The TopCast: The Official Music Teachers' Podcast

424: Creative Rote Teaching with TopMusicSheets Composer Laura Abshier


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Too often, rote teaching is dismissed as basic or shallow. But in this episode with Laura Abshier, you’ll never see it the same way again. As one of our TopMusicSheets composers, Laura brings a fresh, imaginative approach to beginner teaching that's grounded in Music Learning Theory. We're going to explore her collection, learn how she uses movement, singing, and improvisation, and discover just how rich rote-based learning can be for young students.
  • Laura shared her experience designing creative, beginner-friendly rote pieces.
  • She explained how Music Learning Theory (MLT) shapes her composing and teaching.
  • The role of movement, singing, and aural prep before notation.
  • The importance of using simple rhythmic patterns in early pieces.
  • She explained the use of call-and-response formats and fist pieces for young learners.
  • Improvisation was highlighted as an essential, not optional part of the learning process.
  • Laura demonstrated multiple pieces and how to unpack and teach each one.
  • She encouraged teachers to reframe rote learning as deep, musical engagement.
  • How these pieces can spark student creativity and compositional thinking.

  • Freebie for Podcast Listeners
    • Download your Free Beginner Piece Variations - 30 ideas for your students to create variations of their pieces.

    • Links Mentioned
      • Laura's Website: Piano Artistry Studio
      • Laura's Music Cllections: PianoArtistryStudio.com/roots/
      • Laura's YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@RootsMusic88
      • Find out more about TopMusicSheets here.

      • Today's Guest
        Laura Abshier enjoys the art of teaching and seeks to give engaging, systematic, and creative instruction to her piano students. She and her husband currently maintain a private piano studio, where her niche is teaching younger beginners. She has developed five rote collections over the past eight years. As a teacher of beginners, Laura recognized a need for engaging yet pedagogical pieces created specifically for young (and very young!) students. Laura earned her Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy at the University of Missouri, studying under Dr. Peter Miyamoto, and her Bachelor of Arts in Music at Millikin University, studying with Dr. Ronald YaDeau.
        Today's Sponsor
        Just a year ago, the German music publisher Bärenreiter celebrated its 100th anniversary. The story began modestly, with editions of folk songs and church music produced by the young founder, Karl Vötterle, in his parents’ living room. But the publishing house quickly expanded.
        After the Second World War, Bärenreiter increasingly focused on scholarly-critical editions, growing into one of the world’s leading classical music publishers. While the company’s early Urtext publications centered on Mozart, Bach, and Schubert, its catalogue now includes over 10,000 titles, featuring works by composers such as Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Ravel, Satie, and many others.
        Bärenreiter's Urtext editions are prepared by renowned musicologists, with no effort spared in locating and evaluating all available sources. But providing a reliable musical text is only part of the mission. Each edition also includes prefaces and commentaries that explore the genesis of the works and address questions of performance practice. This enables musicians to place each composition in its historical context and develop a deeper understanding of the composer’s intentions.
        Find out more about Bärenreiter here.
        Thank you for tuning in!
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        The TopCast: The Official Music Teachers' PodcastBy Tim Topham

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