The TopCast: The Official Music Teachers' Podcast

Tim Topham
  • 4.8 (132)
  • Music
  • Weekly

The original podcast for growth-minded instrumental music and voice teachers since 2015. Our mission at TopMusic is to empower music teachers to find and nurture their innate creativity so they can teach lessons that are innovative, integrated and inspiring, and that will have a positive, life-long impact on their students. Tune in weekly as we interview teachers and creators from around the world and unpack fun and exciting ideas to maximise your teaching and studio business success.

  1. 4d ago

    485: $US87 for a 30-Minute Lesson? How Nicole Kovar Went Premium and Kept Her Families

    What if you charged $87 for a 30-minute lesson and your families stayed? Today I’m chatting with Nicole Kovar, founder of Piano & More. She went from $25 lessons and burnout to a thriving in-home music school with a nonprofit arm. We’re kicking off Business and Marketing Month with her lessons on pricing, hiring and keeping great teachers. Tim kicked off Business and Marketing Month and previewed Kelly Riordan’s spotlight.Nicole explained how her in-home music school works like Uber for lessons.She shared how she raised lesson prices from $25 to $87.Why Nicole nearly closed her thriving school after seven years.How she raised prices at least 30% and rebuilt her policies.Nicole explained why testing higher prices on new students works well.Why she hired her first two teachers while running a waitlist.How stricter policies helped lift teacher retention to around three years.The importance of promoting your teaching philosophy rather than your own name.Nicole explained why her school keeps about 60% of lesson revenue.How the nonprofit structure provides a board, credibility and donor support.Nicole shared how Play It Forward gives free lessons and keyboards. Links Mentioned Find out more about Spotlight Session with Kelly Riordan here.Nicole's website:nicolekovar.comNicole's Instagram page:@nicolekovarmusicNicole's Facebook group:In-Home Music Studio Teachers & OwnersNicole's FREE GUIDE for In-Home Music School Owners Today’s Guest Nicole Kovar is an entrepreneur, educator, and founder of Piano & More, an award-winning music school that has served over 1,000 students through its innovative in-home music education model. With over a decade of experience building and leading a successful music school, Nicole is passionate about helping fellow music educators turn their passion into profitable, scalable schools. Today, she leads a growing community of in-home music school owners, empowering and coaching them to build thriving businesses that offer greater financial freedom, flexibility, and a better quality of life. Today’s Sponsor Practice Space is the digital assignment notebook for music teachers. Build assignments with your scores, audio and video, and give students one app for everything they need to practice. Students record practice videos right inside each assignment, while streaks, practice awards and custom studio challenges keep them motivated between lessons. The Creative Suite adds a catalog of 1,000+ pieces, a built-in notation editor, AI-generated exercises and flashcards, and Speech-to-Notes, which turns a quick voice memo into formatted lesson notes. TopCast listeners get 50% off the first three months with code TOP50: admin.practicespaceapp.com/signup 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

  2. Oct 26

    484: Teaching Under-7 Beginners: Playing Before Reading with Andrew Ingkavet

    What if your youngest students could play real songs in lesson one, without reading a single note? Today I’m chatting with Andrew Ingkavet, the creator of the Musicolor Method. Andrew uses color to get pre-readers playing and feeling like musicians from day one. He shares how it works, why it isn’t a crutch, and how you can borrow his ideas in your own studio. Andrew shared how his studio has grown to 20 teachers.How color works as a simple mnemonic for pre-reading children.He explained the first lesson using the favorite ice cream song.Why color is scaffolding rather than a crutch.Andrew described six levels of notation leading to the staff.Tim highlighted that reading is introduced gradually from early on.He explained how to check whether a child is ready.How simple games introduce theory before kids ever see notation.Andrew compared the colors to a balance bike.Why direct labeling removes abstraction for neurodiverse learners.The importance of rapport and offering two paid trial lessons. Links Mentioned Andrew's Website:MusicolorMethod.comAndrew's book:Superpowers Through MusicTech Work Finder Today’s Guest Andrew Ingkavet is the author of Superpowers Through Music and creator of the Musicolor Method® — helping children build focus, confidence, and life skills through music. Andrew's remarkable journey began in the spotlight as an MTV-VJ, where he discovered the profound power of music to connect, inspire, and transform lives. This revelation sparked a complete career transformation that would ultimately impact thousands of children and families worldwide. Today’s Sponsor Beginners quit when reading music feels like decoding. Andrew Ingkavet built the Musicolor Method® to change that. Color makes notation readable from the first lesson, then scaffolds step by step to the standard staff. Piano is where most kids start, and the approach now works on ukulele, guitar, violin, viola, and drums too. Andrew is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer, a former MTV VJ, and author of Superpowers Through Music. He founded Musicolor Method NYC, where 20 teachers use the method every week. Today he trains music teachers of every instrument to bring Musicolor into their own studios. Find your beginner teaching breakthrough. Take the free assessment at MusicolorMethod.com/topcast 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

