March in my studio means one thing: informance season. We spend 10 to 12 weeks getting ready—learning and analyzing music, practicing demonstrations, preparing to talk to the audience. And this year, I knew from the start that the theme was going to require a little more planning than usual.

If you’re new around here, I define a musical informance as an informal, informational performance that integrates education and experience. It’s an opportunity for students to share what and how they’re learning and invite parents and audience members into the music-making process.

I started hosting informances in my studio in 2024, so this is our third year. Today, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at our theme for this year, repertoire selections, and how we’re preparing for informances in the studio.

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. 068 - How to Plan a Musical Informance

Ep. 069 - A Musical Informance to Celebrate the Solar Eclipse

Ep. 071 - 3 Things I Learned from Hosting a Musical Informance

Ep. 081 - Celebrating Women in Music: An Inside Look at Our Studio Informances

Piano Adventures, Level 3A (Faber)

Sakura - Secondo Part (arr. Faber)

Essential Piano Technique, Level 2 (Penelope Roskell)

Duet Music by Ann Buys

Musical Informance Planning Guide

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

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