Piano Teaching Success Podcast

The children sitting in front of you right now have brains that work entirely differently to the way they did just a few years ago. They’re living in a world where information is accessible at all times. 

In this podcast episode, Anita Collins says this will require us, as humans, to evolve. She talks about how we can work with devices and addiction withdrawal and other experiences kids need in their lives that balance the digital world they’re living in. 

This is why music is so important for kids right now. 

Listening to this episode will help you understand where kids are at and where learning experiences are going. 

If you’ve been worried about AI or digital apps taking over the music world, this episode will help you stay open minded to evolve and use tech in a way that supports our lives. 

Dr. Anita Collins is one of the world's leading researchers in brain development and music learning. She's the author of The Music Advantage, the creator of Bigger Better Brains, and she has spent years translating complex neuroscience into language that teachers, parents, and policymakers can actually use.

This conversation goes deep into what's actually happening in the brains of this generation of students, why it matters, and why music learning is uniquely placed to give children the very thing their devices are taking away.

This one will change how you see your work.

In this episode, you'll discover:

About Dr. Anita Collins

Dr. Anita Collins is an internationally recognised researcher, educator, and writer in the field of brain development and music learning. She is the author of The Music Advantage and the creator of the Bigger Better Brains programme. Her TED talks and research have reached educators and parents around the world.

Anita’s Program: biggerbetterbrains.com

Anita’s Book: The Music Advantage 

Anita’s TED Talk: The Benefits of Music Education 

Resources

🎁 Free Download — The Real Secret to Keeping Piano Students Engaged Practical strategies to keep your students motivated, progressing, and loving their lessons. 👉 Download free here → https://www.pianoteachingsuccess.com/lm-keeping-students-engaged-guide

Support the Podcast 

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It helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported.

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"I'd love to teach groups, but my studio's not big enough." If you've ever said or thought your space wouldn’t work for groups, this episode is for you.

In reality, you probably don't need a bigger space. You just need to see what's actually possible.

In this episode, we take you inside the real teaching spaces of Group Piano University graduates from around the world — from home studios and church halls to school classrooms, community music centres, and small commercial spaces.

Real- life GPU grads join us in this conversation!

And what they show you is surprising and impressive. 

(01:36) Why space doesn’t have to keep you stuck

(02:30) Why starting small (3-4 students) completely changes your income in the long-run

(05:18) Actual school classrooms. See how Vanessa, Melody, and Margie have made this work beautifully

(09:46) Church halls & the unexpected benefits you wouldn't think of

(11:28) Small commercial spaces — for teachers with bigger dreams (Lorraine in Malta, Sarah in Sydney, Kate in California)

(14:23) Home studios — how four grads have transformed their own spaces

If you’re curious about group piano teaching, we’ve created a free training video that walks you through the structure behind successful group classes.

🎥 How to Run Professional Group Piano Classes (Without Chaos or Compromise)

 Get the free video training here →

👉 Watch it here.

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you would:

⭐ Subscribe

⭐ Rate

⭐Leave a quick review

It helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported.

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What does it actually look like to transition from a full private lesson schedule to a group piano studio, in real life, in under a year?

In this episode, I sat down with Caelyn, a young piano teacher from Wisconsin, who completed Group Piano University just nine months ago and has already transformed her studio, and her lifestyle, in ways she never knew were possible. 

And now? She’s actually wondering what to do with her freed up time. 

I hope you love this episode as this inspiring GPU grad walks us through step by step how she went from a maxed out schedule, to a thriving group piano studio. 

She also reveals how she’s expanding even further to build the music school she's always envisioned.

This is a real, honest, inspiring, and funny conversation about what's possible. I hope you love it! 

Gillian x

(00:00) Why Caelyn decided she didn't want a studio full of private lessons, and what she did about it

(04:20) How she went from 50 private students to 70 students (50 in groups) in under a year

(08:10) How she launched her first group of six students and why that first mum brought four friends along

(13:45) The surprising reason groups work better for Caelyn 

(18:30) The mindset challenges of introducing groups

(22:00) What she noticed musically about her group students 

(27:15) Her exciting plans for the next stage of growth 

(31:00) Her advice for any teachers interested in starting groups 

If you’re curious about group piano teaching, we’ve created a free training video that walks you through the structure behind successful group classes.

🎥 How to Run Professional Group Piano Classes (Without Chaos or Compromise)

 Get the free video training here →

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you would: 

⭐ Subscribe 

⭐ Rate 

⭐ Leave a quick review

It helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported.

Spotify | Apple | YouTube Video | YouTube Audio | iHeart | Amazon | Goodpods | Pocket Casts

Inside The Studio, you'll find: a huge library of lesson-ready resources, including essential backing tracks practical Whole Body Learning strategies monthly masterclasses (live + replay) downloadable handouts up-to-the-minute teaching insights a supportive, nurturing community of piano teachers around the world

👉 Discover The Studio

When thinking about group piano, many teachers get stuck on one big question:
“How do I teach pieces to multiple students at the same time?”

