November 10, 2025 • 27 mins
Big shifts are brewing at Creative Piano Pedagogy, and we’re inviting you behind the scenes! After five years of building resources solo, we’re leveling up into a true partnership that pairs big-picture creativity with sharp systems and operations. That means better courses, clearer communications, and a brand-new website designed to make it easier to find the tools you need to teach with confidence. Expect offerings that blend evidence-based strategies with simple, practical steps you can use in lessons right away.
To keep things human, we also loosen up with rapid-fire questions: what we listen to when we’re not teaching, the coffee orders that fuel us, and the composers we love to play but hesitate to teach.
If you’re a piano teacher looking for inspired ideas grounded in solid research, you’ll feel at home here. Tap play, meet the team, and help shape what comes next by sharing your studio challenges and wish list. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a colleague who’s ready for fresh energy in their teaching.
Links:
Check out the new Etsy shop!
Jingle Bells- Elizabeth's favorite 4-hand arrangement by Robert Vandall (or get the single sheet music here)
Browse our favorite Christmas ensemble collections
Check out our favorite Christmas solo music (beginner-advanced)
Listen to Tara's first episode on the podcast
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Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (01:15):
Well, hello, Tara.
Good afternoon, Elizabeth.
I am so excited that we arefinally back for episode 16 of
the Creative Piano Pedagogypodcast.
I have really missed doing thisthe last few weeks.
SPEAKER_00 (01:34):
You've been busy moving from one state to
another.
Bless your heart.
In the true Southern goodintention way of saying that
phrase, bless your heart.
SPEAKER_01 (01:44):
It really does apply.
I am still looking for lifenecessities amidst piles of
boxes that really have mequestioning all of my life
choices.
Um, what is all this stuff?
When did I get it?
And do I even need it?
And can we just throw it awayand start over?
SPEAKER_00 (02:04):
Yeah, I always thought it was amazing that I
had the biggest desire to purgeafter we moved.
Like would have been helpful ifthat came up before we moved,
but you know.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (02:15):
But thank you to everyone who has sent messages
saying, I've missed listening toyour podcast the last few weeks.
I that's actually very nice tohear.
And we're so sorry for thelittle hiatus there.
But we are back, and it is nowNovember when we're recording
this, and we have some veryexciting things to share today,
(02:38):
don't we, Tara?
You might notice that um Tara isback for another episode with me
today.
She is no longer a strangerbecause she's been on a few
episodes on the podcast, and theflow of today's episode is gonna
be a little more laid back thanour typical intensive pedagogy
(03:02):
focus, but we have a really goodreason for that.
So I think you'll enjoy what wehave to share.
SPEAKER_00 (03:11):
Looking forward to it.
I've got my hot tea.
I'm kicked back in my rockingoffice chair because you have to
have an office chair that rocksand swivels.
Oh, yes.
Oh, we have to.
SPEAKER_01 (03:23):
And I'm joining you with some coffee.
So we are beveraged up and readyto go.
So one of the very excitingthings we have to share today is
that we have a new website thatis launching very, very soon.
And Tara and I have been workingvery hard behind the scenes,
especially Tara, because she istruly a website guru.
(03:47):
So I think I think we're excitedto share it.
How do you feel about it, Tara?
SPEAKER_00 (03:53):
A little nervous, but excited.
Uh, I'm I'm learning all aboutthis new uh platform, getting to
know Wix.
And um yeah, not sure I'm a guruguru, but there's so many people
who are so good at it out there.
But um, I've always likedlearning new things and getting
in there and figuring it out.
(04:14):
So it's been fun.
SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
I'm so excited to share that with everyone next
week.
And you'll notice I've beensaying we on this podcast, and
the very, very, very excitingannouncement that I have to
share today is the past fiveyears, creative piano pedagogy
has been a solo venture.
(04:36):
It started as a hobby, a sidehobby, a way for me to share
teaching ideas and teachingresources.
And it was a long time coming,actually.
I really wanted to start a blog,and now it's evolved into
courses and podcasts andretreats and book clubs and
other things, but it's no longeran I, it's a we because Tara is
(05:03):
officially joining me as apartner in the creative piano
pedagogy business.
And Tara, I just want to say,wow, I feel so lucky and blessed
and fortunate to get to workwith you.
And I think the fun is justgetting started.
SPEAKER_00 (05:20):
Oh goodness, we've had fun already.
But I'm I'm so excited um justto be able to be creative and
help other teachers and youknow, just kind of move into a
new stage of my career and do itwith somebody that um, you know,
(05:41):
we just think alike in this way,but we also have some
differences we've learned.
Um, but I am I am super, superexcited about this.
It's been hard to like keep iton the down low for a little
bit.
SPEAKER_01 (05:53):
I feel like I've almost let the proverbial cat
out of the bag a few timesbecause I'm just so excited.
But I have been doing all thebehind-the-scenes everything the
past five years, and to be ableto partner with someone who not
only excels at things that I amvery much a beginner at, but
(06:13):
also has other gifts and isexcited to grow this venture
with me.
The sky is the limit.
And I'm gonna let her share abit more about what she's
specifically gonna be doing.
But Tara, I am just absolutelydelighted.
And I know we we've introducedyou here before.
So if you're like, wait aminute, who is this Tara person?
