If you’re looking for music group class game that your students will love, Composer Trading is sure to do the job! Every time we play it, my students beg to play it again. We played it again at our group class this week and they were thrilled! You can download the free image files and […]
Group Class Ideas
September Surprise Group Piano Class – by Candlelight!
The September Surprise! has become a much-anticipated tradition in our studio, but I think I can safely say that this year’s will go down in history as one of the most memorable. The students and their families arrived in the midst of an intense thunderstorm, and near the end of one of the performances a […]
Using Pennies to Teach 16th Note Rhythms
Years ago I first tried the idea of using pennies as a tactile way to teach the subdivision of 16th note rhythms. It’s been a while since I used it in my teaching, but now that all of my students are reaching a higher level of playing, it was time to break out the penny […]
Snapshots From This Week’s Group Class
In addition to performing for each other this week we practiced sharing definitions and descriptions of the musical elements of our pieces. Composing with the fun new game Compose Yourself! A game of notating Major and minor scales accurately by following the correct pattern. Major and minor scale-building game at the piano keyboard!  We […]
Compose Yourself – Giveaway #1!
Imagine the look on your students’ faces as they listen to a simple melody transformed into a gorgeous orchestral sound. That is exactly the awe factor that Maestro, Cellist, and Composer Philip Sheppard has in mind with his ingenious new creation, Compose Yourself. Distributed by the award-winning educational game company, Think Fun, Compose Yourself will […]
A Fun Group Piano Class Rhythm Game
The last week of each month I hold a 1-hour group class in addition to the regular lessons for that week. This gives the students an opportunity to perform for each other, participate in ensembles, and play a variety of games to help reinforce musical concepts. Since one of our primary focuses this year is […]

















