128: Back-to-School Favorites with Natalie Weber

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.com
• Natalie'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.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 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