The Vibrant Music Teaching Podcast | Proven and practical tips, strategies and ideas for music teachers

If This Were EASY What Would That Look Like?

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is the most important question I've been asking myself lately. What tools can we use to make it feel easy for the student, so that they feel conf...

Music Neutrality in Music lessons

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you treat all genres equally in your studio? Do your students know how you feel about the music THEY like?Find out more about membership at vibrant...

Alternatives to Zoom for Online Lessons

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you don't want to use Zoom for your online lessons, what can you use instead? Here are a few ideas with pros and cons.Find out more about membershi...

Teaching parents habit stacking for practice

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how habit stacking can help your beginner students to become steady practisers.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

6 Things to Teach Adult Music Students About Home Practice

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What do adult students need to know about practice? Here are 6 things I think are essential for them to learn.Find out more about membership at vibran...

13 (Random) Tips for Teachers

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I've got 13 random pieces of advice for music teachers today. One of these could make your week!Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching...

Being Your Own Kind Teacher

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you were your own teacher...would you approve of how you teach yourself? Confused? Listen in to find out what I'm on about.Find out more about memb...

Practice for One Hand Only

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when your student injures an arm/wrist/hand? We've got the answers for you today!Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching...

Mnemonics and Parent Education

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mnemonics can be a contentious issue. Here's how I handle it when parents use mnemonics at home.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching...

Practice Notes Ideas and Tips

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Practice notes are one of the main tools we have to communicate with students in between lessons. So how can you make them better?Find out more about ...

Top Music Practice Mistakes to Avoid

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are the most common practice mistakes students make? And how can we help them avoid those mistakes?Find out more about membership at vibrantmusic...

How to Improve Practice Habits in Your Studio

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do the practice habits in your studio need a refresh button? I've got some tips to help.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Finding work-life balance

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel like you have a good balance in your life? Let's talk about strategies to improve it in this episode.Find out more about membership at vib...

Piano Teaching Activities for When You Have 3-5 Minutes to Spare

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We often suffer from a lack of time in lessons...but what about when we have a few minutes left in a lesson? What can we do that is beneficial, but al...

Just. Do. One. Thing.

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's solve that overwhelm. Learn about JDOT in this episode and what it can do for your mental space.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicte...

Piano teacher notes and notepapers

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take a tour of all the notes I take in my piano teaching business, both analogue and digital.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.co...

Time-saving tips for music teachers

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

These two time-saving tips might be just the ticket to saving you some breathing room.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Finding time for professional development

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We have so much to do in our studios...but how do we find time to keep learning?Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

How long is left in my piano lesson?

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been annoyed when students ask if their piano lesson is nearly over? We'll unpack that question on the show today.Find out more about me...

Top 3 piano lesson planning mistakes

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today is a very short episode with the top 3 mistakes many teachers make when it comes to lesson planning.Find out more about membership at vibrantmus...

Bullet Journaling for Piano Teachers

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you organise your tasks and to-dos? Bullet journalling might be the answer if you're looking for a new system. Let's discuss how this journalin...

Mindfulness in Piano Performing

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mindfulness techniques can be great tools to give your students to help them deal with performance nerves. Listen in for 5 simple things to try in you...

Interleaved Music Teaching and Spaced Repetition Practice

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard of interleaved practice? In this episode, I'll explain what it is and how to develop it into interleaved teaching.Find out more about m...

Piano music memorisation tips

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not sure where to start when it comes to memorising piano music? This is a great place to start.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching...

5 Ways to Make Memorising Music Fun

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can we make memorisation not just accessible but FUN and maybe even easy for our students?Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.c...

The Hidden Benefits of Teaching Improvisation and Composition

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we teach our students to improvise and compose, they get so much out of it beyond the creative activity.Find out more about membership at vibrant...

5 Fun Ways to Teach Form

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Teaching your music students about form doesn’t have to be as dull as just labelling the sections ABA. In this episode, we discuss fun and engaging ...

How Improvisation and Arranging Improves Music Memorisation

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Can creative exercises help our students become better memorisers and performers? Let's find out.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteachin...

Printing tips and tricks

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Printing tips and tricks for music teachers. Let me solve your printing woes and help the whole thing go smoothly!Find out more about membership at vi...

Breaking the Piano Memorisation Crutch in Transfer Students

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when a transfer student memorises music beautifully, but can't read?Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Neurodiversity in the Piano Teaching Studio

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for an overview of types of neurodivergence you might encounter in your studio and some simple advice for how to make your studio more inclusi...

4 Emotional experiments for piano students

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I've been working with my students recently to increase the emotion in their playing. Try my experiments yourself and see how it works for you!Find ou...

10 Ways to Teach Piano Students Right vs Left

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are your piano students confusing left and right hands? It’s a common issue and there are lots of fun ways to work on it, which we’ll share in thi...

A personal memorisation manifesto

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Where do you believe memorisation sits in your studio priorities? I'm sharing my thoughts in today's show.Find out more about membership at vibrantmus...

Should you increase your piano teaching rates?