  3. Oct 19

    483: 6 Free Music Games for Your Piano Lessons with Georgina Wilson

    When a student says “I don’t know”, it doesn’t always mean they don’t know. Today, I’m chatting with Georgina Wilson, creator of Busy Little Turtle and Marketing Manager for TopMusic, about using games and off-bench activities with beginners. She shares three no-equipment games that work just as well online as in person. Stay tuned for a free handout with six games to try in your lessons this week. Tim explained why games and off-bench activities matter when teaching beginners.Georgina shared how she teaches online from her simple, low-tech studio.Why “I don’t know” can mean a gap, low confidence or zoning out.How reframing a question re-engaged a student who said “I don’t know” 37 times.Why today’s fast-paced, screen-driven kids need more engaging lessons.How bringing in students’ interests, like Pokemon and video games, makes theory click.She explained the Ribbit Game, where students make a sound on a chosen note.How the Secret Animal game gets students repeating lines without complaint.Why the “I went to the shops” memory game builds note and chord knowledge.How magnets and posted printables make physical games work in online lessons.Tim explained how the new Creativity Boost Cards tool matches a card to your lesson.Why the students who stay longest have teachers who think outside the box. Links Mentioned Download your free resources attopmusic.co/busylittleturleGeorgina's website:www.busylittleturtle.comGeorgina's Facebook page:Busy Little TurtleGeorgina's Instagram page:@busylittleturtle Today’s Guest Georgina Wilson is a piano teacher who is a big believer in making music education fun and engaging for both the students and the teachers. Georgina runs BusyLittleTurtle, a site dedicated to quirky and creative music resources that help make teachers’ teaching lives a little easier and give students another reason to love their music lessons! Today’s Sponsor Beginners quit when reading music feels like decoding. Andrew Ingkavet built the Musicolor Method® to change that. Color makes notation readable from the first lesson, then scaffolds step by step to the standard staff. Piano is where most kids start, and the approach now works on ukulele, guitar, violin, viola, and drums too. Andrew is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer, a former MTV VJ, and author of Superpowers Through Music. He founded Musicolor Method NYC, where 20 teachers use the method every week. Today he trains music teachers of every instrument to bring Musicolor into their own studios. Find your beginner teaching breakthrough. Take the free assessment at MusicolorMethod.com/topcast 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