(06:36):
Um, I'll link her other episodesthat she's been on the podcast
with me in the description soyou can go back and re-remember
who she is and all of that.
But would you like to share whatyou're gonna be doing and why
you're excited to join CreativePiano Pedagogy?
SPEAKER_00 (06:53):
So I gosh, um what I will be doing is more, I am I am
more detail oriented, andElizabeth, you are so
wonderfully big picture orientedwith fantastic ideas, and um I
like to focus on the details andorganization, systems, and
(07:15):
processes and things like that.
We both like to be creative.
Um so things that arelife-giving for me are
life-sucking for you, and viceversa.
And that has been so fun todiscover as we've worked through
the details of this umpartnership.
So I'll be kind of overseeingcommunications, um, you know,
(07:38):
providing editing, um, maybetaking Elizabeth's big ideas and
kind of fleshing things out,systems and processes to make it
all flow a little bit easier.
And um we have so many goodideas.
I've got ideas jottedeverywhere.
Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_01 (07:57):
When I shared, I started sharing um my Evernote
files with Tara, I think she gota tiny glimpse of just how much
I've been thinking about thisthe last five years.
Maybe I've been thinking aboutit too much.
But to be able to work andco-write courses together with
someone, like she said, who cantake the ideas I have and the
(08:18):
outlines and help me developthem in a much better format.
And the website is going to be ahuge testament to just the a
tiny portion of what she isgoing to bring.
But um, as my partner andoperations director, she is full
of talents and gifts and thingsthat I am not great at or don't
(08:41):
enjoy.
And we work together so well.
So you're gonna be seeing a lotmore of Tara around here.
And um you might be gettingemails from her, you might be
getting Instagram messages fromher, but Tara is not only a
wonderfully organized person,but she is just a teacher at
heart.
(09:01):
I truly think that uh we'veshared about that together as
talking about musician life andhow we just both feel like we're
teachers at heart.
SPEAKER_00 (09:12):
Yeah, we're lucky to get to do what we do.
Whether it's you know,performing, doing gigs here and
there, teaching, coming, justbeing creative and coming up
with um different products.
So maybe now you can tell peoplewhat exactly, now that you get
to siphon off this stuff that islife-sucking for you, what are
(09:34):
the things in our partnershipthat are life-giving for you?
What do you love doing?
SPEAKER_01 (09:38):
Oh, I absolutely love writing.
I have learned that aboutmyself, that I love writing
courses and blogs, and I lovedoing research to hone in on new
pedagogy approaches or newresearch out there to give the
very best and accurateinformation to teachers who are
(09:59):
looking for information.
So I love the research and thewriting.
I love connecting with teachersand doing presentations and
webinars and developing coursesand curriculum.
So I will be doing kind of bigpicture things like that, um,
and lots of writing, I believe.
(10:19):
And we're just gonna see howthis takes shape.
It's kind of fun to be at thisstage of things where it started
as you know, a bi-weekly blogwith a video here and there.
And now we're talking aboutcurriculum development and
content and you know, our plansfor the future and an Etsy shop
and an online store withcurriculum and resources and
(10:43):
courses.
So I am truly very, very excitedto see what happens next.
SPEAKER_00 (10:50):
Oh, me too.
It's gonna be a lot of fun.
So, next, I would love to dosomething fun.
And you and I haven't done thison the podcast before.
I'm not sure you've even donethis in your other podcast, but
we're just gonna kind of go offtopic a little bit.
Oh, I love it.
And um ask some randomquestions.
Oh, we're gonna get to know eachother.
(11:11):
We're gonna get to know eachother.
Are you ready?
I love it.
I am.
You go first.
Okay.
First question.
What music do you listen to whenyou are not teaching?
SPEAKER_01 (11:23):
Oh, okay.
I love instrumental music.
I listen to um a lot ofplaylists on Spotify.
I don't really listen to a lotof classical.
I lean more towards likecinematic theme, uh like film
music or um orchestral.
I really love um instrumentalbluegrass kind of music or like
(11:48):
Celtic.
Um I listen to a lot of that andI don't get tired of it.
If I find a good playlist, Iwill listen to it ad nauseum for
months.
Um, to the point where I canjust predict what song is coming
next and I just love it.
Um, so that's that's somethingkind of quirky about me.
(12:08):
Um all right, I have a questionfor you.
Okay.
What is your favorite drink toget at a coffee shop?
SPEAKER_00 (12:17):
Oh, anybody that knows me knows knows this.
We haven't been in person a lottogether, but I always usually
get a chai latte, a hot chailatte, but with less chai.
So, like if you're at Starbucks,two pumps instead of four.
If it's pumpkin season, like twopumps of chai, two pumps of
pumpkin.
(12:37):
Okay.
If I am driving anywhere, I willget an iced caramel coffee with
cream because I will fall asleepwhen I drive.
So I will I will do that.
But that is that is that's kindof your standard order.
That is my standard order, yeah.
I love it.
Yep.
Okay.
Another one for you.
(12:58):
You ready?
Yes.
What is your least favorite, orwho is your least favorite
composer to teach?
SPEAKER_01 (13:11):
Oh dear.
Um okay, so this is my can myfavorite composer to play, but I
really don't like teaching theirmusic because it's my favorite
composer to play.
