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Field Notes on Music Teaching & Learning

Field Notes on Music Teaching & Learning

Written by: Ashley Danyew
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About this listen

This podcast is a collection of creative ideas, practical strategies, and thoughtful observations from the field of music teaching and learning. Music educator Ashley Danyew will dive into topics like how we learn, developing musicianship, time management, teaching sequences, planning tools and strategies, the art of teaching, practicing, and the creative process, and share personal stories from her own experiences and observations. You’ll find creative and pedagogically-sound teaching tips; fresh, new approaches you can use in your teaching; and insight into a few tried-and-true systems and creative processes designed to help you do your best work.

Copyright 2020-2026, Ashley Danyew. All rights reserved. Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • 092 - Beauty, Artistry, and Intention (A Tribute to Marvin Blickenstaff)

    092 - Beauty, Artistry, and Intention (A Tribute to Marvin Blickenstaff)
    Feb 11 2026

    At the end of January, we lost a wonderful musician, teacher, and pedagogue, Marvin Blickenstaff. You’ve probably heard me talk about Marvin on the podcast before—he had a profound impact on my teaching.

    With a career spanning over six decades, Marvin dedicated himself to serving piano students and teachers worldwide. He valued deep emotional expression at the keyboard and a human connection through the music. He once said, “The only reason that music exists is to express who we are and how we feel.”

    Today, I’m sharing some of the most important things I learned from Marvin and how they show up in my teaching and practice.

    For show notes + a full transcript, click here.

    Resources Mentioned

    *Disclosure: some of the links in this episode are affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase through any of them, I will earn a small commission. This helps support the podcast and allows me to continue creating free content. Thank you for your support!

    The New School for Music Study

    Inspired Piano Teaching (Marvin Blickenstaff)

    Ep. 041 - Focus On the Music

    Ep. 074 - What a First Piano Lesson Looks Like (Here’s My Lesson Plan)

    Ep. 076 - 7 Things to Carry Into the New School Year

    Ep. 079 - From Technique to Musical Identity: Six Things I’m Focusing on in Lessons

    Ep. 084 - Recital Recap & Year-End Reflection

    Learn Faster, Perform Better (Molly Gebrian)

    Ep. 089 - The Science of Practicing: What I’m Learning from Molly Gebrian’s Book

    A Quick Warm-Up Routine for Piano Accompanists

    If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts >>

    Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

    Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways we can work together:

    1️⃣ Need fresh teaching ideas? Schedule a quick 25-min. call and we’ll brainstorm on a topic of your choice. Build an idea bank that you can pull from in the months to come.

    2️⃣ Have questions about teaching or managing your music career? Book a 60-min call and get personalized advice, creative ideas & step-by-step strategies on up to 3-4 teaching/business topics.

    3️⃣ Develop the skills and strategies you need to plan the year, refine your teaching methods, and manage your time more effectively with a suite of online courses and professional development trainings
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    15 mins
  • 091 - Seven Black Composers in the Piano Teaching Repertoire

    091 - Seven Black Composers in the Piano Teaching Repertoire
    Jan 14 2026
    February is Black History Month—a time to honor and celebrate the contributions of African Americans. As a music teacher, this prompts me to pause and evaluate what I’m teaching, but also why. I ask questions like:How much diversity is present in my students’ method books and repertoire?Which pieces should we skip due to their complicated history?How can I make more thoughtful, informed choices about the music I put in front of my students—choices that are pedagogically sound and historically responsible?This year, I want to focus more on the existing repertoire and the creators behind it. In this episode, I’m going to introduce you to seven Black composers of elementary and intermediate piano repertoire.For show notes + a full transcript, click here.Resources Mentioned*Disclosure: some of the links in this episode are affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase through any of them, I will earn a small commission. This helps support the podcast and allows me to continue creating free content. Thank you for your support!Ep. 045 - The Blues Composition Project“This Is What Diversity Sounds Like” by Linda Holzer (Piano Magazine)RCM Celebration Series Preparatory A Piano RepertoireA Collection of Florence Price’s Teaching Music, Vol. 23 Sketches for Little Pianists (Florence Price)RCM Celebration Series Level 7 Piano RepertoireExpanding the Repertoire: Music of Black Composers, Levels 1 and 2 (compiled & edited by Dr. Leah Claiborne)Arise & Shine: Piano Music by Black Composers for Kids2022 RCM Piano SyllabusFive Animal Sketches (William Grant Still)Portraits in Jazz (Valerie Capers)Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Vol. 1 (compiled & edited by William Chapman Nyaho)RCM Celebration Series Level 6 Piano RepertoireRCM Celebration Series Level 6 Piano EtudesIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts >>Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyewWhenever you’re ready, here are three ways we can work together:1️⃣ Need fresh teaching ideas? Schedule a quick 25-min. call and we’ll brainstorm on a topic of your choice. Build an idea bank that you can pull from in the months to come.2️⃣ Have questions about teaching or managing your music career? Book a 60-min call and get personalized advice, creative ideas & step-by-step strategies on up to 3-4 teaching/business topics.3️⃣ Develop the skills and strategies you need to plan the year, refine your teaching methods, and manage your time more effectively with a suite of online courses and professional development trainings
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • 090 - Nine Supplemental Books for Elementary and Early Intermediate Piano Students

    090 - Nine Supplemental Books for Elementary and Early Intermediate Piano Students
    Dec 17 2025
    It’s my last week of teaching for the year, and I've been reflecting on the supplemental books that have been most successful with my elementary and early intermediate students this year. The new year can be a great time to start fresh: with new repertoire, new technical routines, or new creative challenges for our students.As we prepare for the Spring semester and look forward to lessons resuming in January, I want to share nine collections I’ve been using with my students this year. Some are etudes based on specific technical patterns, others are solo repertoire books. Most of these are available through Piano Safari, though they can be used alongside any method book. For reference, my elementary and early intermediate students are in Piano Safari Levels 1-3 and range from 2nd-7th grade.If you're looking to refresh your teaching materials for January or add some variety to your studio library, I hope you'll find a few gems here that spark your interest.For show notes + a full transcript, click here.Resources Mentioned*Disclosure: some of the links in this episode are affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase through any of them, I will earn a small commission. This helps support the podcast and allows me to continue creating free content. Thank you for your support!Miniatures (Juan Cabeza)Piano Safari Level 3Through the Windowpane (Chee-Hwa Tan)A Child’s Garden of Verses (Chee-Hwa Tan)Diversions, Books 1 and 2 (Juan Cabeza)Free download: 12 Variations on Diversion 12 (Juan Cabeza)Friends at Last (Amy Glennon)Here Comes Treble (Amy Glennon)Audio recordingsPiano Safari Level 1The Kitchen Suite, Op. 26 (Charles Stier)21 Amazingly Easy Pieces (Barbara Arens)If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts >>Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyewWhenever you’re ready, here are three ways we can work together:1️⃣ Need fresh teaching ideas? Schedule a quick 25-min. call and we’ll brainstorm on a topic of your choice. Build an idea bank that you can pull from in the months to come.2️⃣ Have questions about teaching or managing your music career? Book a 60-min call and get personalized advice, creative ideas & step-by-step strategies on up to 3-4 teaching/business topics.3️⃣ Develop the skills and strategies you need to plan the year, refine your teaching methods, and manage your time more effectively with a suite of online courses and professional development trainings
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
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