Don’t just play it: teach and compose it with Tim, Leila & Bradley [Pop Webinar]
By Tim Topham | Teaching Pop
By Tim Topham | Teaching Pop
If any of these questions ring true to you, then you’re definitely not alone.
Teaching pop and creativity in your lessons is not only something that students are starting to ask for, it’s pedagogically imperative for effective teaching.
To set aside a whole genre of music because it’s not part of a ‘traditional’ pianistic curriculum is doing young people a HUGE disservice in music education.
I think Bob Dylan would have agreed back in 1968 🙂
As Leila Viss said in a recent post: Play, Teach and Compose Pop Music:
David Cutler, author of The Savvy Music Teacher, discovered from his extensive research that music teachers who generated substantial (successful) incomes were more likely to integrate three elements into their instruction compared to other teachers who did not. They include: improvisation, technology and multiple musical genres.
How many of your students regularly listen to classical music?
***cue: sound of crickets***
Realistically, it’s probably less than 1% of your studio.
***more crickets***
Even if we increase the odds and say that 5% of your students that are classical music listeners, that leaves 95% of your studio who are listening to popular music styles everyday: electronic, rock, pop, dance, Top40, etc. In fact, they’re probably listening to music A LOT of their day.
How could we not even entertain teaching students about this style of music and its construction.
Even more, how can we avoid this when at least 80% or more of this music is composed on keyboard instruments: pianos or keyboards. Think about just about anything you hear on pop radio these days: it’s all been created, edited, mixed and mastered inside computers controlled with MIDI keyboards.
Pianists are more likely to be the next pop artists, remixers and producers than any other instrument.
How cool is that?!
I’m lucky to have taught quite a few students who’ve gone onto music careers as producers and composers.
Most recently, my student Adrian (listen to his producing/DJ work on Soundcloud) has gone on to create a great career in the music industry. I learned pretty quickly that he wasn’t interested in learning to read music or play classical music when we started working together when he was about 13.
While I still pushed him in these areas to some extent, the main focus of our lessons was two-fold:
If you like the sound of doing this with your own students but have no idea how to get started, then you’re in for a real treat with the Winter Webinar.
I’m totally stoked to have been asked to join the amazingly talented Bradley Sowash and Leila Viss at our first combined online training workshop for piano teachers: the 88 Creative Keys Winter Webinar.
This looks set to be one of the coolest (see what I did there?) things to do this winter (or summer if you’re in Australia!!).
Depending on where you are in the world, grab a glass of wine or a coffee (I’ll be drinking the latter given it will be 8am here), a notepad and set the computer up near your piano so you can try things out right away.
This is going to be one helluva hands-on experience with three of the best pop teachers in the world.
Any piano teacher, young or old, newbie or experienced.
Even if you already teach or play pop, you’re going to learn something at this webinar… and I guarantee the laughs will come regularly!
As Leila explains:
The best learning happens by doing and so we are inviting all who attend the webinar to watch it at your home piano or keyboard to try things out–thus the title webshop, [rather than webinar which you would probably just watch at a desk].
Bradley: How to play in the pop style
Leila: How to compose pop music
Tim: How to teach pop to your students
Date: January 22, 2016
Time: 4.00pm EST What time is that for me?
Cost: $US49 – BARGAIN (Keep in mind that quality presentations like this can cost $200+ at a conference or workshop)
If you can’t make it on January 22nd, a video will be made available for you to watch at your convenience. Yes, there will be handouts!
Reserve your seat now
Tim Topham is the founder and director of TopMusic. Tim hosts the popular TopCast show, blogs regularly at topmusic.co and speaks at local and international conferences on topics such as pedagogy, business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Tim has been featured in American Music Teacher, The Piano Teacher Magazine, California Music Teacher and EPTA Piano Professional. Tim holds an MBA in Educational Leadership, BMus, DipEd and AMusA.
