Like a snowflake, an individual’s creativity is unique.  It’s also personal, similar to heat levels in salsa – some prefer mild, and some prefer hot. Does it mean you are a better taster if you like things spicy?  Why does it seem that when it comes to getting creative at the piano or any instrument, a contest or competition must be held to validate or measure something so personal? Why would I ask that question when I’m the current chair of the Wyoming Federation of Music Clubs Junior Composer contest, have entered student compositions in numerous competitions ..read more

     Do you have teenage students? Congratulations that they’ve stuck with you! I’m especially thrilled when they get their driver’s licenses and drive themselves to lessons. Do you notice that finding the perfect piece doesn’t guarantee that practice will happen? Do you notice that although they want to make music and faithfully attend lessons, they may arrive unprepared, often distracted, and looking for someone (you!) to trust. Are you sometimes puzzled about how to communicate with them? Do you see what they do, and yet find it hard to connect with who they are? Did yo ..read more

     Instead of purchasing a Christmas gift for my students, I buy craft supplies and have them make a gift for their parents. Since 2012, the crafted gifts include a QR code. I first learned about the efficiency of QR codes (invented in 1994) when I included them in my book, The iPad Piano Studio, in 2013. Since the pandemic, QR codes have been the standard way for our smartphones to hook us up with websites and restaurant menus. So why make it a priority to add a QR code to a student holiday craft? It’s because I habitually record students’ pieces before upcoming recitals on ..read more

     With a trip to Australia in January 2024 (can’t wait!), it was time to revisit the condition of my travel bags. My black soft-sided Samsonite carry-on, which I’ve rolled and lugged around for decades, had seen better days. And my computer backpack, which I thought was so savvy at the time, was stiff, uncomfortable, and offered limited space. I was in the market for an upgrade. BTW…sign up below if you’d like to meet with me in Melbourne. I’ll present with my good friend Samantha Coates at one of her popular Pizza, Pinot, and Pedagogy events. Pizza Pinot and pedagogy Altho ..read more

      Think about your favorite melody. What makes it so appealing? Try composing a melody yourself and you’ll find that it’s harder than you might think. That’s when CHANCE comes in handy. Here’s an example of how chance can piece together or craft a melody. The idea came to me as I was looking for a way to reinforce intervals and boost creativity in my studio. When we read the word “interval,” we don’t read each letter I N T E R V A L. When we see the word, our brain makes connections, retrieves the associated sound from our memory, and maps it to the word. Read mor ..read more

      When was the last time you scheduled some Noodle Time? Time away from the printed page to explore what comes from your innate superpower—creativity. Is noodling a lost art? Nope, we are born with it, but it can easily bumped to the side by productivity and other life stuff. My grandnieces in the 24-second video below are perfect role models for noodling. They are discovering how to produce sound with a stick. Little sis did NOT wait for permission to copy big sis, and neither were corrected for how they hit the chime. Their unbridled curiosity and noodling ignited th ..read more

      The last thing I expected on an early September morning was Tonara’s announcement that it was closing its doors.  Tonara and I go way back, and I know plenty of you out there do, too! Perhaps I talked you into using the platform? We have less than two months to figure out what to do next. It wasn’t on our agenda this fall! Our systems were streamlined, and we were ready for takeoff. As we ponder what to do, I’ve decided to share my Tonara exodus here at LeilaViss.com. I started writing about it in my weekly newsletters and thought it might be helpful to collect ..read more

   Learn how to make a Caterpillar Counter here.   As you prep for a fresh piano teaching season, now’s the time to consider what will empower YOU through the year. It’s natural to be concerned about student motivation, but it’s important to plan for YOUR motivation, YOUR self-preservation!? I know I’m a better teacher when I have plans in place and things organized so that’s a start. I also know that slumps are real, and I felt the need to pull myself up and out of one this past month. Recently, I listened to Christina Whitlock’s Beyond Measure Podcast Episode #128. The t ..read more

     Yes, you read it correctly. The irresistible sugar-coated cereal treat inspired my spring recital. And for that, I am very thankful as my idea bank had stalled. Our son and daughter-in-law brought the yummy snack as dessert for our Sunday evening family dinner a couple of weeks ago. As we dug into the mix, we were pleasantly surprised by the twist on the standard peanut butter and chocolate medley. These buddies were LIME flavored and somehow just as addicting as the traditional. After a handful—more like 3 handfuls—I determined that these lime buddies would be the grab-an ..read more

     May seems to be the month (in the States!) that teachers burnout and students slide into a practice slump. It’s why many teachers take the summer off! If you don’t have the luxury to vacate your studio and your students are itching to ditch the keys then summer is the time to change things up. A few days ago, a teacher emailed me with the intention to do just that. As I began to type my reply, I could tell that my answer could be a blog’s worth of information and so…here are my answers in this post! I believe my answers really address this question: How do we design engagi ..read more