each measure. If you view the time signature like a fraction, the 4/4 time can be considered four quarters; there is the value of four quarter notes in each measure. If only it were as simple as that.... Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned in today's episode Super Metronome Groovebox Pro Metronome Famous Songs in Slightly Odd Time Signatures Spotify Playlists: Songs in 2/4 time Songs in 3/4 or 6/8 time Piano Parent Podcast Episodes: PPP029: Rhythm vs Steady Beat PPP013: Magic…

04May 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP191: May the Fourth be with You – May You be the Force

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Happy Star Wars Day!! Disclaimer: I'm not really a big Star Wars fan but I do love special days to commemorate fun things like Pi Day (3/14) and Piano Day (88th day of the year). Any day is a good day for a celebration! Listen to the full episode here Resources mentioned on today's show Star Wars Day PPP073: A Break in Your Routine is Good Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" New York's Carnegie Hall Opening Day, May 5, 1891 Philippians 4 For true Star Wars fans: From ClassicalMPR - Star Wars Music: What were John Williams' classical influences? Hit Song Deconsructed - Star Wars Main Title Deconstructed Final Thoughts Use this day to search out an unexpected pleasantry. You may have to dig a little bit under all the challenges…

27Apr 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP190: Ten Things You Need to Know about Beethoven’s Für Elise

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

Today is April 27, 2020. Listen to this week's episode to learn why this is the perfect date to learn ten things you should know about Beethoven's Für Elise. Listen to the full episode here 1. Inscribed with a specific date. Dated April 27, 1810 - 210 years ago 2. Please wait before you try to learn to play it. Not a first year piece - Let's just get that out of the way. Parents recognize the first part of this piece and request that their kids learn it. 3. Who was Elise? The mystery of Elise - friend or sweetheart or student of a sweetheart? Elisabeth Rockel - who played Florestan in the 1806 revival of Beethoven's opera Fidelio. She was called "Elise"by a parish priest and had been a…

20Apr 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP189: Take Care of Your Mental Health with Nicole Grant, M.Ed., LPC-S

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Well, it's been over a month since we've all been put into quarantine. At first it felt like an extended spring break. In fact, that's what our school called it, "Take an extra week for spring break." The first week of e-learning and online piano lessons was fun because it was different. Now that we've been doing this for a while, the fun is starting to wear off. It's no longer new and interesting but it is still vital that we stay at home. We all may be feeling more stress than usual under these circumstances so this is a good time to check in with Nicole Grant, a licensed professional counselor. Listen to the full episode here Connect with Nicole You can connect with Nicole and her colleagues at…

13Apr 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP188: The Value of Piano Study (especially during a pandemic)

Mom to Mom, Podcast

You know learning to play the piano is a valuable skill, that's why you signed your child up for piano lessons. However, you may be having second thoughts about continuing lessons while we are all under a quarantine. Is it really worth all the trouble of online lessons with everything else you've got going on? My answer to you is a solid YES! and I'll tell you why in today's episode. Listen to the full episode here The usual suspects You already know the usual reasons for studying piano: eye-hand coordination, self-discipline and patience, enhancement of other academic skills. Here are some past episodes and an article if you'd like a reminder of some of the great skills that accompany learning to play the piano. PPP014: Realistic Goals of Piano…

06Apr 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP187: Parent Chat: Coping with Quarantine with Sanette Brems, Beth Hughes, and Dawn Ivers

Mom to Mom, Parent Interviews, Podcast, Teacher Chat

Up until now, I've been pretty quiet about the COVID-19 pandemic. I was being inundated with information and was feeling a bit overwhelmed and wondered if you might be feeling the same way. Now that we've had some time to adjust and get over the initial upheaval, I think it's a good time to come together to help each other through this tough situation. We have two piano parents on the podcast today to share how they are helping their children deal with uncertainty while helping them build a framework in order to continue their education and recreation while being quarantined at home. Listen to additional teacher chats here. Listen to the full episode here Learn more about our guests Sanette Brems - Mother of six beautiful and talented daughters. Sanette…

30Mar 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP186: Musical Mystery, Opus 1, No. 5, “He Taught Her a Lesson”

Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a simple little song that keeps finding its way to the top of international charts and in the hearts of multiple generations. Listen to the full episode here Have you ever found yourself in an embarrassing situation? Have you ever been caught in a lie? If so, then you can sympathize with one of the characters in today’s story. On the flip side, what would y ou do if you learned someone had lied about you? Would you call them out? Would you ‘teach them a lesson’? Let’s find out what really happened in today’s Musical Mystery, Opus 1, No. 5, “He Taught…

23Mar 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP185: Student Case Study, Chapter 6 aka “A New Reality”

