TopMusic Piano Podcast cover art

TopMusic Piano Podcast

TopMusic Piano Podcast

By: Tim Topham
Listen for free

About this listen

 The TopMusic Piano Podcast is a weekly show that provides piano teachers with inspiration and ideas for teaching piano in a way that engages and motivates students. Your host, Dr. Rachel Ehring, is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano-teaching gadgets. Rachel holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and an MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. Join Rachel as she interviews guests from the music education industry and shares tips and advice to help you run your dream piano studio.2023 Economics Music
Episodes
  • 070: Cultivating a Positive Studio Culture with Jessie Hill

    070: Cultivating a Positive Studio Culture with Jessie Hill
    Jun 13 2025
    How do we create a studio environment where students support each other instead of competing? In this episode, we're having a chat with Jessie Hill about building a culture of encouragement—one where students cheer each other on, give thoughtful feedback, and learn that kindness and music go hand in hand. Jessie shares how she uses simple strategies like compliment cards, intentional praise, and reflective group discussions to make her studio a place where students feel seen and valued. We also talk about her creative resources for teaching note reading and rhythm, and how she balances strong pedagogy with a whole lot of heart.
    • Jessie shared a brief overview of her music studio from her home in Tennessee.
    • Her note-reading approach using nine landmark notes and intervallic reading, instead of mnemonics.
    • She emphasized teaching note reading as a long-term process, aiming for accuracy over speed.
    • Using worksheets and visual aids to help students find notes using known landmarks and intervals.
    • The importance of cultivating a supportive studio culture was a key theme of the conversation.
    • Studio culture as how students and teachers think about and interact with one another.
    • Why comparison is human nature, but teachers can model encouragement over competition.
    • A recital idea where students write compliment cards to one another to celebrate their strengths.
    • Gving specific praise rather than vague compliments to foster genuine encouragement.
    • The idea of using the poem “Am I a Builder?” as a studio theme to encourage kindness and support.
    • The importance of intentionality in preventing negativity and promoting positive interactions.
    • Her creative teaching resources, like Interval Wars and Rhythm Tumble.
    • Practical studio organization tips.

    Links Mentioned
    • Jessie's website: Hill Piano Studio
    • Jessie's Instagram page: @hillpianostudio
    • TopMusic Piano Podcast Episode 069: The Note Reading Struggle is Real

    Today's Guest Jessie Hill is a dedicated piano teacher based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she teaches from her welcoming home studio. As a mother of four daughters, Jessie understands the challenges families face when choosing extracurricular activities, and she’s passionate about making music education a lasting and meaningful choice. With a firm belief that piano is a lifelong skill that grows with you, she inspires students of all ages to discover joy, confidence, and lasting progress through music. Jessie’s teaching philosophy emphasizes strong foundational skills in music reading, rhythm, and technique, supported by a thoughtfully chosen method book series. She also enriches her students' experience through recitals, group lessons, and festival opportunities, creating a vibrant and supportive learning environment for every child. 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...
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • 069: The Note Reading Struggle is Real

    069: The Note Reading Struggle is Real
    Jun 6 2025
    Lately, I’ve been having a lot of conversations with other teachers about something we’re all seeing—students who can play pretty well but still guess at basic notes. In this solo episode, I’m diving into why note reading continues to be such a challenge, even for students who seem to be progressing. I’ll talk about how method books might be part of the problem, why students get overwhelmed, and what we can do to slow things down and build stronger foundations. I’m also sharing practical tools and a sneak peek at the sight reading framework I’ve been developing to help students become confident, fluent readers.
    • Rachel shared that note reading struggles came up during a conversation with her teaching team.
    • The importance of not rushing through method books as a common teaching pitfall.
    • Why some students rely on hand positions and interval cues instead of truly reading notes.
    • How the layout of certain method books, like Faber, might unintentionally contribute to the problem.
    • She suggested separating elements like rhythm and pitch during lessons to reduce overwhelm.
    • Recommended hands-on tools like Easy Notes tiles and magnetic whiteboards for reinforcement.
    • How anchor notes like middle C, treble G, and bass F can serve as visual reference points.
    • Her success using Flashnote Derby with limited note sets to build confidence.
    • Rachel introduced her view of sight reading as advanced note reading, built on strong fundamentals.
    • She previewed a new seven-part sight reading framework she’s developing for pianists.

    Links Mentioned
    • Podcast Freebie: 5 Simple Ways to Improve Sight-Reading Immediately

    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.com
    • Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
    • Visit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694
    • Visit 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...
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • 068: Piano Behind Bars with Florence Phillips

    068: Piano Behind Bars with Florence Phillips
    May 30 2025
    What happens when you bring piano lessons into a prison? Florence Phillips shares how a personal connection to the justice system led her to start a music program inside a Pennsylvania prison. With no template and plenty of obstacles, she built something powerful from scratch. Florence opens up about the messy first class, the transformation that followed, and the impact music had on her students and on herself. This is an episode about resilience, creativity, and what it really means to teach with purpose.
    • Florence shared an overview of her multi-teacher piano studio.
    • How a loved one’s incarceration opened her eyes to life inside prison.
    • She discovered that there were no music programs post-COVID at a nearby facility.
    • The logistical challenge of not being allowed to bring anything inside—not even a pen or notebook.
    • How she prepared by sending lesson plans in advance and staying flexible.
    • She shared about her first class feeling chaotic, with mixed levels and little structure.
    • How she almost quit, but support from colleagues pushed her to try again.
    • How her second class improved after she set clear goals and expectations.
    • Structuring a routine with solo sharing, group work, and one-on-one help.
    • How clapping and celebration slowly became natural for the group.
    • Florence shared that the music gave the men something to look forward to and feel proud of.
    • She reflected that teaching in prison changed her deeply.

    Links Mentioned
    • Florence's website: Florence Phillips Music
    • Florence's Instagram page: @florence_phillips_music
    • Florence's Facebook page: Florence Phillips Music

    Today's Guest Florence Phillips is a pianist and educator based in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She founded her private studio in 2020 and works with a diverse range of students—from young beginners to advanced adults—providing a welcoming, creative, and supportive environment for musical growth. A native of West Chester, Florence is passionate about enriching her community through music. She holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Piano Pedagogy, the former from West Chester University, where she currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Wells School of Music. In addition to her university work, she teaches group piano classes at SCI Phoenix and remains active as a church musician. With over a decade of performance experience, Florence has appeared as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and orchestral performer. Her repertoire includes virtuosic works such as Balakirev’s Islamey, Ravel’s Ondine, and Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, which she performed with the WCU Symphony Orchestra. Outside of her musical pursuits, Florence enjoys spending time with her large extended family, exploring her hometown, and traveling with her daughter. 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.
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins

What listeners say about TopMusic Piano Podcast

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.