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we work through 8 questions to help you decide whether it’s time to raise your piano teaching rates.Find out more about membership ...

The 5|7|22 Music Memorisation Method

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you need a step-by-step way to memorise music – either for yourself or a student – this is worth a try.Find out more about membership at vibran...

Predicting piano student progress

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can you guess what a student or group of students will know and be able to do next week? Next month? Next year? Predicting any music student's pro...

How to avoid burnout as a music teacher

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to be able to serve your studio families, you have to look after yourself as a piano teacher and avoid burnout. Here's how.Find out more a...

Reimagining the metronome in music lessons

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you use the metronome in your music lessons? Sometimes it's the perfect tool...and other times we want the benefit of metronome work without actual...

What can a non-perfectionist teacher learn from a perfectionist?

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a non-perfectionist (like me and my guest, Carmen) what can we learn from all the perfectionists out there?Find out more about membership at...

3 changes to consider right now

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for this very special episode with guest host, Tim Topham! Tim will be sharing the 3 changes to consider in your studio right now.Find out mor...

Perfecting the Art of Being a "Good Enough" Piano Teacher

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a recovering perfectionist, this is the episode for you. Joanna and I are talking about a healthier relationship to high standards.Find out ...

How to Create a Piano Studio Schedule

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to creating a piano studio schedule there are many ways to go about it. Learn how I create our timetable each year in today's episode.Fi...

What to do when students can't take corrections

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some students find it challenging to hear about their mistakes. Listen as we discuss how to deal with seemingly defiant students this week.Find out mo...

The foundation of good practice

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Repetition might seem an obvious element of practice to us but it's not always so to our students. Find out how to train them to repeat in this episod...

Retire from your role as "Mistake Police"

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we spend all our teaching time reacting to students mistakes, something as gone wrong. Let's be proactive instead in how we plan for the learning...

Helping students get comfortable with struggle

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some students are just naturally un-gritty. They give up quickly when something feels hard and music involves learning hard things. How can we help th...

Beat Perfectionism With Video Piano Student Evaluations

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Evaluations, progress reports or updates – whatever you call them – they're really beneficial for students, teachers and parents. So where might a...

How to Know When Your Student Has "Finished" a Piece

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It seems like a simple question but it actually has many more layers. What does it mean for a student to complete a piece? Should everything be up to ...

How to Start Teaching Piano in Schools or Preschools

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Teaching in schools or preschools can seem like a dream come true for many teachers. Filling those daytime hours and being more free in the evenings? ...

The Best Digital Piano Method Books

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Digital piano books and piano methods have many advantages. In this episode, we’ll discuss what makes a method digital and some of the best ones out...

Piano Polyrhythms with Stacy Fahrion

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is episode features a wonderful interview I had with Stacy Fahrion about polyrhythms and how to teach them in your studio.Find out more about mem...

Tommy the Piano Toe-Dipper

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve heard the phrase, “I just want him to try it out and see” from a prospective piano parent and had your heart drop, you’re not alone....

Five Foundations of Successful Preschool Piano Teaching

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Teaching preschoolers can bring you students earlier in the day and increase your reach in your community – but it's not without its challenges. Fin...

What we can learn from self-taught musicians

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What would happen if your students' ran the show? As teachers, we need to guide our students. But we also need them to have ownership over what they'r...

Renewing Scales and Deepening Understanding with Improvisation

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scales seem to be a given in piano lessons, but, should they be? And if they are, how can we teach them differently so that our students actually enjo...

How much should we standardise our piano curriculum?

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Music is often not taught according to a rigid curriculum. But would we do better if we did have a standard curriculum for piano? And how much should ...

8 Checkpoints for Transfer Music Students

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you struggle with transfer students? Here are some tips for making sure they start on the right foot in your studio.Find out more about membership ...

Cute Valentine's Day Idea for Piano Lessons

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's fun to celebrate occasions in our studios and Valentine's Day is a great time to bring your studio community together. Here's a fun project and f...

What Should a Beginner Piano Student Learn in Year 1?

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for my list of goals for the first year of lessons, divided into 2 age brackets.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

How to Choose Inspiring Piano Exam Pieces

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joanna Shiel is on the show today and we're chatting about choosing great exam pieces that are motivating and inspiring for students.Find out more abo...

The Power of Preemptive Theory

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Getting ahead of your students' music theory can have enormous benefits. Here's how you can do it.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteachi...

How to Keep Track of a Lending Library

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A step-by-step system for the simplest way to keep track of items you loan to students.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Keeping track of your music students' progress

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Journaling or note taking after each lesson might seem like a lot, but it can make a big difference to the quality of your music teaching. Tune in to ...

Pros and cons of exams for music students

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Music exams can be wonderful...when they're used with the right student at the right time. Let's unpack the pros and cons together.Find out more about...

Tips to Settle Piano Performance and Exam Anxiety

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Piano performance anxiety is a manifestation of certain beliefs that your student holds.Some of these thoughts might be: Fear of failure Fear of judge...

How to Prepare for a Piano Exam

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Piano exams require some thought and balance to get all the components ready for the big day. Here's how I handle it.Find out more about membership at...

