Keys to Music Learning

In the final episode with Sarah, she discusses the importance of continuing education and her experiences as she completes her graduate degree and heals playing related injuries with Dr. Barbara Lister-Sink. Our chat concludes with great advice from Sarah about how to balance it all and suggestions for getting started with audiation-based piano teaching.

In this episode, Sarah discusses tackling those first challenges of starting an audiation-based piano studio, including what she learned about diving in head first, how to communicate with skeptical parents, and words of wisdom that kept her going when she questioned her decision to use Music Moves for Piano.

In the first of three episodes, Sarah reflects on her audiation journey and how she introduced audiation-based piano teaching into her studio.

In this episode, Bo Yon talks about handling parent skepticism and her favorite thing about audiation-based piano instruction. She also gives not-to-be-missed advice to teachers just getting started!

In this episode, Bo Yon shares her teaching philosophy, what sets Music Moves for Piano apart from other piano methods, and the challenges of running an audiation-based piano studio.

Meet Bo Yon Koh, accomplished pianist and co-director of the community music school of Music Inside Out in Toronto, Canada.In this episode, Bo Yon reflects on her audiation journey and how she introduced audiation-based piano teaching into her studio.

In this episode, Paul talks about 4inspiration.org, a growing community that supports audiation-based piano studios with fun and creative recitals and events for students.

In our second episode with Paul Jensen, we discuss the value of Music Learning Theory in the piano lesson and why the piano can be considered the composer's instrument.

Meet Paul Jensen, a piano teacher in San Antonio, TX, and a wonderful member of the Music Moves for Piano community that Hannah and Krista met at the 2018 GIML PDLC. In this episode, Paul shares his audiation journey and experiences teaching MM4P to his own three children.

What a joy talking to, the one and only, Andy Mullen about GIML PDLC's and the upcoming Piano Level 1 and 2 courses in Burlington, MA. Listen and learn about what a PDLC is, logistics of the summer courses, how you can register, and why you should consider attending. Even if it's not in the cards for you this summer, this is a great conversation with an important member of our audiation community.If you have any questions for Andy about the PDLC this summer in Burlington, MA (Piano Level 1, Piano Level 2, or Elementary General), contact him at amullen@bpsk12.org.

In the kick-off episode of Season 2, Hannah and Krista discuss the importance of community and how the community of audiation-based piano teachers has helped them over the years.

It's time for Season 2 of Keys to Music Learning. Listen to this short trailer to find out what this season will bring (we are SO excited)!

In the Season 1 finale of the podcast, Hannah and Krista share performances of their student's compositions, improvisations, and arrangements. Sit back and enjoy this first Keys to Music Learning recital!

In this episode, Hannah discusses how audiation-based piano instruction approaches reading music notation and gives an overview of the Reading and Writing Music Notation Books 1-3. 

During formal instruction, it is vital that we teach our students rhythm and tonal pattern vocabularies. These "words" of music are necessary for understanding and audiation. In this episode, Krista and Hannah discuss two important supplements for building pattern vocabularies in Music Moves for Piano Books 1-5, the Pattern CD and the Rhythm and Tonal Patterns from the Pattern CD book (also known as the Pattern Book). 

In this episode, Hannah and Krista discuss the performance pieces of Music Moves for Piano Books 1-5, including the evolution of the checklist, the role of the folk tunes, and the connections of the pieces to piano repertoire.

In this episode, Krista and Hannah discuss the Music Moves for Piano Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation projects, including why creating is important, how to use the student book and teacher's lesson plan activities, and the scope of the activities from books 1 through 5.

In this episode, Hannah and Krista talk about the first two sections of the Music Moves for Piano lesson plan units. Dive into Activity Time, as Krista describes the activities seen in each unit, including pattern instruction and the Song to Sing, and discusses how these activities develop and support audiation growth through the books. Then, Hannah tackles Keyboard Geography and Technique, with an in depth look at the importance of cadences and arpeggios and how the musical alphabet may not be the best place to begin.