Um, it would be Chopin because Ihave played and performed so
much Chopin.
(13:32):
Um, my master's lecture recitalwas on the Chopin Nocturne.
So I performed so many of them,and I've done the Ballads, the
Scherzos, the Waltzes, you know,you you name it.
I've played the Chopin.
I don't love teaching it becauseI I'm always like, oh, this is
gonna be a painful process.
(13:53):
So that's probably my leastfavorite composer to teach, I'll
be honest.
Even though it's my favoritecomposer to play, I don't like
teaching it.
SPEAKER_00 (14:02):
I love that.
I love that answer.
That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_01 (14:05):
Let me ask you that same question.
Your least favorite composerhere.
SPEAKER_00 (14:11):
Um yeah, I'm gonna go around the roundabout way to
answer.
I love teaching like modernmusic, or when I was in um
college and graduate school,like the um 20th century
composers.
I just I love that.
My favorite piece ever toperform is Takata for Piano by
(14:32):
um Emma Lou Diemer.
You get to mess with the insideof the piano, it's it's so much
fun.
Um, and I like teaching it thatthe kids, you know, they get to
explore.
So my least favorite, probablyrevealing a good weakness here,
is and just like you, I likeplaying Bach, but I do struggle
to teach it.
SPEAKER_01 (14:53):
That's probably not you're not the only person to
think that, I'm pretty sure.
SPEAKER_00 (14:58):
Yeah, I like playing Bach if I need to get my brain
calmed down, organized.
You know, it um it's just worldmusic is very um predictably
rhythmic, like very even.
SPEAKER_01 (15:13):
So it's a very calming thing to listen to as
well, I find.
SPEAKER_00 (15:18):
Yeah, I love it.
And I do, I agree with you.
I find Chopin a little difficultto teach.
Um this is where I like toconnect with my if I have
teenage students who might be alittle angsty.
Well, let's just do the C minorprelude.
SPEAKER_01 (15:32):
Oh, that that has been a gateway for some deep
conversations in my studio andthe E the E minor prelude.
That's so mournful.
Um yeah, I I have some somepretty awkwardly hilarious
memories of that one.
I'll have to share some.
SPEAKER_00 (15:51):
All right, I'd have got another uh another question
for you.
Uh let's see.
Name three pet peeves, notrelated, or can be if you want
to, but just general in-life petpeeves.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (16:08):
Um I do not like itchy clothing or anything
itchy.
I cannot handle it like a scarf,it has to be very soft.
Jackets cannot be itchy.
I cannot handle itchy.
It just is very distracting tome because I'm thinking about
what's itching rather than whatI need to be thinking about.
(16:31):
So anything that's itchy, Idon't I don't like it.
Um another pet peeve is whenpeople do not use their turn
signal in front of me, but theyquickly put on their brakes and
turn that greatly annoys myspirit, like deep within my
soul.
I'm very annoyed by that.
(16:52):
Um and then, oh, this is a kindof funny one, but one of my
biggest pet peeves is if Jamesand I go out to eat and I order
food that's supposed to be hotand I don't get it when it's
very, very hot.
I I like to receive it justright out of the oven.
Just literally throw it from theoven straight onto my plate and
(17:14):
then ship it over to me, pipinghot.
I will wait for it to cool downmyself.
But if I get food that somebodyelse has waited to like for it
to cool and then brought to me,it just is so sad.
Like there's nothing moredepressing than a plate of
mushy, moderately warm Frenchfries or waffle fries.
(17:35):
So those are really quirkythings, but it's the little
things that matter.
SPEAKER_00 (17:41):
It really is, it really is.
My number one pet peeve in life,number one, hands down, is if
I'm walking somewhere on asidewalk, a park, maybe an
amusement park, although Idon't, I really don't like to go
to those anymore.
And somebody, I'm trying to findthe proper word for this, and
(18:02):
somebody expectorates on thesidewalk.
Oh, that's disgusting.
I can't, I I just can't.
Like I literally have to controlmyself from saying something.
It's just nasty.
And then somebody's gonna walkin it and it's gonna walk every
it's gonna go everywhere.
Thank you.
(18:22):
No, thank you.
Keep that.
SPEAKER_01 (18:25):
That's that is that is disgusting.
SPEAKER_00 (18:28):
Yeah, yeah.
Trying to think the drivingthing.
Um, Raleigh tends to have someum aggressive drivers.
They do, they do.
Um, so I it's it's terrifying todrive anymore because you'll
likely get cut off multipletimes.
And um yeah, I don't know.
(18:49):
I've I've got some, but I'mtrying to be nice.
SPEAKER_01 (18:52):
Oh, I am I'm actually enjoying hearing your
pet peeves.
It makes me feel not quite sobad about having my own.
And you know, it's just part ofbeing human.
SPEAKER_00 (19:02):
Last question.
And as we head into theChristmas season, I know I have
my answer for this.
What piece do you never want toteach again?
SPEAKER_01 (19:14):
Oh, holiday or just in general?
In general.
Oh boy.
Okay.
Um I have two answers.
Jolly old St.
Nicholas.
I never ever want to teach againbecause it is an every beginner
piano holiday series.
Four, four, four, four, three,three, three.