  4. Oct 12

    482: Singing with Beginners: Kazoos, Clapbacks and Confidence with Nikki Loney

    Most of us weren't taught to sing in our own lessons, so it's no wonder singing feels awkward to teach. Today, I'm sharing a conversation I recorded with voice teacher Nikki Loney back in 2021, and the message is just as relevant now. We talk vocal roller coasters, kazoos, and why singing should be a normal part of lessons from day one, whatever instrument you teach. Tim explained why he's revisiting this 2021 conversation on singing.Nikki shared how a lack of vocal resources led her to co-found Full Voice Music.Why singing supports pitch, language development and emotional regulation.How vocal roller coasters use playful exploration instead of pitch correction.Nikki explained why singing can feel especially vulnerable for older students.Why movable do lets each student start on a pitch that feels comfortable.How hand signs give young students something physical to focus on.Tim shared why kazoos make a gentle, low-pressure entry point into singing.Why normalizing singing early prevents awkwardness later in exams or tests.Nikki shared how vocalizing a phrase can shape expressive instrumental playing.How Full Voice workbooks grew from one-page activity sheets into a full curriculum.Nikki shared her advice for teachers wanting to try singing with reluctant students. Links Mentioned Find out more about the Spotlight Session here.The Full Voice WebsiteThe Full Voice Free Resources Today’s Guest Inspired by the youngest students in her private voice studio, Nikki Loney challenges teachers to redefine what a singing lesson looks like for a child. Founder and CEO of FULL VOICE Music, she works with music education specialists, children’s composers, and musicians to create music education resources for the young vocal student. She is an active member of NATS, and The FULL VOICE Podcast (part of the NATSCast Network) serves the independent voice teacher and has a global audience. Today’s Sponsor Beginners quit when reading music feels like decoding. Andrew Ingkavet built the Musicolor Method® to change that. Color makes notation readable from the first lesson, then scaffolds step by step to the standard staff. Piano is where most kids start, and the approach now works on ukulele, guitar, violin, viola, and drums too. Andrew is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer, a former MTV VJ, and author of Superpowers Through Music. He founded Musicolor Method NYC, where 20 teachers use the method every week. Today he trains music teachers of every instrument to bring Musicolor into their own studios. Find your beginner teaching breakthrough. Take the free assessment at MusicolorMethod.com/topcast 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

  5. Oct 5

    481: What 5 Playing-Based Methods Taught Us (And What They Didn’t Say About Adults) with Ian Belloso

    Five methods in four weeks taught Tim and Ian a lot, but one question kept surfacing: what about the adults? Today Ian Belloso returns, not as co-host this time, but as the guest, to synthesize everything from last month's playing-based series. We talk the gate not the date, Simply Music's lead sheets for Beatles songs, and why four-chord composing hooks teenagers. Tim and Ian wrapped up the month-long series on playing-based methods.Ian shared his biggest surprise: every method starts reading in lesson one.Why reading really means decoding notation, not understanding music itself.Tim explained Neil Moore's idea of widening the door, not lowering the bar.How Kendra's Suzuki background proved more flexible than expected.Ian explained why his method map compares approaches by teacher readiness, not type.Why "it's the gate, not the date" reframes when students start reading.How adult students already arrive with a playlist and developed musical taste.Tim shared why asking for a student's top ten songs still works as a hook.Ian explained why adults become their own life coach without a parent figure.How Simply Music's lead sheets get adults playing Beatles songs quickly.Tim highlighted four-chord composing as a powerful hook for teenage students. Links Mentioned Ian Belloso's studio:Piano Belloso MusicIan's YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/@pianobellosomusicPlaying First Piano Methods Handout Today’s Guest Ian Belloso is a pianist, composer, music producer, and educator based in Bethlehem, PA. He's the founder of Piano Belloso Music, a playing-based piano studio serving students of all ages, and Techier Teacher, a coaching platform helping online music educators simplify their tech and build confident, connected virtual studios. His work lives at the intersection of structure and creativity — building systems that remove barriers so people can focus on what matters: expression, learning, and human connection. Today’s Sponsor Beginners quit when reading music feels like decoding. Andrew Ingkavet built the Musicolor Method® to change that. Color makes notation readable from the first lesson, then scaffolds step by step to the standard staff. Piano is where most kids start, and the approach now works on ukulele, guitar, violin, viola, and drums too. Andrew is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer, a former MTV VJ, and author of Superpowers Through Music. He founded Musicolor Method NYC, where 20 teachers use the method every week. Today he trains music teachers of every instrument to bring Musicolor into their own studios. Find your beginner teaching breakthrough. Take the free assessment at MusicolorMethod.com/topcast 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