In this episode, the second in a series on formal instruction, Krista discusses Gordon's definition of formal instruction, how it differs from informal guidance, and how tonal and rhythm patterns are used to teach students to sing, chant, perform, create, read, and write music with understanding.

In this episode, Hannah discusses a few vital realizations she has had in recent years while teaching her students formally using Music Moves for Piano books 1 and above. She also gives a brief overview of a formal Music Moves lesson to set the stage for this series.

In this episode, Hannah and Krista discuss taking a short break from the podcast to focus on playing events, workshops, vacation (yay!), and the next Keys to Music Learning series on formal instruction AND summer learning opportunities at Music Learning Academy. We hope to see you at Book Club or Study Group!

In this episode, the last in the series of teaching beginners, we take the three main informal guidance activities, activity time, performance pieces, and improvisation, and discuss how they can be "repackaged" in a way appropriate for older students.

Looking to bring creativity and improvisation into your beginner piano lessons? In this episode, we give you ways to bring improvisation into your studio with fun and engaging activities that your students will love. Don't forget to download "Time to Improvise," an activity you can do with your students in your very next lesson!

Before playing a piano piece, preparing your student with playful and purposeful activities can ensure a positive and successful experience. In this episode, the fourth in a series of teaching audiation-based piano to beginners, we focus on five elements that guide students to learn performances pieces in meaningful, fun-filled, and frustration-free ways. Be sure to download the workbook that accompanies this episode from the show notes! In it, you will find the five steps discussed in the episode as well as preparation activity ideas.

In this episode, the third in a series of teaching audiation-based piano to beginners, we focus on a part of the lesson called activity time, an important part of the lesson for acculturation to tonalities, meters, singing, chanting, patterns, and different types of movement to develop tonal and rhythm audiation. If this is completely new to you, take it one song, one chant, one pattern, or one movement at a time. There is no rush. But if you keep up with it, you will notice something. Your students will become more independent, free, and creative. They will feel comfortable singing, chanting, and making music. They will learn to coordinate their breath and bodies, and keep a steady beat naturally. They will begin to understand.Be sure to download the workbook that accompanies this episode! In it, you will find ideas to help you create an Activity Time for beginner piano lessons, including songs, chants, tonal patterns, rhythm patterns, and movement.

In this episode, Krista defines informal guidance, a necessary type of instruction that guides students to learn how to audiate, and discusses what it looks like in a piano lesson with Marilyn Lowe's Keyboard Games, part of the Music Moves for Piano method.

In this episode, Hannah discusses the importance of informal guidance in piano lessons, how it prepares her students for formal instruction, and the positive impact of providing a rich musical environment that guides music learning with play, freedom to explore, and appropriate technique.

In this episode, we take a step back and look at the big picture of Music Learning Theory to answer this question: How does one learn music? 

Have you ever wondered why your student just isn't getting something? Perhaps they are having a really hard time reading music, keeping a steady beat, or playing a specific rhythm. Chances are you can find your answer in sequencing. In this episode, Hannah shares experiences from her studio that highlight the importance of knowing and utilizing Gordon's learning sequence and how sequencing helps when choosing activities and piano repertoire to support success and alleviate frustration.

Episode 1.3: In this episode, Krista  defines what is means to understand music through audiation, as defined by Dr. Edwin E. Gordon. Make sure to listen through to the end to step into Krista's piano lessons and hear three activity examples with a student: resting tone, patterns, and improvisation.

Episode 1.2: In this episode, Hannah talks about how she trialed audiation-based activities in her piano studio for many years before fully committing to Music Learning Theory in her piano instruction. Learn what changes she saw in her students, and her own musicianship, through this transition.

Episode 1.1: In this episode, host Krista Jadro talks about her experiences with Music Learning Theory and gives listeners three ideas to support learning more about audiation-based piano instruction.

Full episodes begin on February 4, 2021! Join Krista Jadro and Hannah Mayo in this one minute introduction to Keys to Music Learning, the podcast dedicated to helping piano teachers unlock their students' musical potential with audiation.