TopMusic Piano Podcast

Sometimes I wonder if we get so focused on goals, repertoire, and achievement that we miss the bigger picture of why we teach music in the first place. In this episode, we're talking about what it means to create truly musical students, why collaborative experiences matter, and how the journey of learning may be more important than any destination we imagine for our students. Rachel challenged teachers to rethink what success in music lessons really means.She used the metaphor of a bus journey to illustrate different teaching approaches.Why the journey of learning is more important than a final destination.How creative activities build deeper musicianship.The value of movement, exploration, and play in lessons was emphasized.Rachel explained how collaborative activities strengthen multiple musical skills at once.How conducting, echo games, and singing support overall musicianship.She encouraged teachers to use duet playing as more than just a performance activity.How collaborative skills open lifelong musical opportunities for students.Rachel reminded teachers that the goal is to create lifelong music makers who find joy in music. Links Mentioned TMPP 115: Sight-Reading and Collaborative Skills for Young Learners with Jenna BraaksmaFree Resource:A Piano Teacher's Guide to Collaboration About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

Helping students become confident sight readers and collaborative musicians starts much earlier than many teachers realize. In this episode, Dr. Jenna Braaksma shares practical strategies for developing sight-reading and collaborative skills in young learners through games, improvisation, duets, and ensemble experiences that build listening, communication, and musical awareness from the very first lesson. Jenna explained how previewing patterns and hand positions improves sight reading.The value of recognizing intervals, chord shapes, and progressions quickly.How strong sight readers connect visual, auditory, and physical responses together.Why scales and arpeggios support faster pattern recognition.The benefits of sight-reading games for developing keyboard awareness.How scrolling sight-reading apps help students keep their eyes moving forward.Jenna recommended rhythm and sight-reading apps for different skill levels.Why collaborative piano helps students build listening and communication skills.The value of collaborative experiences for reducing isolation in piano study.How teacher-student duets build ensemble awareness from the first lesson.Jenna shared collaborative activities that work within one-on-one lessons.The benefits of call-and-response games and improvisation activities.Why collaborative and solo piano skills should be developed together.How pairing students for duets builds accountability and teamwork.How studio classes can encourage collaborative learning.Why duet repertoire should be slightly easier than solo repertoire.Jenna recommended beginner-friendly duet books and trio repertoire.The value of starting collaborative piano experiences at a young age. Links Mentioned Get your TopMusicLive 2026 On Demand Pass here.Rosamund Conrad's BooksRayan's Duet BookFairyland in TrebleCelebrated Piano Duets by Robert D. VandallMasterwork Classics DuetsTunes for My Piano Trio 1A Tableau Of Piano Trios for Piano, Violin & Violincello Today's Guest Dr. Jenna Braaksma is Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado, where she teaches collaborative piano, class piano, and piano pedagogy courses. She also advises graduate assistants and serves as a collaborative pianist for faculty and guest artist performances. A dedicated educator, Dr. Braaksma brings a wealth of experience from applied studios, secondary schools, and higher education institutions. Prior to working at UNC, Dr. Braaksma served as Class Piano Coordinator and Instructor in the Piano Pedagogy Laboratory Program at the University of Michigan. She has also held faculty positions at Buena Vista University and Dordt University. An active collaborative pianist, adjudicator, and researcher, Dr. Braaksma regularly presents at regional, state, and national conferences. Her research focuses on collaborative piano pedagogy, functional piano skills for music educators, and visuo-motor coordination in sight-reading development. Her work has appeared in American Music Teacher, the MTNA e-journal, Iowa Music Educator Magazine, ArkMEA e-journal, and National Center for Keyboard Pedagogy Conference Proceedings. Dr. Braaksma holds a PhD in Music Education with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University, dual master’s degrees from the University of Missouri, and a Bachelor of Music from Iowa State University. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

Makeup lessons are one of the most debated topics in piano teaching, and finding a system that actually works can feel overwhelming. Today, we welcome bacl Jaclyn Mrozek on the show to talk about her approach to asynchronous lessons, how she replaces traditional makeup lessons, and why this flexible system can save time while still providing value for students and families. Jaclyn shared how she no longer offers traditional makeup lessons in her studio.She explained how she builds missed lessons into her annual tuition structure.How asynchronous lessons replace live makeup lessons during unexpected disruptions.She highlighted how asynchronous lessons save time for both teachers and families.Jaclyn described how she uses a mix of videos, checklists, and resources for lessons.How younger students can use generalized, bulk lesson content.The importance of keeping asynchronous lessons simple and flexible.Jaclyn described how she builds a reusable library of lesson content over time.How using YouTube unlisted links simplifies video sharing.She emphasized adapting lessons for individual student needs when necessary.She encouraged teachers to focus on value rather than strict one-to-one lesson time. Links Mentioned Get your TopMusicLive 2026 On Demand Pass here.Jaclyn's website:The Scrappy Piano TeacherJaclyn's podcast:The Scrappy Piano Teacher PodcastJaclyn's Instagram page:@jaclynmrozek_pianoJaclyn's Facebook page:www.facebook.com/ScrappyPianoTeacher Today's Guest Jaclyn Mrozek is a piano teacher, studio owner, and host of The Scrappy Piano Teacher podcast. She supports independent music teachers with practical business resources, creative teaching materials, workshops, masterminds, and cohorts designed to help them solve studio problems and build sustainable teaching businesses. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

So many music teachers are incredibly skilled at what they do, but feel unprepared for everything that comes with running a studio. In this episode, w’re talking with Nathalie Simper about developing a CEO mindset as a music teacher, and how confidence, systems, and entrepreneurship can help you build a studio that truly supports your life. Nathalie shared how musicians follow a traditional path but feel unprepared for real-world careers.How shifting from “musician” to “music entrepreneur” changed her perspective.She introduced the CEO mindset framework: confidence, entrepreneurship, and opportunity.The importance of confidence in both teaching skills and personal identity.How entrepreneurship skills are essential for running a studio.Nathalie explained how viewing your studio as a business supports long-term success.She encouraged teachers to seek out business skills even if they feel unfamiliar.How opportunity comes from staying open to growth and new directions.Nathalie shared how early teaching setups often lack structure and systems.Why systems should be implemented even with just a few students.How disorganized systems can lead to burnout as studios grow.She described how automation and recurring payments simplify studio management.Nathalie emphasized that saving time on admin creates more space for teaching.She encouraged teachers to set boundaries that support their energy and wellbeing.How rates should reflect both income needs and value provided.She encouraged teachers to design studios that align with their desired lifestyle. Links Mentioned Get your TopMusicLive 2026 On Demand Pass here.Lessons: A Modern Guide to the Business of Teaching Music by Eric Branner Guest Links Nathalie's podcast:The Limitless Musician PodcastNathalie's Instagram page:@thelimitlessmusicianFreebies for Music Teachers:www.kecreative.com/freebiesThe Musician’s Real-World Survival Guide (Free Resource) Today's Guest Nathalie Simper is a flutist, private studio owner, and music entrepreneur in North Georgia. She got the music performance degrees and did all the “right things” to build a music career, but still struggled to fill in what wasn’t taught in music school. After learning things through trial and error, she finally decided to invest in the perspective of being a music entrepreneur instead of “just a musician.” Fast forward a few years, and Nathalie has embraced the non-musical things about being a classical musician, using her own failures and successes to support her fellow music entrepreneurs through The Limitless Musician! About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

Teaching preschool students can feel both magical and intimidating, especially if you’re used to more structured, one-on-one lessons. In this episode, we're chatting with Laura Kahar to talk about teaching under fives, creating playful learning environments, and what it really looks like to build strong musical foundations from the very beginning. We also dive into the energy and impact of TopMusicLive and why events like this matter so much for teachers. Laura shared how teaching young children transformed her understanding of music learning.She explained how small group learning helps preschoolers learn from each other.The importance of creating a playful and pressure-free learning environment.How young children respond naturally to music as a first language.Laura emphasized that teaching under fives is about immersion rather than instruction.Why teachers should follow the child’s lead instead of rigid lesson plans.Laura encouraged teachers to embrace flexibility and improvisation in lessons.She introduced her HEPO framework: hear it, experience it, play it, own it.How movement and rhythm should come before playing the piano.She described how short, varied activities support young learners’ attention spans.Laura explained how progress with young children happens gradually and unexpectedly.She emphasized focusing on growth moments rather than measurable outcomes.Laura reflected on the energy and connection experienced at TopMusicLive.How the event provided reassurance and reduced feelings of isolation.She highlighted the value of community and collaboration for piano teachers.She encouraged teachers to attend conferences for inspiration, learning, and connection. Links Mentioned Laura's Instagram page:@pocketmusicmamaLaura's website:www.musicnme.com.auGet your TopMusicLive 2026 On Demand Pass here. Today's Guest Laura Kahar doesn’t just teach music. She redefines how it’s experienced. Founder of 'Music N Me' in Sydney, Australia, she brings over 20 years of music education to designing creative, connected music learning ecosystems. She trains educators globally and consults across studios and early childhood centres, shifting how music is taught and creating learning that truly connects. When not immersed in music education, you’ll find her chasing waves around the world and adventuring through life with her son. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL