TopMusic Piano Podcast

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs in a career come from the moments we never planned for. Today, I'm chatting with Lisa Spector, a Juilliard-trained pianist whose career has taken her from concert stages to composing calming music for anxious dogs to building a global membership for adult pianists. We talk about her journey from over-practicer to practice strategist, the hand injury that changed how she thinks about music, and what she's learned about building a membership from scratch. Lisa also shares some surprisingly simple tips for helping nervous students perform with more confidence. Lisa shared how her mother's piano playing first drew her to the keys.How Earl Wild's minimal-movement technique shaped her practice tricks.Lisa admitted spending years as a classic over-practicer at Juilliard.Why most practice struggles come from undoing bad habits, not building new ones.She described the Piano Ninja Tricks system, running from mindset to technique.How her Quick Reflex Motion technique trains direct movement instead of wide arcs.How a 2017 hand injury led doctors to tell her she'd never play again.Lisa shared how left-hand-only music reshaped her view of where music comes from.How a calming puppy at her music school launched her dog music company.Why steady, slow, predictable music calms dogs' nervous systems.Lisa noted that over 70% of dogs experience some form of anxiety.The importance of finding your teaching niche before building a membership.She recommended a "messy" launch to start a membership before content exists. Links Mentioned Lisa's website:lisaspector.comLisa's Instagram page:@lisaspectorpianoLisa's YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/@LisaSpectorLisa's free resources for podcast listeners here:lisaspector.com/topmusic Today’s Guest Lisa Spector is a Juilliard alum who once performed two concerts for 18,000 people each in China, where she also had (and needed) a bodyguard. In 2017, an accident shattered her right hand. Multiple surgeries followed. When she was told by a medical professional that she'd never play piano again, she started learning music for left hand only. It changed how she thinks about music. Turns out it doesn't come from the hands. It comes from the heart. Today she performs concerts with one and two hands. In 2021, Lisa founded the Piano Ninja Tricksters Club, a global membership where she helps advanced adult pianists learn twice as much in half the time. She's spoken at Juilliard's Entrepreneurship Symposium, delivered the keynote at Stanford's Women in Entrepreneurship Summit and presented on music memberships at the 2025 Music Teachers National Association Virtual Conference. She's also the first classical pianist to top the Billboard Classical charts... with music written for anxious dogs. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

Every student is motivated by something different, and figuring out what makes each one tick can transform how they engage with lessons. Today, I'm chatting with Dr. Christina Liu, Associate Professor of Music at Bethel College, about Bartle's Taxonomy, a framework for player personality types she discovered through her love of gamification. We talk about the four types Bartle identified, how Christina uses them to quietly tailor her teaching, and the personal stories that shaped her own piano journey. She also shares how these ideas carry into training the next generation of piano teachers. Christina teaches piano, theory, aural skills, and pedagogy at Bethel College.How her research into gamification led her to Bartle's Taxonomy.She noted rising student anxiety since the pandemic around getting things right.Why she started using board games in class to build community with students.How Richard Bartle developed the taxonomy from a late-1980s survey of his players.The taxonomy sorts players into achievers, explorers, socializers, and killers.Christina described achievers as driven by points, levels, and visible success.She explained how explorers are motivated by narrative and self-discovery.Socializers, she noted, use games mainly to build relationships.Killers, though rare, want to dominate and outshine other players.She shared how she gamified her own piano learning around competitions.Christina avoids formal quizzes, worried students will cling to a fixed label.Her own teacher connected with her through jazz before classical repertoire.A Debussy piece sparked her own "explorer" phase as a student.She teaches future piano teachers about personality frameworks like the Enneagram. Links Mentioned Christina's LinkedIn Page:www.linkedin.com/in/ctinaliu Today’s Guest Dr. Christina Liu,, is Associate Professor of Music and Music Department Chair at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. She teaches music theory and aural skills, history, piano, and pedagogy, and is an active presenter, adjudicator, and advocate for music education. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, she currently serves as President of the Kansas State Music Teachers Association. A passionate educator, Dr. Liu is also active as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and chamber musician throughout the U.S. and internationally. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

Creativity doesn't have to be complicated to make a real difference in how students connect with music. In this episode, I'm chatting with Emily Dehut, a piano teacher from Howe, Texas who built her studio from scratch to 40 students in under a year. We talk about her favorite creative teaching tools, from an animal-themed system for learning keyboard letters to her own songwriting resources and DIY rhythm blocks. Emily also shares how she keeps generating fresh ideas and why she believes creativity keeps students motivated to practice. Emily shared how she grew her studio from zero to 40 students in one year through Facebook.Why niche groups, like local homeschool and mom groups, were key to finding students.She described being taught by six different piano teachers, each shaping her own teaching style.How she started teaching in high school before choosing private lessons over classroom teaching.How she uses Legos, figurines, and physical actions to reinforce letter names on the keyboard.Her Animal Adventures songwriting activity has students build a story before turning it into a song.How her Fill-in-the-Blank songwriting resource gives students a simple structure to compose from.Emily created a Christian songwriting packet after teaching at a girls' Bible camp.Why she developed Emotions Radio, a low-pressure composing game for shy or hesitant students.Her coloring practice charts reward five days of practice with a small prize.She advised new teachers to say yes to new ideas and try them within the week. Links Mentioned Emily's Instagram page:@emilyspianocornerEmily's Facebook page:Emilys Piano CornerEmily's Etsy page:@EmilyPianoCorner Today’s Guest Emily Dehut is a piano teacher from Howe, Texas who loves making music lessons creative, memorable, and fun. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from Florida College in 2025 and now teaches students of all ages through her private studio, Emily’s Piano Corner. She also enjoys creating printable worksheets and activities for piano teachers on Etsy, including colorful practice charts and creative songwriting prompts. She’s always excited to share fresh teaching ideas that help students connect with music in meaningful ways. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

The landscape of piano repertoire looks nothing like it did 50 years ago, and Wynn-Anne Rossi helped shape that change. Today, I'm chatting with Wynn-Anne, an acclaimed composer with over 175 publications who has spent decades helping young musicians find their own creative voice. We talk about how she got her start composing as a toddler, how the industry has evolved since the 1980s, and how she brings composition into her own teaching. Wynn-Anne also shares her favorite resources for teachers who want to bring more composing into their studios. How the piano pedagogy landscape shifted in the 1980s toward genres beyond classical training.Wynn-Anne shared how her mom used the piano as an imaginative toy during her toddler years.Why she believes non-traditional notation protects young composers' creativity.The value of self-publishing and cooperatives for composers entering the field today.How composing and teaching inform each other, even with her studio now down to 13 students.Why writing for six-year-olds is as demanding as writing advanced repertoire.The story behind Music by Me, her composition workbook series co-written with Kevin Olson.How Creative Composition Toolbox uses simple, tool-based units to teach composing.Why she keeps composition assignments to just three to five minutes of a lesson.She emphasized encouraging quantity and momentum over chasing a perfect composition.Wynn-Anne shared how inspiration can come from stories, scents, or favorite chords. Links Mentioned Wynn-Anne's website:www.rossi-music.comWynn-Anne's YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/@rossimusic212Wynn-Anne's Facebook page:Wynn-Anne RossiCheck out Wynn-Anne's products on Alfred  Today’s Guest Wynn-Anne Rossi is an acclaimed American composer with vibrant educational outreach. She has a respect for all genres of music, and her diversity of experience and love of discovery reflect in her expressions as a composer and presenter. With over 175 publications, her compositions have been widely distributed online and in music stores. Wynn-Anne has a specialty for bringing the art of composition to young musicians. Her two comprehensive series which encourage young pianists to compose are Music by Me (FJH Music) and Creative Composition Toolbox (Alfred Music). For more information, visit www.rossi-music.com or Wynn-Anne Rossi Music on YouTube. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

A good theme can turn an entire year of piano lessons into an adventure your students can't wait to come back to. Today I'm chatting with Natalie Weber, who has run her Kansas piano studio since 1998 and shares teaching ideas on MusicMattersBlog.com. We talk through her favorite back-to-school ideas, from practice incentive themes and rhythm activities to sight reading apps and recital games. Natalie shares a ton of practical, ready-to-borrow ideas for your own studio this year. Natalie shared how she's taught piano in Kansas since 1998.How MusicMattersBlog.com began in 2005 to house her teaching resources.How she gathers student and parent input each summer to design her yearly theme.The importance of themes being age-inclusive, measurable, student-driven, and musical.She shared how this year's theme takes students through every key via the circle of fifths.How rewards stay music-focused, from sheet music to a recording studio tour.She described choreographing rhythm cup routines to songs like "What Makes You Beautiful."She shared Composer Trading, a Pit-inspired game where students collect composer card sets.How listening worksheets guide both peer performances and at-home practice.She described her Piano Expeditions camps, each centered on one composer's major work.How one student used that feedback to chase 100% on every piece.The value of branching into new keys with resources like Juan Cabeza's Piano Notebook.Why she's adding Latin duets ahead of a guest ensemble visit from Paraguay.She described building audience interaction into recitals through trivia and code-cracking games. Links Mentioned Natalie's website:musicmattersblog.comNatalie's Facebook page:Natalie Wickham Weber Today’s Guest Natalie Weber, has operated a piano studio in Kansas since 1998. She teaches all ages in private and group lessons and runs the popular MusicMattersBlog.com, which is devoted to inspiring creativity in music education. When she’s not teaching, Natalie loves spending time with her family, including her two granddaughters! About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda. Visit her website at RachelEhring.comVisit her Instagram page: @rachelehringVisit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL