improvisation Archives

by Tim Topham

It’s that time of the year – December is upon us and everyone is looking forward to a break. Piano teachers, you’ve deserved it! All those countless hours of teaching, planning, personal development and even travelling and it’s almost time to switch off for a few weeks. To celebrate an amazing year here on topmusic.co, ... 2017 in Review: Teaching Chords and Piano Pop Music

by Rebecca Singerman-Knight

Do you teach by rote, by ear or by reading?

by Tim Topham

Will Baily turns the pedagogy of music on its head by pivoting to recreational music-making philosophies and student-led learning, from a very classical approach to teaching and it has made an incredible impact on him and his students. Our guest today, Will Baily, is a piano teacher and composer. His publications include the “Way Cool” ... TC234: Turning the pedagogy of music on its head with Will Baily

by Tim Topham

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

by Tim Topham

Get inspired with piano lead sheets!

by Andrew Bishko, Musical U

How to combine the traditional with the creative mind.

Plans & Pricing

by Rebecca Singerman-Knight

Exam Express I was 14 years’ old when I passed my ABRSM Grade 8 exam. I was not a prodigy nor exceptionally talented. I was an average young pianist who worked fairly hard and had been put on a diet of “exam….festival…repeat” since the age of four. I could not play Happy Birthday. I could ... How Forrest Kinney’s New Series Will Help Your Students [Product Review]

by Sean Wales

Former Students on Composition Today’s post provides you with a student perspective on learning chords and composition. Adrian and Jackson are two of Tim’s former students. They will share with you their experiences on piano composition, and why it transformed their musical education. There are a series of videos below, touching on teaching chords, incorporating ... [Video Interview] Students Share How They Found Success Learning Chords and Composition

by Andrew Bishko, Musical U

Each week I write my student’s assignments in a plain notebook. Quite frequently, as I’m leafing through a younger child’s book, I discover a string of letters, or a scrawled drawing of a staff (number of lines variable) crowded with half notes. Some of them are proud of their “compositions”, others sheepish. But usually, when ... From Improvisation to Composition: How to Nurture Your Students’ Creativity

by Sean Wales

Jean-Michel Blais is a world renowned Canadian-French composer. You may have heard his compositions in the past on Spotify or YouTube. We have included a video of one of his pieces in this post, so be sure to have a listen! We are so lucky to have had the chance to ask Jean-Michel a few ... Putting Pen to Paper: Q&A with Canadian Composer Jean-Michel Blais

by Tim Topham

Piano Composition Month It will be of little surprise to regular readers of this blog that composing, and it’s precursor activity, improvising, is high on my list of priorities for well-rounded music instruction. With much of the focus of music lessons today being on reading, performance and examinations, students whose lessons are based solely on ... Piano Composition: Encouraging Your Students to Write Music

by Sean Wales

Piano Exam Syllabuses There is an abundance of piano exam syllabuses out there. It can be confusing and overwhelming when choosing which exam your students should sit. The language is hard to understand and it’s difficult to get your head around all of the various requirements, especially when you have multiple students sitting different exams. ... The Ultimate Guide to Piano Exam Syllabuses: Which One Is Best for Your Students?