  6. Sep 28

    480: Listen, Sing, Play, Read: Exploring the Yamaha Approach with Bec Stewart

    Everyone can create music, that's the whole point of this month's series. Today marks Ian Belloso's last episode as co-host, and we're wrapping up playing-based teaching with Bec Stewart, twenty-year Yamaha veteran and now our TopMusic Community Manager. We unpack why Yamaha puts listening first, how group lessons build musical confidence, and Bec's own listen, sing, play, read sequence. Tim and Ian wrapped up this month's series with the Yamaha method.Bec explained how Yamaha integrates reading rather than deferring it.Why cultivating the ability to create sits at the heart of Yamaha's mission.How group lessons help students internalize music through solfège and singing.Bec shared why one-on-one lessons struggle to recreate that same collaborative spark.Why timely education means teaching each skill when a child is developmentally ready.How a four-year-old's strongest sense shapes the Yamaha starting point.Ian asked how movement and off-the-bench activities fit into Yamaha lessons.Why ongoing teacher training keeps a sound-first curriculum consistent at scale.Bec shared why she still teaches listening, singing and playing before reading.How writing her own sight reading books filled a gap for exam prep. Links Mentioned Rebecca Stewart’s Website – Sight Reading SecretsRebecca's Sight Reading Secrets book SeriesRebecca's Jam Sessions CourseTMPP 016: Learning to Teach Beginners with Rebecca StewartTopMusic 12-Week Studio Transformation Today’s Guest Rebecca Stewart grew up surrounded by music, listening to her three older sisters practise, and knew early that she wanted to teach children in a fun, creative way. On the recommendation of her piano teacher at Melbourne University she trained in the Yamaha method, and went on to teach with Yamaha Music Education Centres for twenty years, from 1998 to 2018. She became a national teacher trainer for Yamaha, travelling to Toronto and Tokyo for teacher development, and in 2016 to Jakarta, where her eight-year-old student performed his own composition at the Asia Pacific Junior Original Concert. She's also the author of the Sight Reading Secrets series, now nine books strong. Today, Rebecca is the Community Manager and Head of Certification at TopMusic, where she's known for a warm, collaborative and creative approach to piano teaching. Today’s Co-Host Ian Belloso is a pianist, composer, music producer, and educator based in Bethlehem, PA. He's the founder of Piano Belloso Music, a playing-based piano studio serving students of all ages, and Techier Teacher, a coaching platform helping online music educators simplify their tech and build confident, connected virtual studios. His work lives at the intersection of structure and creativity — building systems that remove barriers so people can focus on what matters: expression, learning, and human connection. Ian Belloso's studio:Piano Belloso MusicIan's YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/@pianobellosomusic 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

  7. Sep 20

    479: Teaching Piano the Way Kids Learn to Talk with Krista Jadro

    Reading music might be the very last thing we should teach. Today, I'm joined by co-host Ian Belloso and our guest Krista Jadro, piano faculty at the Gordon Institute for Music Learning, to unpack music learning theory and the concept of audiation. We talk through resting tones, singing before symbols, and why students don't open a reading book until well into their training. Tim explained how discovering music learning theory changed his own teaching.Krista shared how a jazz band video convinced her MLT was the way to teach.Why tonal and rhythm patterns are taught separately in music learning theory.How audiation differs from simply hearing or memorizing a tune.Krista demonstrated audiation using a folk tune to show tonic and dominant patterns.Ian asked how singing and movement fit into a typical beginner lesson.Why the resting tone gives students a sense of home in the music.How movement stays continuous rather than stopping to keep the beat.Tim explained the difference between music learning theory, GIML and Music Moves for Piano.Why formal reading isn't introduced until around age ten to twelve.Krista shared her one practical exercise every teacher can try tomorrow.Why Edwin Gordon believed every student is born with musical potential. Links Mentioned Music Learning Academy WebsiteMusic Learning Academy YouTube PageMusic Moves for PianoTMPP 046: Music Moves with Krista Jadro and Hannah Mayo Watch the episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/2j4scGuvW_I Today’s Guest Krista Jadro is the owner of Music Learning Academy, an online resource center dedicated to supporting teachers using Music Moves for Piano curriculum by Marilyn Lowe for audiation-based piano instruction. Through Music Learning Academy, Krista provides online courses, leads study groups, and presents and hosts webinars and workshops. Krista has a thriving piano studio at Brookline Music School, where she previously redesigned and directed the early childhood and group piano program. Krista is on the piano faculty with the Gordon Institute for Music Learning (aka GIML) and has a Bachelor and Masters in Music Education from University of Delaware. Krista co-hosts the Keys to Music Learning Podcast with fellow GIML faculty member Hannah Mayo, exploring all things audiation-based piano instruction. Today’s Co-Host Ian Belloso is a pianist, composer, music producer, and educator based in Bethlehem, PA. He's the founder of Piano Belloso Music, a playing-based piano studio serving students of all ages, and Techier Teacher, a coaching platform helping online music educators simplify their tech and build confident, connected virtual studios. His work lives at the intersection of structure and creativity — building systems that remove barriers so people can focus on what matters: expression, learning, and human connection. Ian Belloso's studio:Piano Belloso MusicIan's YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/@pianobellosomusic 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

