In today’s episode, we delve into the world of music education and piano pedagogy with our special guest Janet Hart. Janet is the founder of The Music Clubhouse, a bustling piano studio where she has cultivated a unique group piano curriculum called Piano Detectives Club. With a master’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Westminster Choir College, Janet has poured her expertise and passion into creating an enriching experience for young piano students. Join us as we uncover the exciting topics surrounding the release of Piano Detectives Club summer camp edition.

• Janet shares an overview of her piano studio in Lawrence, Kansas.
• She shared about her curriculum, Piano Detectives Club, for teaching group piano to 5 and 6 year olds.
• How the curriculum focuses on developing rhythm skills, finger numbers, left and right sides of the body, and participation in a class setting.
• Why Janet chose to focus on 5 and 6 year olds due to their eagerness to learn and the demand from families.
• Summer camp edition of Piano Detectives Club, covering five days of activities.
• The contents of the summer camp teachers kit, comparing it to the full curriculum kit.
• How the summer camp kit is a more affordable way to experience Piano Detectives Club.
• What students will learn by the end of the week-long program.
• The versatility of the summer camp program and how it can serve as a recruiting tool for the full curriculum.
• How the program can seamlessly transition into the academic year and mentions the addition of bonus classes throughout the year.

Links Mentioned

• The Music Clubhouse

Today’s Guest

Janet Hart lives in Lawrence, Kansas, where she founded and operates The Music Clubhouse, a thriving multi-teacher piano studio. She created the group piano curriculum, Piano Detectives Club, over a period of 20 years, pulling together her knowledge and creative skills with her interest in giving young students the best possible start at the piano. Janet holds a master’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Westminster Choir College where she studied with Frances Clark and Louise Goss. She has served on the faculties of both Oklahoma Baptist University and The University of Kansas, teaching private piano and piano pedagogy. Janet is a member of Music Teachers National Association and is an active adjudicator and workshop clinician.

About Rachel Ehring

Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

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