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

Good morning, Piano Parents.Is your mind still reeling from everything that has happened over the last few days?Some of you have been dealing with COVID-19 for much longer. My prayers are with you. While I want to be informed and educated, I already tired of hearing about the Coronavirus so I've gone back and forth about what to talk to you about today. Listen to the full episode here Should I bury my head in the sand and offer you a topic that doesn't even acknowledge what's happening in the world? Should we discuss how everyone is coping with the sudden changes? I think I'll do a little of both. This episode was scheduled to share more about my two students, Ray and Mark (not their real names) They both made big…

16Mar 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP184: Make Music Part of the Rhythm of Your Life with Tony Parlapiano

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Tony Parlapiano is a piano instructor and the creator of popMATICS, a concept based music curriculum that approaches learning by listening and reading through writing. Tony resides in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where he enjoys fancy coffee, playing in spreadsheets, and carries a copy of his birth certificate for anyone who questions the authenticity of his last name. We first chatted with Tony in PPP127: Teacher Chat: Popular Music Styles with Stephen Hughes and Tony Parlapiano and we are delighted to have him back on the show. Listen to the full episode here Tell us your piano story. I was late to the piano. I started with the public school band program in 4th grade. I went to college, thinking I'd become a high school band director. I started playing piano…

09Mar 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP183: Spring 100 Practice Challenge

Podcast, Practice Challenge

Spring is springing around here! Trees are budding. After lots of rain and gray skies, the clouds have parted and we're enjoying blue skies and sunshine. Just like changes in seasons, the practice needs of our piano kids change too. Fall - new school year, reestablish practice habitsWinter holidays - more family time, more opportunities to share the gift of music.Spring - semester winding down, preparing for the big finale Listen to the full episode here “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!” Hunter S. Thompson, American author Let's finish this semester…

02Mar 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP182: Playing Major Scales with One Hand

Music Theory, Practicing and Motivation

Identifying and playing major scales is a "major" part of playing the piano (pun intended). I tend to teach my students about Major Scales when I introduce the Linear Circle of Fifths. I call it a Magic Wand because of all the information it provides students in one easy to remember tool. You can listen to my teaching method of the Magic Wand in a three-part series starting with episode 013 Listen to the full episode here Another tool teachers use to teach Major scales is a formula using whole steps and half steps. A half step is moving from one piano key to the very next key. Starting on C and moving to the black key, C# is a half step. Moving from C# to the white key, D…

24Feb 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP181: Benjamin Steinhardt talks about the Dorothy Taubman Approach to piano playing

Podcast, Teacher Interviews

Benjamin Steinhardt is a well-respected teacher from Connecticut. He places an emphasis on creativity and exploration in his teaching and incorporates concepts from the Taubman Approach among others. In addition to his innovative piano instruction, Benjamin can be heard performing regularly in the New York metro area.Piano Parent Podcast listeners first met Benjamin Steinhardt in our teacher chat about Hanon Exercises (PPP177) and he is back today to dive deeper into his preferred method of piano technique. Listen to the full episode here Tell us your piano story. I began as an older student, closer to 10 years old. A friend left a keyboard at my house and I really got into it.I went from not practicing to practicing and playing a great deal, which lead to two bouts of…

17Feb 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP180: Ten Ways to Flip the Script with Kate Webb

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

Welcome Kate Webb from Kate's Keys Piano Studio! I've been following Kate on Instagram for a while and her posts are always beautifully designed and inspirational for piano students as well as their parents.Lately, Kate has been sharing some posts that have a way of flipping the script on home practice and motivation at the piano so I invited her to share some of her tips with us today. Listen to the full episode here Listen to previous tenth episodes here. 10 Ways to Flip the Script Instead of thinking, "I made so many mistakes", think, "I'm still learning".Instead of thinking, "Are they ahead of me?", try thinking, "What can I celebrate?"Instead of thinking, "This is too much to practice!", try "Let's just see what I can do in 15 minutes.""Practicing…

10Feb 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP179: Nurture vs Organic

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

There are lots of discussions about the Nature vs Nurture comparison. The question comes up often when we consider an adult's choices or actions. Were they just born this way? Were they influenced by their parents, teachers, or classmates? I think that is an interesting topic but it is a much broader scope than what we will cover on today's show. Listen to the full episode here Today, I want to focus specifically on your piano kid's musical journey. Is it happening organically - just go with the flow or are you nurturing it and being intentional to help it grow and develop with your child? Definitions Nurture - the process of caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone or something. This is an expected adjective for…

03Feb 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP178: Mom2Mom Family Mystery Movie Night

