Piano Parent Podcast: helping teachers, parents, and students get the most of their piano lessons.

PPP380: Ten Life Rules from Robert Schumann

April 20, 2026

Episode 380 continues the Piano Parent Podcast tradition of celebrating every "zero" episode with a list of 10 things. This time, Shelly shares 10 Life Rules for Young Musicians from Robert Schumann. These simple but powerful ideas encourage piano students and parents to keep learning, stay humble, care for their instruments, sing more, work well with others, and focus on musical expression instead of just technical skill. Shelly reflects on how these rules connect to piano lessons, recital p...

PPP 379: Learn how this mom helped her son rewrite his internal script, with piano parent, Kristen Pennington

April 06, 2026

Even though this is the Piano Parent Podcast, Shelly realizes she hasn't featured nearly enough actual piano parents on the show! In this episode, Shelly talks with Kristen Pennington, a homeschool mom and parent of one of Shelly's piano students. Kristen shares the challenges and victories of helping her son Barrett learn piano—especially when frustration and negative self-talk begin to creep in. Together they discuss: How to recognize when a child is discouraged Why attitude matters more t...

PPP 378: Rediscovering the Music of Florence Price, with Dr. Michael Clark

March 23, 2026

In this episode, Dr. Michael Clark joins me to share the fascinating story of composer Florence Price and the rediscovery of her music. We also talk about supporting young pianists, meaningful practice habits, and why exploring a wider range of composers can enrich your child's musical journey. Learn more at www.PianoParentPodcast.com/378