Because in private lessons, we naturally adapt to each individual student. But in a group setting, that approach simply doesn’t work.

So what’s the solution?

In this episode, we show you the exact model we’ve used successfully for over 30 years to teach pieces in group piano classes — in a way that works for every learner in the room.

You’ll discover how combining multi-sensory learning and lesson structure allows students to learn faster, feel more confident, and succeed when they get to the piano.

We also take you inside real group classes so you can actually see how this works in action.

(02:26) Snippet of a Piece called Snowstorm for Early-Intermediate Students
(02:50) How to Teach Pieces to Several Students at the Same Time
(03:40) The Pedagogy Behind Teaching Groups
(04:10) Snippet of a Piece called Creepy Colin, Pre-Learning Activity
(06:30) Auditory, Visual, and Kinaesthetic Learning Explained
(10:30) Why Singing Matters
(11:26) The Role of the Teacher so Group Lessons are Seamless

If you’ve ever thought, “I just don’t see how to teach pieces in a group…” this episode will give you a clear, practical pathway forward.

If you’re curious about group piano teaching, we’ve created a free training video that walks you through the structure behind successful group classes.

🎥 How to Run Professional Group Piano Classes (Without Chaos or Compromise)

 Get the free video training here →

Watch/listen on your favourite platform:
Spotify | Apple | YouTube Video | YouTube Audio | iHeart | Amazon | Goodpods | Pocket Casts

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d be so grateful if you would:

⭐ Subscribe
⭐ Rate
⭐ Leave a quick review

It helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported.

 When thinking about starting groups many teachers get caught up in the “How will I do this?” question but what they should really be asking themselves is

What is important to me musically and professionally? 

In other words, what do you want for your students and yourself from adding groups to your teaching?

And that’s where the principle of “Beginning with the end in mind” made famous by Stephen Covey in his book “Habits of Highly Effective People” comes into play.

Adding groups to your studio can be one of the most powerful ways to teach music but choosing the right format, one that gives both you and your students what you want is key.

In this episode we share how our single level curriculum has enabled us to keep students long term in groups sharing footage of a group of teens who started in groups at 4 or 5 and how they are best of friends - still learning in groups.

Enjoy a peek into our world with real-life examples of groups in action. 

See the lasting friendships, performance skills, and strong musical skills students can achieve almost effortlessly in groups.

(00:00) How thinking about your ultimate goals or learning outcomes is the best place to start
(01:30) Our now teenage students share what they love about groups
(03:30) Our Ultimate Goals - give students musical like skills
(05:20) How the soft outcomes of learning with others -  peer motivation and long-term friendships
(09:10) Differences between private & group lessons
(10:40) The staggering differences between novice and expert group piano teachers
(15:10) Live group lesson in action - watch how the lesson flows

If you’ve ever wondered how teachers run group piano lessons that are structured, musical, and engaging — without chaos, this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d be so grateful if you would:

⭐ Subscribe
⭐ Rate
⭐ Leave a quick review

It helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported.

Or Listen|Watch on Your Favourite Platform

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If you’re curious about group piano teaching, we’ve created a free training video that walks you through the structure behind successful group classes.

🎥 How to Run Professional Group Piano Classes (Without Chaos or Compromise)

 Get the free video training here →

What’s the one teaching tool master piano teachers have used for decades - but many teachers forget about, underuse, or even feel slightly guilty about? 

It’s using music to teach music.

In this episode, we unpack why fully-orchestrated backing tracks may be the most powerful - and most under-utilised - teaching tool available today.

We share the story of how we “stumbled” across this approach… and why modern technology has finally made this accessible and transformative for teachers everywhere.

You’ll learn why backing tracks are your active teaching partner! And how to use them effectively. 

(00:00) The Teaching Tool Master Teachers Have Always Used (But Most Forget)

(01:00) What “Using Music to Teach Music” Really Means

(06:11) The Skills that Happen as a Natural Consequence of Backing Tracks

(06:45) Why Back Tracks Never Really Took Off 

(08:07) 8 Reasons Why Backing Tracks are the Greatest Undiscovered Teaching Tool 

(08:33) Snowstorm - Our Multi-meter Piece in ⅞

(13:50) Video Sample of Forte Group Class Doing Chunk Learning 

Once you realise that using backing tracks isn’t “cheating”, you’ll open up a whole new world that makes teaching fun, effortless, modern, and powerful! Listen to the episode to discover all the benefits.

📝 Download the 1-Page Teaching with Tracks Handout

If this episode shifted your thinking, we’d be so grateful if you would:

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⭐ Rate
⭐ Leave a quick review

It helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported.