  8. Sep 14

    478: Suzuki Piano Beyond the Books: Adapting the Method to the Child with Kendra Zimmerman

    Suzuki gets a reputation as either magic or mystery, depending who you ask. Today I'm continuing our month on playing-based teaching with my co-host Ian Belloso, and our guest Kendra Zimmerman, a Suzuki piano teacher and founder of Toccata Music Studios. We talk Twinkle variations, the parent-teacher-student triangle, and how Kendra blends her love of Japanese language learning with the Suzuki philosophy. Tim and Ian continued this month's theme on playing-based teaching with Suzuki.Kendra shared how a childhood teacher first sparked her love of Suzuki piano.Why the teacher-student-parent triangle sits at the heart of her studio.How teaching bodily awareness before reading builds a strong technical foundation.Kendra explained "character first, ability second" as a guiding Suzuki principle.Why familiar tunes like Twinkle Twinkle make ideal starting repertoire.How she adapts lesson pacing for very young or highly dexterous students.Kendra shared how she brings in reading books once Twinkle variations are done.Why she teaches the child first and adapts the method around them.How her time teaching English in Japan shaped her view of "musical language".Ian asked how Kendra supports teens and adults without a parent present.Kendra shared how mentorship and training shaped her path into Suzuki teaching. Links Mentioned Kendra's Website:Toccata Music StudiosKendra's Facebook Page:Toccata Music StudiosKendra's Instagram Page:@toccatamusicstudiosMusic Mind Games by Michiko YurikoSuzuki Association of the AmericasTalent Education Research Institute (TERI) Today’s Sponsor Founded in 1972, The Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) is a community of over 6,000 teachers, parents, educators, and learners dedicated to making music and early childhood education available to all young people in the Americas. We work to build a better world, one learner at a time, nurtured through Suzuki music education. We offer several professional development opportunities to teachers and have several tools for supporting parents and students. Learn more about how to get involved with the SAA: suzukiassociation.org/membership Today’s Guest Kendra Zimmerman is a Suzuki piano teacher and the founder of Toccata Music Studios in Greenville, South Carolina. A Suzuki student herself as a child, Kendra has been teaching the Suzuki Method since 2012 and brings both a student’s and teacher’s perspective to its evolution in the United States. She founded Upstate South Carolina’s first Suzuki Early Childhood Education program and later introduced the Royal Conservatory piano examination program to her studio, establishing Greenville’s first RCM exam center. Kendra also has a longtime interest in Japanese language and culture. She lived and taught in Sendai, Japan, and has since attended both the Suzuki Method World Convention and Summer School at the Talent Education Research Institute (TERI) in Matsumoto. She especially enjoys exploring the connections between language learning, musical development, creativity, and the Suzuki philosophy. Today’s Co-Host Ian Belloso is a pianist, composer, music producer, and educator based in Bethlehem, PA. He's the founder of Piano Belloso Music, a playing-based piano studio serving students of all ages, and Techier Teacher, a coaching platform helping online music educators simplify their tech and build confident, connected virtual studios. His work lives at the intersection of structure and creativity — building systems that remove barriers so people can focus on what matters: expression, learning, and human connection. Ian Belloso's studio:Piano Belloso MusicIan's YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/@pianobellosomusic 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

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About

The original podcast for growth-minded instrumental music and voice teachers since 2015. Our mission at TopMusic is to empower music teachers to find and nurture their innate creativity so they can teach lessons that are innovative, integrated and inspiring, and that will have a positive, life-long impact on their students. Tune in weekly as we interview teachers and creators from around the world and unpack fun and exciting ideas to maximise your teaching and studio business success.

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