(19:37):
And it turns into the mostmournful, depressingly weird
dirge that's kind of an homageto Jolly Old St.
Nicholas, but is not Jolly atall.
So that's that's probably mynumber one piece.
I don't ever want to teachagain.
And a close second, um closesecond might be the petzold Bach
(20:00):
minuet and G.
Not a not a huge fan of thatone.
SPEAKER_00 (20:05):
Okay.
Been there, done that.
SPEAKER_01 (20:07):
What about you?
SPEAKER_00 (20:09):
Um, and I know we we talked about this question the
other day, so I've been tryingto change my perspective, but I
I feel the same about jinglebells.
And so I've been trying to thinka little more creatively, like,
how can I fall back in love withthis?
Because I I am going to hear itmultiple times a year, every
year.
And it's in, like Jolly Old St.
(20:30):
Nicholas, it's in every book.
Um, sometimes with a differenttitle, so it's not Christmas,
but um yeah, jingle bells.
So I'm trying to change it upand yeah, you know.
SPEAKER_01 (20:43):
Well, maybe you haven't found an arrangement you
love yet.
SPEAKER_00 (20:46):
There we go.
But I've got bells in mypercussion drawer.
Oh.
And we know we have the littlethings we can do on the high
notes there.
So it's true.
I might use this as a umimprovisation, improvisatory
exercise with students thisyear.
Um I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:06):
If you don't have sleigh bells, I highly encourage
sleigh bells.
It changed my mood on jinglebells, just having students.
I also just love the sound ofbig bells.
I really do.
Um it's just so fun.
But I love I love the sleighbells to use those with jingle
(21:27):
bells because it's not anannoying like tinny bell sound.
It's like a it's a bell.
I don't know how to explain it.
It's so much more joyfulsounding than a tinny.
But that's a good, this would bea great blog post series as
well.
Good arrangements of music thatwe all might be a little tired
(21:48):
of.
SPEAKER_00 (21:49):
Oh, yes, that would be really, really good.
What are our favoritearrangements of it?
SPEAKER_01 (21:52):
Oh, maybe there's some duet arrangements or it is
my all-time favorite jinglebells, probably is the Robert
Van Daal because it changesmeter so frequently that it is
like a jingle bell rhapsody,like a rhapsody on jingle bells,
and it is so fun that you haveto hang on to your bench.
And you can't if you can't getbored, you know.
SPEAKER_00 (22:16):
I have to look for this now.
I'm making a note.
SPEAKER_01 (22:18):
It's really fun.
I'll see if I can remember whichbook it's in, and I'll also link
it in the description becausemaybe somebody else is looking
for a fun arrangement of jinglebells.
It is that season, it is, it is,and I hope y'all have enjoyed
this more casual episode today.
Tara and I thought it would justbe so fun to ask each other some
(22:38):
random questions because yes, weare serious, intentional
teachers that think a lot aboutbig topics like teaching
neurodivergent students and allof those very serious leaning
things.
But we're also just two friendsand colleagues who love having
fun and love sharing the thenormalities of teaching life.
(23:04):
So that's what this episode hasbeen a little a little reprieve
from our typical style today.
SPEAKER_00 (23:11):
Yeah, I have a question for you.
Yes.
Well, or for both of us, let'stell everyone how we met and how
our friendship developed.
I remember when I firstinteracted with you.
SPEAKER_01 (23:23):
What do you I do?
It was about the um adaptivepiano pedagogy 101 course, I
think.
SPEAKER_00 (23:30):
It was before that.
Oh no.
It was on Instagram.
Um, because you were speaking atthe Raleigh Piano Teachers
Association, and I couldn'tattend, but I was so excited.
SPEAKER_01 (23:44):
And then I actually reached out to you to ask if you
would have room in your studiofor a couple of my students.
SPEAKER_00 (23:49):
Yes, yeah.
Um, and then I had followed yousince then.
We exchanged a couple ofmessages, and then you did the
adaptive piano pedagogy course,the first iteration of it.
Um, and I jumped on immediately.
Um, and then I mean, of course,you're obviously been the real
deal, but in you know, in thatsense, when I took the course, I
(24:13):
was like, uh, she knows sheknows what she's talking about.
This is solid research comparedto misinformation, because my
experience as a mom uh told methat.
And so from there, um, I don'tknow, I think we learn from each
other because I I absolutely youhave to put words in your mouth.
SPEAKER_01 (24:31):
No, and I that's another thing that made me so
glad to get to know you becauseanytime I can connect with a
parent that has kids who learndifferently, like I kind of want
to check my own research.
Like, hey, is this on brand?
Is this accurate?
And so to hear from all theparents I've talked to, the
(24:53):
teachers who are parent parents,but you know, parents of my
former students, and then toconnect with you on piano
teaching and neurodiversity andhear, yes, and now we get to
partner together.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (25:07):
Watch out world.
SPEAKER_01 (25:08):
Here we come.
Watch out world.
Oh my goodness, what adelightfully fun episode this
has been.
And if you're listening and youhave uh an answer to one of our
questions that we asked eachother, drop it in a comment on
one of our social mediaplatforms on the Facebook or
Instagram, wherever you see thispodcast episode being talked
(25:32):
about.
I would love to know what yourpet peeve is, or what your
favorite drink is at a coffeeshop, or what piece you're
really tired of teaching, orwhat composer you don't like
teaching.
So I think that would be reallyfun to get to know other
teachers who might comment.
SPEAKER_00 (25:46):
I do too.
I love it.
We'll have to throw this clip onInstagram and and get some get
some responses there too.
SPEAKER_01 (25:53):
Absolutely.
Well, Tara, thank you for notonly joining me today, but for
being willing and excited topartner with me in creative
piano pedagogy.
And I think we have some reallyfun days ahead.
We do.
I can't wait.
Thank you all for listening, andwe will be back next week with
another episode on pianoteaching.
Well, hello, Tara.
Good afternoon, Elizabeth.
I am so excited that we arefinally back for episode 16 of
the Creative Piano Pedagogypodcast.
I have really missed doing thisthe last few weeks.
SPEAKER_00 (01:34):
You've been busy moving from one state to
another.
Bless your heart.
In the true Southern goodintention way of saying that
phrase, bless your heart.
SPEAKER_01 (01:44):
It really does apply.
I am still looking for lifenecessities amidst piles of
boxes that really have mequestioning all of my life
choices.
Um, what is all this stuff?
When did I get it?
And do I even need it?
And can we just throw it awayand start over?
SPEAKER_00 (02:04):
Yeah, I always thought it was amazing that I
had the biggest desire to purgeafter we moved.
Like would have been helpful ifthat came up before we moved,
but you know.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (02:15):
But thank you to everyone who has sent messages
saying, I've missed listening toyour podcast the last few weeks.
I that's actually very nice tohear.
And we're so sorry for thelittle hiatus there.
But we are back, and it is nowNovember when we're recording
this, and we have some veryexciting things to share today,
(02:38):
don't we, Tara?
You might notice that um Tara isback for another episode with me
today.
She is no longer a strangerbecause she's been on a few
episodes on the podcast, and theflow of today's episode is gonna
be a little more laid back thanour typical intensive pedagogy
(03:02):
focus, but we have a really goodreason for that.
So I think you'll enjoy what wehave to share.
SPEAKER_00 (03:11):
Looking forward to it.
I've got my hot tea.
I'm kicked back in my rockingoffice chair because you have to
have an office chair that rocksand swivels.
Oh, yes.
Oh, we have to.
SPEAKER_01 (03:23):
And I'm joining you with some coffee.
So we are beveraged up and readyto go.
So one of the very excitingthings we have to share today is
that we have a new website thatis launching very, very soon.
And Tara and I have been workingvery hard behind the scenes,
especially Tara, because she istruly a website guru.
(03:47):
So I think I think we're excitedto share it.
How do you feel about it, Tara?
SPEAKER_00 (03:53):
A little nervous, but excited.
Uh, I'm I'm learning all aboutthis new uh platform, getting to
know Wix.
And um yeah, not sure I'm a guruguru, but there's so many people
who are so good at it out there.
But um, I've always likedlearning new things and getting
in there and figuring it out.
(04:14):
So it's been fun.
SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
I'm so excited to share that with everyone next
week.
And you'll notice I've beensaying we on this podcast, and
the very, very, very excitingannouncement that I have to
share today is the past fiveyears, creative piano pedagogy
has been a solo venture.
(04:36):
It started as a hobby, a sidehobby, a way for me to share
teaching ideas and teachingresources.
And it was a long time coming,actually.
I really wanted to start a blog,and now it's evolved into
courses and podcasts andretreats and book clubs and
other things, but it's no longeran I, it's a we because Tara is
(05:03):
officially joining me as apartner in the creative piano
pedagogy business.
And Tara, I just want to say,wow, I feel so lucky and blessed
and fortunate to get to workwith you.
And I think the fun is justgetting started.
SPEAKER_00 (05:20):
Oh goodness, we've had fun already.
But I'm I'm so excited um justto be able to be creative and
help other teachers and youknow, just kind of move into a
new stage of my career and do itwith somebody that um, you know,
(05:41):
we just think alike in this way,but we also have some
differences we've learned.
Um, but I am I am super, superexcited about this.
It's been hard to like keep iton the down low for a little
bit.
SPEAKER_01 (05:53):
I feel like I've almost let the proverbial cat
out of the bag a few timesbecause I'm just so excited.
But I have been doing all thebehind-the-scenes everything the
past five years, and to be ableto partner with someone who not
only excels at things that I amvery much a beginner at, but
(06:13):
also has other gifts and isexcited to grow this venture
with me.
The sky is the limit.
And I'm gonna let her share abit more about what she's
specifically gonna be doing.
But Tara, I am just absolutelydelighted.
And I know we we've introducedyou here before.
So if you're like, wait aminute, who is this Tara person?
(06:36):
Um, I'll link her other episodesthat she's been on the podcast
with me in the description soyou can go back and re-remember
who she is and all of that.
But would you like to share whatyou're gonna be doing and why
you're excited to join CreativePiano Pedagogy?
SPEAKER_00 (06:53):
So I gosh, um what I will be doing is more, I am I am
more detail oriented, andElizabeth, you are so
wonderfully big picture orientedwith fantastic ideas, and um I
like to focus on the details andorganization, systems, and
(07:15):
processes and things like that.
We both like to be creative.
Um so things that arelife-giving for me are
life-sucking for you, and viceversa.
And that has been so fun todiscover as we've worked through
the details of this umpartnership.
So I'll be kind of overseeingcommunications, um, you know,
(07:38):
providing editing, um, maybetaking Elizabeth's big ideas and
kind of fleshing things out,systems and processes to make it
all flow a little bit easier.
And um we have so many goodideas.
I've got ideas jottedeverywhere.
Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_01 (07:57):
When I shared, I started sharing um my Evernote
files with Tara, I think she gota tiny glimpse of just how much
I've been thinking about thisthe last five years.
Maybe I've been thinking aboutit too much.
But to be able to work andco-write courses together with
someone, like she said, who cantake the ideas I have and the
(08:18):
outlines and help me developthem in a much better format.
And the website is going to be ahuge testament to just the a
tiny portion of what she isgoing to bring.
But um, as my partner andoperations director, she is full
of talents and gifts and thingsthat I am not great at or don't
(08:41):
enjoy.
And we work together so well.
So you're gonna be seeing a lotmore of Tara around here.
And um you might be gettingemails from her, you might be
getting Instagram messages fromher, but Tara is not only a
wonderfully organized person,but she is just a teacher at
heart.
(09:01):
I truly think that uh we'veshared about that together as
talking about musician life andhow we just both feel like we're
teachers at heart.
SPEAKER_00 (09:12):
Yeah, we're lucky to get to do what we do.
Whether it's you know,performing, doing gigs here and
there, teaching, coming, justbeing creative and coming up
with um different products.
So maybe now you can tell peoplewhat exactly, now that you get
to siphon off this stuff that islife-sucking for you, what are
(09:34):
the things in our partnershipthat are life-giving for you?
What do you love doing?
SPEAKER_01 (09:38):
Oh, I absolutely love writing.
I have learned that aboutmyself, that I love writing
courses and blogs, and I lovedoing research to hone in on new
pedagogy approaches or newresearch out there to give the
very best and accurateinformation to teachers who are
(09:59):
looking for information.
So I love the research and thewriting.
I love connecting with teachersand doing presentations and
webinars and developing coursesand curriculum.
So I will be doing kind of bigpicture things like that, um,
and lots of writing, I believe.
(10:19):
And we're just gonna see howthis takes shape.
It's kind of fun to be at thisstage of things where it started
as you know, a bi-weekly blogwith a video here and there.
And now we're talking aboutcurriculum development and
content and you know, our plansfor the future and an Etsy shop
and an online store withcurriculum and resources and
(10:43):
courses.
So I am truly very, very excitedto see what happens next.
SPEAKER_00 (10:50):
Oh, me too.
It's gonna be a lot of fun.
So, next, I would love to dosomething fun.
And you and I haven't done thison the podcast before.
I'm not sure you've even donethis in your other podcast, but
we're just gonna kind of go offtopic a little bit.
Oh, I love it.
And um ask some randomquestions.
Oh, we're gonna get to know eachother.
(11:11):
We're gonna get to know eachother.
Are you ready?
I love it.
I am.
You go first.
Okay.
First question.
What music do you listen to whenyou are not teaching?
SPEAKER_01 (11:23):
Oh, okay.
I love instrumental music.
I listen to um a lot ofplaylists on Spotify.
I don't really listen to a lotof classical.
I lean more towards likecinematic theme, uh like film
music or um orchestral.
I really love um instrumentalbluegrass kind of music or like
(11:48):
Celtic.
Um I listen to a lot of that andI don't get tired of it.
If I find a good playlist, Iwill listen to it ad nauseum for
months.
Um, to the point where I canjust predict what song is coming
next and I just love it.
Um, so that's that's somethingkind of quirky about me.
(12:08):
Um all right, I have a questionfor you.
Okay.
What is your favorite drink toget at a coffee shop?
SPEAKER_00 (12:17):
Oh, anybody that knows me knows knows this.
We haven't been in person a lottogether, but I always usually
get a chai latte, a hot chailatte, but with less chai.
So, like if you're at Starbucks,two pumps instead of four.
If it's pumpkin season, like twopumps of chai, two pumps of
pumpkin.
(12:37):
Okay.
If I am driving anywhere, I willget an iced caramel coffee with
cream because I will fall asleepwhen I drive.
So I will I will do that.
But that is that is that's kindof your standard order.
That is my standard order, yeah.
I love it.
Yep.
Okay.
Another one for you.
(12:58):
You ready?
Yes.
What is your least favorite, orwho is your least favorite
composer to teach?
SPEAKER_01 (13:11):
Oh dear.
Um okay, so this is my can myfavorite composer to play, but I
really don't like teaching theirmusic because it's my favorite
composer to play.
Um, it would be Chopin because Ihave played and performed so
much Chopin.
(13:32):
Um, my master's lecture recitalwas on the Chopin Nocturne.
So I performed so many of them,and I've done the Ballads, the
Scherzos, the Waltzes, you know,you you name it.
I've played the Chopin.
I don't love teaching it becauseI I'm always like, oh, this is
gonna be a painful process.
(13:53):
So that's probably my leastfavorite composer to teach, I'll
be honest.
Even though it's my favoritecomposer to play, I don't like
teaching it.
SPEAKER_00 (14:02):
I love that.
I love that answer.
That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_01 (14:05):
Let me ask you that same question.
Your least favorite composerhere.
SPEAKER_00 (14:11):
Um yeah, I'm gonna go around the roundabout way to
answer.
I love teaching like modernmusic, or when I was in um
college and graduate school,like the um 20th century
composers.
I just I love that.
My favorite piece ever toperform is Takata for Piano by
(14:32):
um Emma Lou Diemer.
You get to mess with the insideof the piano, it's it's so much
fun.
Um, and I like teaching it thatthe kids, you know, they get to
explore.
So my least favorite, probablyrevealing a good weakness here,
is and just like you, I likeplaying Bach, but I do struggle
to teach it.
SPEAKER_01 (14:53):
That's probably not you're not the only person to
think that, I'm pretty sure.
SPEAKER_00 (14:58):
Yeah, I like playing Bach if I need to get my brain
calmed down, organized.
You know, it um it's just worldmusic is very um predictably
rhythmic, like very even.
SPEAKER_01 (15:13):
So it's a very calming thing to listen to as
well, I find.
SPEAKER_00 (15:18):
Yeah, I love it.
And I do, I agree with you.
I find Chopin a little difficultto teach.
Um this is where I like toconnect with my if I have
teenage students who might be alittle angsty.
Well, let's just do the C minorprelude.
SPEAKER_01 (15:32):
Oh, that that has been a gateway for some deep
conversations in my studio andthe E the E minor prelude.
That's so mournful.
Um yeah, I I have some somepretty awkwardly hilarious
memories of that one.
I'll have to share some.
SPEAKER_00 (15:51):
All right, I'd have got another uh another question
for you.
Uh let's see.
Name three pet peeves, notrelated, or can be if you want
to, but just general in-life petpeeves.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (16:08):
Um I do not like itchy clothing or anything
itchy.
I cannot handle it like a scarf,it has to be very soft.
Jackets cannot be itchy.
I cannot handle itchy.
It just is very distracting tome because I'm thinking about
what's itching rather than whatI need to be thinking about.
(16:31):
So anything that's itchy, Idon't I don't like it.
Um another pet peeve is whenpeople do not use their turn
signal in front of me, but theyquickly put on their brakes and
turn that greatly annoys myspirit, like deep within my
soul.
I'm very annoyed by that.
(16:52):
Um and then, oh, this is a kindof funny one, but one of my
biggest pet peeves is if Jamesand I go out to eat and I order
food that's supposed to be hotand I don't get it when it's
very, very hot.
I I like to receive it justright out of the oven.
Just literally throw it from theoven straight onto my plate and
(17:14):
then ship it over to me, pipinghot.
I will wait for it to cool downmyself.
But if I get food that somebodyelse has waited to like for it
to cool and then brought to me,it just is so sad.
Like there's nothing moredepressing than a plate of
mushy, moderately warm Frenchfries or waffle fries.
(17:35):
So those are really quirkythings, but it's the little
things that matter.
SPEAKER_00 (17:41):
It really is, it really is.
My number one pet peeve in life,number one, hands down, is if
I'm walking somewhere on asidewalk, a park, maybe an
amusement park, although Idon't, I really don't like to go
to those anymore.
And somebody, I'm trying to findthe proper word for this, and
(18:02):
somebody expectorates on thesidewalk.
Oh, that's disgusting.
I can't, I I just can't.
Like I literally have to controlmyself from saying something.
It's just nasty.
And then somebody's gonna walkin it and it's gonna walk every
it's gonna go everywhere.
Thank you.
(18:22):
No, thank you.
Keep that.
SPEAKER_01 (18:25):
That's that is that is disgusting.
SPEAKER_00 (18:28):
Yeah, yeah.
Trying to think the drivingthing.
Um, Raleigh tends to have someum aggressive drivers.
They do, they do.
Um, so I it's it's terrifying todrive anymore because you'll
likely get cut off multipletimes.
And um yeah, I don't know.
(18:49):
I've I've got some, but I'mtrying to be nice.
SPEAKER_01 (18:52):
Oh, I am I'm actually enjoying hearing your
pet peeves.
It makes me feel not quite sobad about having my own.
And you know, it's just part ofbeing human.
SPEAKER_00 (19:02):
Last question.
And as we head into theChristmas season, I know I have
my answer for this.
What piece do you never want toteach again?
SPEAKER_01 (19:14):
Oh, holiday or just in general?
In general.
Oh boy.
Okay.
Um I have two answers.
Jolly old St.
Nicholas.
I never ever want to teach againbecause it is an every beginner
piano holiday series.
Four, four, four, four, three,three, three.
(19:37):
And it turns into the mostmournful, depressingly weird
dirge that's kind of an homageto Jolly Old St.
Nicholas, but is not Jolly atall.
So that's that's probably mynumber one piece.
I don't ever want to teachagain.
And a close second, um closesecond might be the petzold Bach
(20:00):
minuet and G.
Not a not a huge fan of thatone.
SPEAKER_00 (20:05):
Okay.
Been there, done that.
SPEAKER_01 (20:07):
What about you?
SPEAKER_00 (20:09):
Um, and I know we we talked about this question the
other day, so I've been tryingto change my perspective, but I
I feel the same about jinglebells.