What's the point of piano exams?

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When are piano exams a good idea, what's the long term benefit and risk involved.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

How to Teach the 12 Bar Blues

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, your student is just not feeling the lesson you’ve planned and you need something fresh inspiration to stop the lesson getting stale. Lea...

Singing Tips for Instrumental Teachers

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Singing should be included in ALL music lessons. But what if your student doesn't want to sing? And how can you help them sing better if you're not a ...

The Hypocrite Oath

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are YOU a hypocrite? I think we all are. And we need to talk about it.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

Maintaining a Positive Attitude to Teaching

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all hit slumps from time to time. Follow this checklist to get your love of teaching back and maintain a positive attitude throughout your career.F...

What's the point of piano swag?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you give your students any free stuff when they join your studio? Why do you do it? Let's unpack why you would or wouldn't want to give out t-shirt...

Favourite Apps for Teaching Teen Piano Students

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teenagers aren't going to be impressed by just using apps for technology's sake in their piano lessons. These apps are tried and tested by our team an...

No-Practice Piano Lessons For Teens

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Some times our teenage music students just need a break from practice. In this episode, we’ll find ways to keep it fun and engaging in those busy pe...

Improve Teen Retention by Saying It Straight

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you being honest enough with your teenage students? Is your fluffiness driving them out of your studio? Find out how to say it straight and keep t...

4 Types of Teen Piano Students

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding the motivation of different types of teen piano students will help you to help them succeed. Here are the 4 types I see regularly in my ...

Different Ways to Introduce a Piece to Your Student

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many ways for your students to meet a new pieces. Get creative with these 9 new strategies!Find out more about membership at vibrantmusic...

New Teaching Resources for a New School Year

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A few bits of exciting news from VMT!

7 Types of Pieces for Every Piano Student's Repertoire

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

7 types of pieces that all your students should learn...how many are on your list already?Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching.com.

How to Choose Student Piano Recital Repertoire

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you choose pieces for your recitals? I'll chat through the two approaches and pros and cons in this episode.Find out more about membership at v...

How to Stretch Your Music Book Budget

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Make your music book budget go further and reignite your passion for repertoire with these tips.Find out more about membership at vibrantmusicteaching...

How to Pick Pieces for Your Piano Students

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to choosing repertoire for our students, I believe in giving them the picking power. Here's how I do that.Find out more about membership...

5 Ways to Prepare for a Piece with Movement

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

These 5 ideas can be used to prepare for any new piano piece in your lessons. Try one out and let me know how it goes!Find out more about membership a...

How to teach online group lessons

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Well, it looks like online lessons are here to stay. And if you’ve heard all the great benefits to teaching piano in a group setting, why not add a ...

Dos and Don’ts of Quality Group Workshops

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to group workshops, there are many different kinds and valid ways to run them. Here are my general recommendations for all types of musi...

3 Common Group Piano Teaching Mistakes

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you're teaching preschoolers or teens in a group format, there are a few big mistakes you might come across. Avoid them by listening to this e...

Special Piano Parents

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parents of neurodiverse students sometimes need more assurances and support in your studio. Here are some tips for making them feel welcome and valued...

Student first, diagnosis second

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Children do not fit in little boxes. But when you understand the most useful tools for different types of neurodiverse piano students, you can prepare...

What’s the diagnosis?

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It can be hard to get your head around all the different diagnoses but understanding ADHD, ASD and dyslexia can help you prepare properly for your stu...

How I became a full-time piano teacher

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone’s journey to becoming a full-time piano teacher is different. Some of us had a smooth pathway from college to studio and others (me include...

Trim your studio expenses

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most studios do not have tons of wiggle room in their bank accounts. That's why it's important to assess your expenses and run a tight ship so you can...

Glue yourself to your policies

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So you have piano teaching policies...great. But do you follow them? If not, what good will they do?Let's find a way to say what we mean and mean what...

Are you charging enough?

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Undercutting the competition is not the route to a profitable studio. Let's look at what your music teaching rates should be and how to change them.Fi...

Set Your Piano Teaching Salary

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Take a moment to decide what you want your piano teaching salary to be and how you're going to achieve it. Your bank balance will thank you and so wil...

Make Money Your Buddy as a Music Teacher

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you struggle with your mindset around money? Do you feel like you don’t have a good grasp over your finances or never quite seem to make enough a...

Everybody sit down on the floor

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The old model of the teacher dispensing information while students quietly absorb it is dead. Good ridance, too. Now it's about building great relatio...

iPad apps and YouTube - friend or foe to piano teachers?

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many teachers feel like iPad apps are coming for their jobs. But are they really? What can we do to make sure we stay relevant?Find out more about mem...

How to find flexibility in your teaching schedule

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes teachers need some time off. When you want to take a trip, go on maternity leave or do something else during regular teaching weeks – thes...

iPad Piano Studio Mistakes to Avoid

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Using an iPad in your piano studio might seem like a great idea...until you get one and realise you have no idea what to do with it!There’s one big ...