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Today's episode is more about parenting and less about piano. Since parenting is better when you and your child have a closer relationship and share things together, I think this episode still fits in with my goal of helping you make the most of piano lessons. We've reinstated something fun in our family that I thought you might enjoy too. That is Family Mystery Movie Night. Listen to the full episode here The "mystery" isn't necessarily the genre of the movie, though it could be if that's something your family enjoys. The mystery is exactly what the feature presentation will be. We used to this when my kids were younger and just got out of the habit over time. Since I've only got a few more years with Tracy being…

27Jan 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP177: Teacher Chat – Hanon Exercises

Podcast, Teacher Chat

In today's teacher chat, Antonio Gandia, Benjamin Steinhardt and I discuss Hanon exercises and other technical aspects of learning to play the piano.Listen to additional teacher chats here. Antonio GandiaAntonio is a multi-instrument teacher in New Jersey. With a background in guitar and bass, along with piano, he offers a wide perspective of technique to his students. Benjamin SteinhardtBenjamin comes to our chat from Connecticut. After working through his own piano injury as a younger student, he works to teach his students the most efficient way to use their bodies when playing the piano. Listen to the full chat here Who was Hanon and why are his exercises so popular? Charles-Louis Hanon (1819-1900) was an organist, teacher, and composer from France. His best known work is his collection of technical…

20Jan 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP176: Musical Mystery Opus 1, No. 4, Chris’ Sister

Music HIstory, Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you a Musical Mystery; the lesser known story of someone or something you’ve likely heard about all your life. Listen to the full episode here I have long said that younger siblings have a huge advantage when they hear their older siblings practice piano. They hear songs before they try to read them or play them. They learn that you have to make a few mistakes before you can master a piece. Because of this, music and learning to play piano seems to come more naturally to little brothers and sisters. I think you will find that to be the case in today’s story about Chris’s…

13Jan 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP175: Student Case Study: Ray, one-year anniversary

Podcast

About a year ago, in episode 135, I introduced you to Ray (not his real name), a brand new student in my studio. Since then, in each episode ending in 5, I've given you an update on how Ray is progressing in his lessons and the things I'm learning as I work with him. In today's episode, we continue the journey as I share some of Ray's goals for the upcoming semester. Listen to the full episode here Making a lateral shift to keep him playing but not necessarily advancing in the method books. As I expected, Ray has rapidly moved forward in his method books until he reached the same level where his brothers stopped. He is still very engaged in piano but doesn't have the advantage of hearing…

06Jan 2020 by Shelly Davis

PPP174: Nicole Douglas shares how we play piano with our brain

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation, Teacher Interviews

It is my joy to bring Nicole Douglas back to the podcast for another insightful interview. We first met Nicole in episode 085. In that interview, Nicole briefly shared some of her research on underlying issues that our piano kids might be dealing with. Today she is back to tells us more.Some people say we play the piano with our hands. Some people say we play with our arms. If you go deeper still, you will see that we play the piano with our brain. So it’s in our best interest to create an environment that works with the brain and not against it. Listen to the full episode here Behavior is a symptom of an underlying belief Generally speaking, we can assume students want to do well. Behavior is…

16Dec 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP173: Highlights from 2019

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Our gift to you - highlights from some of the most downloaded episodes of 2019. We've taken some of the most interesting points from the top episodes and put them all in one place with links to the episodes if you want to dig deeper. Listen to the full episode here PPP133: What's Really Going on When Your Piano Kid Says, "This is too hard!" Doing new things can be challenging for all of us. Piano students are asked to do new things constantly. Once they master one concept, another is given to them without pause. Faced with something new, in this case a new musical concept to master or a new song to play, students have to exert a lot of conscious effort. They have to intentionally think about what…

09Dec 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP172: Scale Degree Names

Music Theory, Podcast

When students learn to play scales, they may associate them with the letters of that scale: CDEFGABC or DEF#GABC#D. Rather than limiting ourselves to a set of letters, pianists need to think in terms of location or functionality of the notes of the scale. They might do that by numbers, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. They might do that by using solfege, a series of syllables to help associate the sounds of the notes of the scale: do re mi fa sol la ti do. You may be familiar with "Do a deer, a female deer..." which Julie Andrews sang in the Sound of Music. As if that weren't enough, every note of the scale has its own name and that is the topic of our discussion…

02Dec 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP171: Listen to your children with Piano Parent, Ashley Smith

Parent Interviews, Podcast

There are many things I enjoy about producing this podcast. I like pushing my comfort zone - a little. I enjoy researching topics and facts to make sure I'm giving you correct information.My absolute favorite thing about producing this podcast is getting to meet so many wonderful people.I was so glad to receive this email from Ashley Smith."Hello Mrs. Shelly, I am a piano parent and an avid listener of your podcasts! I have two daughters, Piper age 3 (future pianist) and Madison age 7 (my current pianist and violinist). They are both informative and entertaining. In a recent podcast, you mentioned that you have not had a parent interview recently and you encouraged your listeners to email you if interested in the opportunity to be interviewed. Well... It would be such an…