And so I've been trying to thinka little more creatively, like,
how can I fall back in love withthis?
Because I I am going to hear itmultiple times a year, every
year.
And it's in, like Jolly Old St.
(20:30):
Nicholas, it's in every book.
Um, sometimes with a differenttitle, so it's not Christmas,
but um yeah, jingle bells.
So I'm trying to change it upand yeah, you know.
SPEAKER_01 (20:43):
Well, maybe you haven't found an arrangement you
love yet.
SPEAKER_00 (20:46):
There we go.
But I've got bells in mypercussion drawer.
Oh.
And we know we have the littlethings we can do on the high
notes there.
So it's true.
I might use this as a umimprovisation, improvisatory
exercise with students thisyear.
Um I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:06):
If you don't have sleigh bells, I highly encourage
sleigh bells.
It changed my mood on jinglebells, just having students.
I also just love the sound ofbig bells.
I really do.
Um it's just so fun.
But I love I love the sleighbells to use those with jingle
(21:27):
bells because it's not anannoying like tinny bell sound.
It's like a it's a bell.
I don't know how to explain it.
It's so much more joyfulsounding than a tinny.
But that's a good, this would bea great blog post series as
well.
Good arrangements of music thatwe all might be a little tired
(21:48):
of.
SPEAKER_00 (21:49):
Oh, yes, that would be really, really good.
What are our favoritearrangements of it?
SPEAKER_01 (21:52):
Oh, maybe there's some duet arrangements or it is
my all-time favorite jinglebells, probably is the Robert
Van Daal because it changesmeter so frequently that it is
like a jingle bell rhapsody,like a rhapsody on jingle bells,
and it is so fun that you haveto hang on to your bench.
And you can't if you can't getbored, you know.
SPEAKER_00 (22:16):
I have to look for this now.
I'm making a note.
SPEAKER_01 (22:18):
It's really fun.
I'll see if I can remember whichbook it's in, and I'll also link
it in the description becausemaybe somebody else is looking
for a fun arrangement of jinglebells.
It is that season, it is, it is,and I hope y'all have enjoyed
this more casual episode today.
Tara and I thought it would justbe so fun to ask each other some
(22:38):
random questions because yes, weare serious, intentional
teachers that think a lot aboutbig topics like teaching
neurodivergent students and allof those very serious leaning
things.
But we're also just two friendsand colleagues who love having
fun and love sharing the thenormalities of teaching life.
(23:04):
So that's what this episode hasbeen a little a little reprieve
from our typical style today.
SPEAKER_00 (23:11):
Yeah, I have a question for you.
Yes.
Well, or for both of us, let'stell everyone how we met and how
our friendship developed.
I remember when I firstinteracted with you.
SPEAKER_01 (23:23):
What do you I do?
It was about the um adaptivepiano pedagogy 101 course, I
think.
SPEAKER_00 (23:30):
It was before that.
Oh no.
It was on Instagram.
Um, because you were speaking atthe Raleigh Piano Teachers
Association, and I couldn'tattend, but I was so excited.
SPEAKER_01 (23:44):
And then I actually reached out to you to ask if you
would have room in your studiofor a couple of my students.
SPEAKER_00 (23:49):
Yes, yeah.
Um, and then I had followed yousince then.
We exchanged a couple ofmessages, and then you did the
adaptive piano pedagogy course,the first iteration of it.
Um, and I jumped on immediately.
Um, and then I mean, of course,you're obviously been the real
deal, but in you know, in thatsense, when I took the course, I
(24:13):
was like, uh, she knows sheknows what she's talking about.
This is solid research comparedto misinformation, because my
experience as a mom uh told methat.
And so from there, um, I don'tknow, I think we learn from each
other because I I absolutely youhave to put words in your mouth.
SPEAKER_01 (24:31):
No, and I that's another thing that made me so
glad to get to know you becauseanytime I can connect with a
parent that has kids who learndifferently, like I kind of want
to check my own research.
Like, hey, is this on brand?
Is this accurate?
And so to hear from all theparents I've talked to, the
(24:53):
teachers who are parent parents,but you know, parents of my
former students, and then toconnect with you on piano
teaching and neurodiversity andhear, yes, and now we get to
partner together.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (25:07):
Watch out world.
SPEAKER_01 (25:08):
Here we come.
Watch out world.
Oh my goodness, what adelightfully fun episode this
has been.
And if you're listening and youhave uh an answer to one of our
questions that we asked eachother, drop it in a comment on
one of our social mediaplatforms on the Facebook or
Instagram, wherever you see thispodcast episode being talked
(25:32):
about.
I would love to know what yourpet peeve is, or what your
favorite drink is at a coffeeshop, or what piece you're
really tired of teaching, orwhat composer you don't like
teaching.
So I think that would be reallyfun to get to know other
teachers who might comment.
SPEAKER_00 (25:46):
I do too.
I love it.
We'll have to throw this clip onInstagram and and get some get
some responses there too.
SPEAKER_01 (25:53):
Absolutely.
Well, Tara, thank you for notonly joining me today, but for
being willing and excited topartner with me in creative
piano pedagogy.
And I think we have some reallyfun days ahead.
We do.
I can't wait.
Thank you all for listening, andwe will be back next week with
another episode on pianoteaching.
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