All Keyed Up

In this episode, Samantha Coates discusses teaching by rote. Topics discussed include the definition of rote teaching, the common criticisms it receives, its relationship to teaching by ear, the overlap between learning music and language acquisition, what makes a great rote piece, how her BlitzBooks series integrates rote teaching with reading teaching, and strategies for teaching rote pieces effectively.

Samantha's rote pieces are available at BlitzBooks Rote Repertoire, and all listeners can receive 20% off anything at the site with the coupon code BEN20. She has also written several blog posts about the topic of rote teaching.

This episode is sponsored by TopMusic, the global hub for piano teachers looking to connect, learn and grow, and be challenged in both their teaching and studio businesses. Listeners who wish to join the TopMusicPro community can enjoy 25% off their membership with the coupon code "benpodcast".

In this episode, Tonya Lawson discusses options of additional income streams for piano teachers beyond teaching income. Topics discussed include why it's advantageous to have multiple income streams as a piano teacher, even if you're in a situation where you currently live comfortably from your teaching income alone. Then we went through various topics related to income streams: website optimization and SEO, hybrid lessons, running ads, affiliate marketing, and creating courses.

Links to resources mentioned

Ad Management: Ezoic, Mediavine, AdThrive
Affiliate Marketing: Amazon Affiliate Program, Sheet Music Plus Affiliate Program
Tonya's Courses: Passive Income Academy, Zero to Waitlist, Free Training

Anyone who enters the code allkeyedup10 at checkout can save 10% off of both of Tonya's courses as well as her coaching services.

This episode is sponsored by TopMusic, the global hub for piano teachers looking to connect, learn and grow, and be challenged in both their teaching and studio businesses. Listeners who wish to join the TopMusicPro community can enjoy 25% off their membership with the coupon code "benpodcast".

In this solo episode, Ben Kapilow offers 10 strategies for working with students who never or rarely practice. This list includes a combination of strategies he has arrived at through trial and error as a piano teacher, as well as strategies learned from the guests who have appeared on All Keyed Up.

Heidi Begay, Jaime Slutzky, and Ben Kapilow discuss how and why to start a music teaching podcast. Topics discussed include the advantages of starting your own podcast, from what equipment you need, how to create an RSS feed, coming up with a concept, finding your niche, marketing, and monetization.

Noa Kageyama, performance psychologist and faculty at the Juilliard School, offers thoughts on stage fright and performance anxiety. Topics discussed include the relationship between stage fright and performance quality, the advantages children receive from working through stage fright, how to prepare to combat stage fright in the weeks leading up to a performance, what to do at the moment of the performance, and the relationship between anxiety and excitement and how teachers can use this relationship to their advantage."

Jonny May, pianist and educator with over 250,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 10,000 students currently taking his online piano classes, discusses strategies for teaching improvisation to piano students. He also talks about the entrepreneurial thinking behind his digital content and offers advice for other teachers who want to reach larger audiences with their resources.

Jeremy Siskind, two-time laureate of the American Pianists Association and the winner of the Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition, offers guidance to piano teachers and students who are interested in adding jazz music to their arsenal. Topics discussed include the relationship between classical and jazz music, how studying jazz music can benefit classical musicians, listening assignments, sequences for learning jazz improvisation, and common mistakes when playing pieces written in a jazz style. Jeremy has self-published two instructional books about jazz piano: Playing Solo Jazz Piano and Jazz Piano Fundamentals.

In a solo episode, Ben Kapilow discusses 10 creative and engaging ways to introduce pieces to piano students. Many of these teaching strategies have been discussed by guests on All Keyed Up, and those interviews are brought up throughout the solo episode. These 10 ways are contrasted with 2 ways of introducing pieces that, while common, are perhaps not so engaging.

Chenoa Murphy discusses black representation in classical music. Topics discussed include colorblindness, scarcity versus abundance mindsets, diversifying private studios, an inside-out approach to DEI, the anxiety that many white teachers face on teaching issues surrounding race, historical and present-day black involvement in classical music.

In the interview, Chenoa offered many recommendations of piano pieces by black composers, which piano instructors can consider both for their own playing and/or their students: Sonata in E Minor by Florence Price, Piano Concerto in One Movement by Florence Price, 24 Negro Melodies by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Adoration by Florence Price (adapted for piano). She also recommended the following resources: Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Piano Music by African American Composers, and Music by Black Composers.

Tessa Grigg, Anne Katherine Davis, and Jason Sifford discuss teaching rhythm and pulse. Topics discussed include rhythmic development in infancy, Gordon's Music Learning Theory, movement activities, Dalcroze, rhythmic literacy and sequencing, backing tracks and other supplemental aids, the difference between groove and pulse, repertoire selection, and We Don't Talk About Bruno.