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TC208: Amy Bastow’s pivot to Virtual Piano Academy

by Mauro Dalu

In true entrepreneurial form, when life handed Amy a change of plans with career, she catapulted forward to open a dream venture: a virtual piano academy. Amy Bastow Jorgensen joins us on the TopCast today to talk all about her new startup platform where she’s serving students online with remarkable results, all while freeing up ... TC208: Amy Bastow’s pivot to Virtual Piano Academy

09/18/2020 Read more

TC209: Christopher Oill Teaches Tim Composing *LIVE*

by Mauro Dalu

In this episode, you’ll learn a functional framework on how to teach composing with your students, including a free printable handout to walk you through the creative process. Our good friend Christopher Oill joins us to teach composing using his unique five-step compositional process. And, in this show, he runs me through the whole process ... TC209: Christopher Oill Teaches Tim Composing *LIVE*

09/25/2020 Read more

TC210: Daniel Patterson on Why Marketing Matters at Any Stage

by Mauro Dalu

In this episode, you’ll learn how studio marketing tips can help your studio quality at any stage, even if your spots are already all filled. Daniel Patterson, one of the top thinkers about music studio marketing, joins us talk about better marketing tips for music teachers. His focus is on understanding the mindset and needs ... TC210: Daniel Patterson on Why Marketing Matters at Any Stage

10/02/2020 Read more

TC211: The 3-step strategy to successful 30-minute lessons with Julie Duda

by Mauro Dalu

Learn how to plan 30 minute piano lessons that are excellent but also seriously fun! Give your students the inspiration and motivation they need, which will also improve retention in your studio. In our conversation, Julie Duda unpacks her three-point strategy to keep students engaged in lessons both in-person and online. Julie also talks about ... TC211: The 3-step strategy to successful 30-minute lessons with Julie Duda

10/09/2020 Read more

TC212 Is Tonaly the Ultimate App for Chord Progressions?

by Mauro Dalu

With Tonaly app, our latest favourite theory/composition tool, we found a better way to teach and have fun using chord progressions in music lessons. (Ever had trouble explaining and using the circle of fifths easily with students? Us, too!) Christian Hengst, the Tonaly app developer and a bass player himself, joins us on the podcast ... TC212 Is Tonaly the Ultimate App for Chord Progressions?

10/16/2020 Read more

TC213: Becoming the CEO Teacher with Kayse Morris

by Mauro Dalu

Changing your mindset can increase your teaching income tenfold. This is the story that Kayse Morris of the CEO Teacher shares with us on the podcast. Kayse is a former classroom teacher turned entrepreneur who turned her life around by selling her teaching resources. Today, she is a passionate entrepreneur eager to help teachers sell ... TC213: Becoming the CEO Teacher with Kayse Morris

10/23/2020 Read more
 

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TC214: The 5 Myths of Improvisation with Bradley Sowash

by Mauro Dalu

This episode on improvisation myths features guest Bradley Sowash. It originally aired in 2017. If called on to improvise on the spot, do you feel out of your element? Learn about the five most common myths and roadblocks that hold musicians back from creative playing and improvising. Bradley helps us sort out the incorrect assumptions ... TC214: The 5 Myths of Improvisation with Bradley Sowash

10/30/2020 Read more

TC215 Research-backed insights on piano student retention with Karen Gerelus

by Mauro Dalu

100 students will start piano lessons this year and 98 will quit before they reach proficiency. Learn the reasons why students quit piano and how to help! This episode features guest Karen Gerelus speaking on research-based insights about piano student retention. Transcript of the show about piano student retention If you’d like to download a ... TC215 Research-backed insights on piano student retention with Karen Gerelus

11/06/2020 Read more

TC217 Penelope Roskell’s Top Tips for a Healthy Technique

by Mauro Dalu

Learn about success tips for teaching a beautifully healthy technique for all students. Today, we’ve invited the UK’s foremost specialist in technique, Penelope Roskell, to talk about playing freely, utilising whole body/whole person teaching approaches. On the podcast today, Penelope talks about her book, The Complete Pianist: from Healthy Technique to Natural Artistry. Her book ... TC217 Penelope Roskell’s Top Tips for a Healthy Technique

11/20/2020 Read more

TC219: Pro Piano Skills for Teen Students with Carol Matz

by Mauro Dalu

Carol Matz joins us on the show today to talk about Pro Piano skills and specifically why older and teen students need and want them. Her Interactive Piano method helps your students learn how to “strum” chords, play along with lead sheets, and develop real-world musicianship skills like composing or improvising. If you’re looking to ... TC219: Pro Piano Skills for Teen Students with Carol Matz

12/04/2020 Read more

TC220: Jazz Perspectives with Composer Kerin Bailey

by Mauro Dalu

In today’s episode, we’re speaking with one of Australia’s most-loved composers, Kerin Bailey. Kerin shares his musical background, influence of jazz music, and thoughts about effective ways to teach jazz skills and chord progressions to students. We’ll also hear Kerin demonstrate on the piano from his improv system for teaching, and give you some takeaways ... TC220: Jazz Perspectives with Composer Kerin Bailey

12/11/2020 Read more

TC221: Best of Nick Ambrosino (from archives)

by Mauro Dalu

In this favourite episode from our archives, author Nick Ambrosino joins us to talk about how to reframe your teaching viewpoint to experience more joy and less burnout. As teachers, we want to see motivated students pursuing their goals with an ownership attitude — but how do you make the switch? Listen to Nick’s powerful ... TC221: Best of Nick Ambrosino (from archives)

