All Keyed Up – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Samantha Coates discusses teaching by rote. Topics discussed include the definition of rote teaching, the common criticisms it receives, its relationship to teaching by ear, the overlap between learning music and language acquisition, what makes a great rote piece, how her BlitzBooks series integrates rote teaching with reading teaching, and strategies for teaching rote pieces effectively.

Samantha's rote pieces are available at BlitzBooks Rote Repertoire, and all listeners can receive 20% off anything at the site with the coupon code BEN20. She has also written several blog posts about the topic of rote teaching.

This episode is sponsored by TopMusic, the global hub for piano teachers looking to connect, learn and grow, and be challenged in both their teaching and studio businesses. Listeners who wish to join the TopMusicPro community can enjoy 25% off their membership with the coupon code "benpodcast".

In this episode, Tonya Lawson discusses options of additional income streams for piano teachers beyond teaching income. Topics discussed include why it's advantageous to have multiple income streams as a piano teacher, even if you're in a situation where you currently live comfortably from your teaching income alone. Then we went through various topics related to income streams: website optimization and SEO, hybrid lessons, running ads, affiliate marketing, and creating courses.

Links to resources mentioned

Ad Management: Ezoic, Mediavine, AdThrive
Affiliate Marketing: Amazon Affiliate Program, Sheet Music Plus Affiliate Program
Tonya's Courses: Passive Income Academy, Zero to Waitlist, Free Training

Anyone who enters the code allkeyedup10 at checkout can save 10% off of both of Tonya's courses as well as her coaching services.

This episode is sponsored by TopMusic, the global hub for piano teachers looking to connect, learn and grow, and be challenged in both their teaching and studio businesses. Listeners who wish to join the TopMusicPro community can enjoy 25% off their membership with the coupon code "benpodcast".

In a solo episode, Ben Kapilow lists 15 piano teaching mistakes he made earlier in his teaching career, which he was inspired to correct as a result of interviewing various piano teaching experts for “All Keyed Up.” He explains which guest sparked each change in his teaching.

Josh Wright, Billboard #1 Artist and digital course creator, talks about entrepreneurialism and how it overlaps with teaching piano. Topics discussed include Josh's online courses, the influences he's had from listening to business podcasts and reading business books, branding, marketing, ways to think about target audiences, and the value of being innovative and finding a niche. Listeners of All Keyed Up can receive 20% off of Josh's digital courses by entering promo code "podcast".

Rami Bar-Niv discusses phrasing and melodic shaping. He outlines the guidelines of interpretation used in his memoir Blood Sweat and Tours, illustrating these guidelines with numerous musical examples.

Janna Williamson offers advice and guidance for teaching intermediate students. In the first part of the interview, she discusses big-picture topics such as defining intermediate, why intermediate students are sometimes ignored, and what makes a great teacher of intermediate students. In the second part, she addresses several specific topics as they apply to intermediate students, such as encouraging creativity, repertoire, theory and musical analysis, technique, practice stamina, and creating performance opportunities. Many of the resources mentioned in the interview can be found here.

Edna Golandsky, founder of the Golandsky Institute, gives a deep dive into piano technique through the lens of the Taubman approach. Topics discussed include the use of the forearm, playing quietly, rotation, in and out motion, the problem with telling students to relax, and tone production.

Emile Pandolfi, one of America's most popular piano artists with over 750 million streams across all platforms, discusses his new book, Play It Like You Mean It!: Supercharge Your Playing and Let Your Piano Work For You. Topics discussed include incorporating emotional expression into technical exercises, the technique involved in playing forte, practice strategies, how to create your own piano arrangements, combating stage fright, and building a performance career while still maintaining a private studio.

Jane Magrath, internationally renowned author, clinician, pianist and Professor Emeritus of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma, speaks about repertoire selection. Topics discussed include her books The Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature and the upcoming Piano Literature for Teaching and Performance, helping students appreciate the sequential nature of learning, technical challenges, method books versus standard classical repertoire, and how teachers can make repertoire come alive in their studios.

John Patrick Murphy, Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma, discusses the four stages of the Orff Schulwerk process of teaching music and their application in the context of piano lessons: imitation, exploration, labeling, and creation. Topics addressed include play, movement and vocal activities, experiencing concepts before labeling, the pedagogical value of incorporating percussion instruments into piano lessons, games, rote teaching, and group lessons.