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Inside The Studio, you’ll find:

👉 Discover The Studio

Why do some students struggle to play in time — even when they can count perfectly? In this episode, we unpack one of the most fundamental (and overlooked) skills in piano teaching: beat.

We explore why beat is the foundation of all music, why rhythm can’t exist without it, and why counting alone doesn’t always help.

You’ll discover why beat is something students need to feel, not calculate - and how it helps at every level. We also demonstrate one of our favourite Whole Body Learning beat activities, Shark Shark.

(00:00) Why Beat Is the Most Important Skill in Music (And Why It’s Often Missed)

(01:32) Why Counting Alone Doesn’t Guarantee Playing in Time

(02:50) Why Beat Is a Feeling — Not a Mathematical Process

(03:37) How One Simple Activity Can Build Beat, Reading, Creativity, and Awareness

(06:16) How Beat Supports Sight-Reading, Ensemble Playing, Focus, and Musical Confidence

Access the Shark Shark activity below to help students develop creativity, improvisation, reading stamina, and a deeper connection to music.

Podcast resources are available on the Piano Teaching Success website. Simply log in via the link below to access

📝 Get the Shark Shark beat activity

If you’re a PTS Studio member, simply log in ➤ ⁠Access goodies instantly⁠ 

New to Piano Teaching Success? ➤ ⁠Register and download⁠ 

Never miss an episode →

If you loved this episode and enjoyed the Shark Shark download, please click subscribe and like on your favourite platform - it helps more piano teachers discover this work and feel supported. 🎉

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Inside The Studio, you’ll find:

Have you ever felt frustrated when students come back to lessons unable to remember what you worked on the week before - even when you know you taught it clearly?

In this episode, we explore why this happens - and why it has very little to do with how much students practise. Instead, we reveal the 3 M’s, and show how mixing these three elements helps students remember, feel confident, and make progress even in today’s busy world.

This episode will completely reframe how you think about learning, memory, and practice.

(Plus a few giggles — and an unexpected craving for pepperoni pizza and hot cross buns.)

Podcast resources are available on the Piano Teaching Success website. Simply log in via the link below to access The Podcast Goodies.

📝 Download the 3 M’s Handout
If you’re a PTS Studio member, simply log in and ➤ Access goodies instantly New to Piano Teaching Success? ➤ Register and download

Listen/Watch on:

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Inside The Studio, you’ll find:

👉 [Discover The Studio]

Have you ever watched a piano student’s eyes glaze over — even though they’re “doing the work”?

In this episode, Gillian and Paul unpack groundbreaking neuroscience research that explains why this happens — and what actually helps students learn faster, retain more, and enjoy lessons again.

We explore Dr Stanislas Dehaene’s Four Pillars of Learning and show exactly how they apply to modern piano teaching through the Whole Body Learning (WBL) approach.

(00:00) Why students’ eyes glaze over and how to maintain their attention

(01:12) How the brain learns best and how to use this to your advantage

(02:25) Why passive learning doesn’t work in piano lessons and what to do instead

(03:35) Why students keep coming back with the same mistakes and what to do about it

(04:40) How students can make progress even if they don't practice

Podcast resources available on the Piano Teaching Success website. 

Simply log in via the link below to access The Podcast Goodies. 

Dehaene’s Four Pillars of Learning (visual/model)

Have you tried Cha Cha Cha with your students? 

If you’re a PTS Studio member, simply log in and ➤ Access goodies instantly 

New to Piano Teaching Success? ➤ Registration and download

We have a small favour to ask - If you loved listening to the latest neuroscience and helpful hacks for teaching piano to today's kids, please click subscribe and like on your favourite platform so our podcast can reach more teachers just like you.

We’d be so grateful if you would:
⭐ subscribe
⭐ rate and
⭐ leave a quick review
…it helps more teachers find this work and feel supported.

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Want More Done-For-You Whole Body Learning Resources?

Discover The Studio

In this episode, we unpack the real challenges today’s piano teachers face in an AI-driven, distraction-heavy world:

Find out how Whole Body Learning (WBL), our neuroscience-backed teaching approach can cut through digital overload and transform engagement from the very first lesson. 

You’ll learn how WBL works, why it boosts memory and focus, and how one simple beginner piece, Cha Cha Cha, can be layered for learners of all ages to build technique, confidence and instant success. 

Try Cha Cha Cha for yourself 

Already registered with Piano Teaching Success? ➤ Access instantly

Not registered with Piano Teaching Success then ➤ Free registration and download

Watch the interview with Jane Shellshear on seating position here.

🎉 We have a small favour to ask - if you loved the latest neuroscience and helpful hacks for teaching today's kids in this episode, please click subscribe and like so our content can reach more piano teachers just like you.

Get your downloadable goodies here.

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