12/18/2020 Read more

TC222: How No-book beginners revolutionized Georgina’s studio (archives)

by Mauro Dalu

Find out what results this teacher discovered when she set aside standard method book options and started students with a no-books beginner approach instead, in this favourite show from our archives. When I published the No Book Beginners framework I hoped it would give teachers the confidence to teach more creatively, and that’s exactly what ... TC222: How No-book beginners revolutionized Georgina’s studio (archives)

01/01/2021 Read more

TC223: Is “Practice” killing your studio business? with Danny Thompson (archives)

by Mauro Dalu

Practice and music lessons: they go hand in hand. But what if your students are quietly quitting over it? Danny Thompson unpacks this hot topic on this show today from our archives. Find out why Danny’s approach from the beginning is not about emphasizing practice and what he says to new families instead to get ... TC223: Is “Practice” killing your studio business? with Danny Thompson (archives)

01/08/2021 Read more

TC225: What to say to parents when their child is about to quit with Anita Collins (archives)

by Mauro Dalu

When families and students think of quitting, they’re often making short-term decisions to reduce busy activities or budgets. It’s all too often that piano lessons will be easily nominated as something to drop out of! So what can we teachers say when faced with a conversation with a student who is about to quit piano ... TC225: What to say to parents when their child is about to quit with Anita Collins (archives)

01/22/2021 Read more

TC226: What is 4 Chord Composing All About? (archives)

by Mauro Dalu

So many students can play well – but how many can write and compose? Do your piano students know essentials like 4 Chord Composing? Get them started easily with this simple composing framework. Learning the essentials of chord progressions can lead students to a better understanding of music. It can also give them the skills ... TC226: What is 4 Chord Composing All About? (archives)

01/29/2021 Read more

TC230: How students with exceptionalities help us grow as teachers

by Mauro Dalu

Teaching students with exceptionalities has a deeper effect on us than just the satisfaction and happiness of making the student learn. Dr Erin Parkes is the founder of the Lotus Centre for Special Music Education. It’s a charitable organisation committed to providing access to music education for people with exceptionalities. She joins us in this ... TC230: How students with exceptionalities help us grow as teachers

02/26/2021 Read more

TC233: How TopMusicPro Transformed My Online Piano Lessons with Kara Hess

by Mauro Dalu

You can transform into the piano teacher you’ve always wanted to be with full of confidence and armed with knowledge from experts in the field just like what Kara Hess, one of our TopMusic Pro members, did. In this episode, I’ve invited Kara who wrote a beautiful email to us about the transitions and positive ... TC233: How TopMusicPro Transformed My Online Piano Lessons with Kara Hess

03/19/2021 Read more

TC237: Solving Makeup Lessons Once and for All with Laura and Dave from LessonMate

by Mauro Dalu

Have you ever been frustrated about makeup lessons? There are a variety of ways teachers handle makeup lessons from not offering them at all to having to take extra hours planning them. Laura and Dave have solved make-up lessons once and for all!  Today, my guests Dave and Laura of LessonMate will give you strategies ... TC237: Solving Makeup Lessons Once and for All with Laura and Dave from LessonMate

04/16/2021 Read more

TC238: Member Spotlight: Roslyn Walters on Creative Composition

by Mauro Dalu

In this episode, I’m bringing on one of our TopMusicPro members, Roslyn Walters, to talk about how she is using ideas, lessons and strategies from TopMusicPro in her own teaching. We specifically focus on how she ingeniously integrated our Creativity Kickstarter lessons to teach and explore creative composition and improvisation to her students. Roslyn has ... TC238: Member Spotlight: Roslyn Walters on Creative Composition

04/23/2021 Read more

TC240: Overcoming the Challenges of Becoming a Great Piano Teacher with Emily Laney

by Mauro Dalu

Join guest host Sarah Buckley and guest Emily Laney today for a chat today which includes stories and real examples of finding your best teaching studio fit. They’re going to unpack how you can define and work with your current studio, challenges and all, and mold it into a unique best-fit for both yourself and ... TC240: Overcoming the Challenges of Becoming a Great Piano Teacher with Emily Laney

05/10/2021 Read more

TC242: Understanding Dyslexia: How Teaching Language Relates to Teaching Music with Becki Laurent

by Mauro Dalu

Did you know that 1 in 5 people in the USA have dyslexia? So, if you’ve got 20 students, the odds are pretty high that at least four are dyslexic. Therefore, understanding dyslexia is an important tool to have. In today’s episode, Becki Laurent joins us to talk about how we can better reach our ... TC242: Understanding Dyslexia: How Teaching Language Relates to Teaching Music with Becki Laurent

05/21/2021 Read more

TC243: Quick Bites: Unpacking Evolution Innovations with Tim Topham

by Mauro Dalu

Are you one of those teachers who want to expand their business while not trading time for money anymore? You can do it with a little bit of imagination and a lot of help from TopMusicPro Evolution. In this episode, Tim unpacks Evolution Innovation from inspiration he has found in some of our current Evolution ... TC243: Quick Bites: Unpacking Evolution Innovations with Tim Topham

05/28/2021 Read more

TC244: Supporting your local community with Mike Grande

by Mauro Dalu

We’ve got a return guest today, Mike Grande, who actually came on the show about a year ago right at the start of the pandemic.  We’re doing a catch up on what he’s been up to, how he handled the closure of his half a million dollar school in New York 5 months after it ... TC244: Supporting your local community with Mike Grande

06/04/2021 Read more

TC245: Are Recitals the Best Way to Assess Your Students? with Tom Donald

by Mauro Dalu

Have you ever wondered whether recitals and forcing kids to perform on stage is really the best way to assess their growth in their music learning? For the longest time, recitals have been teachers’ go-to but as time and technology have changed music and lessons, so have these assessments. In this episode, Tom Donald shares ... TC245: Are Recitals the Best Way to Assess Your Students? with Tom Donald

06/11/2021 Read more