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How to avoid becoming a sick piano teacher (and stay healthier in 2016)

by Paul Myatt

I recently saw a post from a teacher in one of the Facebook groups that I belong to asking others about how to keep well when students regularly bring in germs and disease. It got me thinking about how I stay well. I teach about 120 students a week and have done so for over ... How to avoid becoming a sick piano teacher (and stay healthier in 2016)

01/12/2016 Read more

Don’t Just Play It: Teach and Compose It with Tim, Leila & Bradley [Pop Webinar]

by Tim Topham

 Times they are a-changin! Are you finding that more and more of your students (and their parents) are looking for a more contemporary focus in their piano lessons? Are you struggling to maintain and build your studio numbers in an area with lots of teachers doing much the same thing as each other? Are you ... Don’t Just Play It: Teach and Compose It with Tim, Leila & Bradley [Pop Webinar]

12/18/2015 Read more

When piano class is a battle of wills with that teenage boy!

by Anita E Kohli

Today I’d like to introduce you to Anita Kohli who teaches in Mumbai, India and writes for us about a topic that readers will appreciate is very close to my own heart: teaching boys. Teenagers of either gender can be a challenge to motivate at times and Anita gives some great tips for dealing with difficult students. ... When piano class is a battle of wills with that teenage boy!

12/04/2015 Read more

5 Piano Lesson Ideas for when Students Forget Their Books

by Tim Topham

Piano lesson ideas for ‘no-book’ lessons Have you ever had a lesson where your student rocks up but has forgotten to bring his/her books? No music, no assignment book/music diary, no notes from last week. Nothing. As I predominantly teach teenagers, this seems to happen a fair bit and it is particularly an issue if you’re teaching at a ... 5 Piano Lesson Ideas for when Students Forget Their Books

11/20/2015 Read more

5 Secret Ingredients to Successful Group Piano Teaching

by Paul Myatt

I’m often asked about tips for group piano teaching, so I decided to enlist the help of my good friend and group piano expert, Paul Myatt, to share his wisdom of years of highly-successful group teaching. Just wait till you read what Paul has to say about the financial benefits of group piano teaching! Paul is ... 5 Secret Ingredients to Successful Group Piano Teaching

11/05/2015 Read more

My new go-to piano sheet music resource: Noviscore

by Tim Topham

Do you sometimes find it hard to source good-quality arrangements of piano sheet music (especially pop) that your students actually enjoy playing, that actually sound good and that are fun to teach?

10/29/2015 Read more
 

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Best music notation software: online, offline, apps and everything else

by Tim Topham

When it comes to publishing print-ready music online, musicians and teachers are completely spoilt for choice these days. I still remember when handwriting scores on paper was about the only way to produce written music unless you were in the music publishing industry; there were zero options for print music creation on your computer. Now, thanks to ... Best music notation software: online, offline, apps and everything else

10/23/2015 Read more

5 Steps to Avoiding a Piano Teaching Rut

by Amanda Smith

Have you ever lost your passion for teaching? Has there been a time in your career when you felt “burnt out”, like you were just going through the motions every day? Chances are, if you’ve never felt this way before, you will sometime. When that happens, you need to know what to do to turn ... 5 Steps to Avoiding a Piano Teaching Rut

09/23/2015 Read more

Eight Tips On Setting Up A Piano Teaching Business

by Martyn Croston

This is a guest post by Martyn Croston which originally appeared on his website www.musicteacherinfo.com Starting any business takes a lot of perseverance and patience. Some people compare it to bringing up a child or having a relationship – more often than not it’s a total rollercoaster! But if you strongly believe and enjoy what ... Eight Tips On Setting Up A Piano Teaching Business

09/19/2015 Read more

Is the iPad Killing Piano Memorisation?

by Tim Topham

OK so I’m just going to get it out there: I’m not a memoriser. Never have been. Always struggled with it and I find it one of the hardest things to do on piano. I never force my students to do it and I’m always in awe of people who can perform securely and comfortably from ... Is the iPad Killing Piano Memorisation?

09/18/2015 Read more

How to pass an AMusA Diploma exam

by Tim Topham

If you’re a teacher or student living in Australia, you will no doubt be aware that the AMusA (Associate of Music Australia) is considered one of the benchmark qualifications for performers and teachers in this country and is a qualification to which most advanced classical students rightly aspire. It is a Diploma-level music exam equivalent to ... How to pass an AMusA Diploma exam

09/09/2015 Read more

Music Education Podcasts Creating Modern Musicians

by Tim Topham

Podcasts are quickly becoming THE go-to source for current, relevant and immediately actionable information on just about any topic. You’ve no doubt already heard about my own Tim Topham TV Podcast (actually a Vodcast to be precise as you can also watch the episodes on YouTube!). As well as creating my own show, I follow podcasts about education, business, ... Music Education Podcasts Creating Modern Musicians

08/25/2015 Read more