25Nov 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP170: TLC for Your Piano in Winter

Podcast, Tenth Episode List

Winter is just around the corner. With colder temperatures comes less humidity and more concentrated germs. Today's list offers ten tips for caring for yourself as well as your piano this time of year. Listen to the full episode here Listen to more tenth episode lists here. Ten Tips for caring for yourself and your piano during the winter season Keep your hands clean - THE number one way to prevent the spread of germs is to wash your hands, often.Keep the tissues handy - clean piano keys after each use, especially if your piano is shared by multiple players. Use Norwex or Microfiber cloth. (Listen to PPP059 for more information from my piano tuner.)Turn on the humidifier - good for your nasal passages and skin, good for the wood…

18Nov 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP169: Our Children Believe What We Tell Them

Mom to Mom, Podcast

Today's episode was inspired by a quote I read in a book by or about Garry Marshall. I even took a picture of the quote but, of course, can't find the picture. It was a picture of his grandfather waving outside an apartment window. Garry said, "My grandfather told me I was funny and I believed him." Listen to the full episode here If you're familiar with Garry Marshall, you may be as big a fan as I am. If you've not familiar with Garry Marshall, he directed several TV sitcoms in the 1970's. The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Mork & Mindy. He also directed many romantic comedy movies like Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries. I remember reading his book but I really remember that quote about the impact…

11Nov 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP168: You Cannot Learn to Play Piano in 30 Minutes Per Week

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

I was reminded recently that parents need to be reminded to encourage their children to practice at home. I have the privilege of teaching music part-time at a charter school near me and my third graders are starting to play recorder. The kids and I meet only one day each week and that is only for 30 minutes. I told the students, "You cannot learn to play recorder in only 30 minutes per week. If you don't practice at home, you will be confused in class and will quickly fall behind." The same thing is true for piano students. They cannot learn to play the piano in 30 minutes or even 60 minutes per week. Though most piano students have their teacher's undivided attention, they will still be confused and less…

04Nov 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP167: Our Kids Will Lie to Us

Mom to Mom, Podcast

I don't mean that title to sound as harsh as it does but I couldn't think of another way to say it. As a matter of self-preservation I believe we are all capable of lying or only telling enough of the truth to make things easier on ourselves. Our children and teens are no different. In fact, they haven't had the opportunity to learn from this mistake so they are likely to try it even more often and with more confidence. Listen to the full episode here I don't know many people, especially young people, who really latch on to responsibility and accountability. These things tend to come about through maturity and learning the consequence of lack of responsibility and accountability or the positive results that accompany being responsible and…

28Oct 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP166: Musical Mystery Opus 1, No. 3 “A Simple Little Song”

Music HIstory, Musical Mystery, Podcast

In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a simple little song that keeps finding its way to the top of international charts and in the hearts of multiple generations. Listen to the full episode here This story is about a simple love song, but not the typical kind of love that you might be imaging. It doesn’t tell the story of romantic love that was doomed to fail, nor does it carry any of the harsh feelings that often accompany a breakup. It’s a song about love that is whole-hearted but definitely not unconditional. It’s also a kind of David and Goliath story but by the end of the story…

21Oct 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP165: Student Case Study, Ray, Chapter 4

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation

In these episodes which end with five (155, 145, 135) we are following the journey of a typical student as he learns to read music and play the piano. This student, I'm calling him Ray, began lessons with me in January of 2019. His older brothers studied with me a few years ago and I am delighted to be working with him.When we last shared Ray's story, he had just begun learning the pieces in the Piano Adventures Method book 2A. Listen to the full episode here Lesson 10 Ray has been eager to get to the Level 2B book, where his brothers left off. I don't know if he just likes those songs better or if he wants to catch up with his brothers but he has been highly…

14Oct 2019 by Shelly Davis

PPP164: PIANOVEMBER 2019

Podcast, Practice Challenge

This is the fifth year of the PIANOVEMBER Practice Challenge! As I was thinking about what to share in this episode, I was thinking about practice and how we can motivate our children and students to put in the time and discipline to practice. There is a quote often attributed to Julie Andrews (who celebrated her 84th birthday on October 1st) "Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong." Listen to the full episode here As I was researching that quote, I stumbled upon a book called, "Psychology for Musicians" written by Percy C. Buck, Professor at the Royal College of Music in London. I love the dedication page he wrote, "Dedicated to the innumerable pupils who have passed through my classes at the…