About the author

Nicola Cantan

Nicola Cantan is a piano teacher, author, blogger and creator of imaginative and engaging teaching resources. Nicola's Vibrant Music Teaching Library is helping teachers all over the world to include more games and off-bench activities in their lessons, so that their students giggle their way through music theory and make faster progress. She also runs a popular blog, Colourful Keys, where she shares creative ideas and teaching strategies.

The Best Aural Piano Activities for Absolute Beginner Piano Students

by Nicola Cantan

Try these 6 aural piano activities and your beginner piano students will be begging for more ear training time as they listen, jump and march.

05/15/2023 Read more

4 Ways You Can Make More Money Teaching Piano in Fewer Hours

by Nicola Cantan

Make More Money Teaching Piano Are you looking to make more money for the same teaching hours? Or teaching fewer hours? Aren’t we all! In this article, I want to share 4 ideas with you that could help you do just that. I talk more about these formats and even more options in the new Make ... 4 Ways You Can Make More Money Teaching Piano in Fewer Hours

08/31/2022 Read more

Introducing TopMusicPro Lite Membership

by Nicola Cantan

Ultra-short on time? When you need pro-level tools and tips in to-go size servings, look at TopMusicPro Lite level.

06/12/2020 Read more

CPTP164: Meet my Student Tim (and his dad)

by Nicola Cantan

I get questions and requests from time-to-time to hear from my students. What do they think of my creative teaching style? What’s it really like to learn from me? In this episode, you’ll hear from one of my actual students, Tim. Find out why he has 2 piano teachers and what his dad thinks about ... CPTP164: Meet my Student Tim (and his dad)

07/05/2019 Read more

Amplify and Elevate New Student Practice Routines in Your Piano Studio

by Nicola Cantan

For most piano teachers, September brings a whole slew of new piano students through the doors. This is both an exciting and a super busy time in a piano teacher’s calendar. It’s also an opportunity to start fresh – to make practice happen from the get-go. In my experience, students that practise regularly in the ... Amplify and Elevate New Student Practice Routines in Your Piano Studio

09/18/2018 Read more

How to Relieve Stress by Defining Success as a Piano Teacher

by Nicola Cantan

Defining Success How do we know when we’re successful? Who decides what success means for a piano teacher? We do. Trouble is, most of us never decide what success means to us. And if you don’t decide, if you don’t set some kind of target you’re trying to hit, you’ll never feel successful. Stands to ... How to Relieve Stress by Defining Success as a Piano Teacher

07/02/2018 Read more
 

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How to Build and Launch a Music Membership Website

by Nicola Cantan

Case Study with Nicola Cantan: Starting a Music Membership Website Is this right for you? So, you’re thinking you might want to start a membership site, maybe one like the Inner Circle. Cool! I think memberships or subscription based sites are absolutely fantastic business models with a lot of benefits. But they are truly not ... How to Build and Launch a Music Membership Website

05/02/2018 Read more

How to Use Music Theory Games to Get Real Results

by Nicola Cantan

You might have heard about all the benefits of teaching using games already. Students learn better, more thoroughly and more durably when the learning is fun. However, if you’ve ever actually tried adding games into your lessons, you might have seen another side to this equation. Music theory games also take time away from your lesson…and ... How to Use Music Theory Games to Get Real Results

02/19/2018 Read more

How to Set Up Your New Piano Studio for Sensational Success

by Nicola Cantan

Are you about to start a new piano studio? Maybe you’ve just graduated from college. Maybe you tried teaching your niece, loved it, and want to see if this career is right for you. Or perhaps you’ve been teaching for a while and have just resolved to start taking it “seriously”. Whatever your reasons – ... How to Set Up Your New Piano Studio for Sensational Success

11/20/2017 Read more

CPTP109: What is Solfa and How Does it Help Students with Christopher Sutton

by Nicola Cantan

Depending on where you got your musical start, solfa might be an integral part of your musicianship – or it might be a foreign language. If you didn’t learn solfa growing up or never felt like you had a”good ear” it can be intimidating to launch into solfa exercises in your teaching. It’s tempting to ... CPTP109: What is Solfa and How Does it Help Students with Christopher Sutton

10/20/2017 Read more

How to Adapt Your Teaching for Partner Piano Lessons

by Nicola Cantan

Partner Piano Lessons When I first posted an article about teaching partner piano lessons I was surprised at the huge reaction I got from teachers. They were excited. They were intrigued. But they also had tons of questions: What’s my setup like? How long are the lessons? Do I teach both students together, or alternate ... How to Adapt Your Teaching for Partner Piano Lessons

09/06/2017 Read more

Composition Kickstarters: 5 Ways to Inspire Your Students to Write Music

by Nicola Cantan

Some piano students can be a bit reluctant to compose music. Perhaps they’re nervous, or feel under pressure to come up with something amazing. So much so that they just…can’t get started. When this happens – don’t give up! These cautious composers usually just need a composition kickstarter to get the ball rolling. If you’ve ... Composition Kickstarters: 5 Ways to Inspire Your Students to Write Music

08/09/2017 Read more