Creative Style Piano
Teacher Certification Program
Continuing education for piano teachers.

Bradley Sowash & Scott Houston in the studio
shooting the Teacher Certification Program

If you've seen the weekly television series “The Piano Guy” on PBS, you know that Scott Houston and Bradley Sowash are two pianists with the simple message that playing piano should be fun.

Together, they have developed a new on line teacher training course to show classical piano teachers how to integrate a creative, chord style approach into their lessons.

Topics covered include: how to interpret chord symbols and position them on the piano, how to play left-hand self-accompaniment patterns and how to generate spontaneous right-hand melodies.

The $50 tuition includes instructional materials, song books, and a teacher guide.

Teachers who complete the course are listed on Houston's popular website as “certified” so that students wishing to augment their classical piano studies with improvisation can find a teacher in their area.

The authors emphasize that their lead sheet based approach is intended to supplement rather than replace traditional pedagogical methods as reflected in their mission statement: “Our ultimate goal is to develop well-rounded, lifelong pianists who are as comfortable reading traditional grand staff notation as they are interpreting lead sheets.”

 

More information including a detailed explanatory video clip is available at http://teachers.scotthouston.com or contact Houston Enterprises, 6320 Rucker Road, Suite E, Indianapolis, IN 46220; 317.726.1901 office; 317.726.1902 fax

 

Focus On Jazz
In Depth Teacher Training Workshop

Learn to incorporate jazz into studio piano teaching.
Organize a workshop in your area!

Bradley Sowash's time-tested techniques will enliven your students' interest in music – helping your best readers get “out” of the music, and helping those who tend to play be ear get motivated to read their music with ease. Sowash has developed this successful approach to jazz piano through many years of teaching his own students, and will show you how to incorporate it alongside the method books and classical selections that you already choose for your students.

This 3 to 7 hour workshop is designed specifically for traditional studio piano teachers who have little or no experience with jazz or blues but would like to integrate these styles into their teaching and playing. Through lecture, demonstration, written example, and hands-on experience, participants will learn how to integrate a teaching approach that involves personal expression, improvisation and the applied knowledge of music theory.

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Artist's Fees

It was a great workshop!!  I thought that I would be worn out and would be bored after being there all day, but it was very, very good. He has really thought this through. It was great to have someone know how to approach all of this with people who read music. - M. (piano teacher)

Very impressed with your clinic schedule - that's very cool to be at the level that you can tour the country and give clinics on that so rare talent... that is, blues/jazz improv... very tricky stuff that many keyboard (and guitarists) struggle with... - Richard

...unique and pedagogically beneficial. - Wendy (piano teacher)

I so much appreciated the absolutely top-quality job you did at your workshop... clear, logical, thorough, and I have retained with clarity many points you made without needing to look at the book or my notes.  Bravo & carry on!!! - (piano teacher)

Presentations for Educational Music Organizations

Presenting at Music Teachers National Assoc. Annual Conference

Improvising is for Everyone
Eye players read music. Ear players improvise. Today’s well-rounded students need instruction in both. Learn to use the basic theory and music reading you already teach as a foundation for students learning to improvise.

Learn Your Chords, Kid!
Tips from a jazz musician on making chords and scales more fun to practice and more relevant to your students' repertoire.

The Blues
Want to include some jazz in your students' lessons? Learn how to play and teach this essential American music form.

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I really enjoyed the presentation [MTNA Conference] you gave last Sunday. I still spend most of my stage time on classical literature, but the jazz experience has proven extremely rewarding, both personally and professionally. I've made it a point to help my students get a taste of some of the same, and I'm definitely adding your materials to my teaching library. Thanks again for a great presentation. - Jason

Master Classes

1. Piano - Do your students play music music by Bradley Sowash?   Arrange a master class with Bradley Sowash and give your students the thrill of learning directly from the composer.

2. Band/Orchestra - Improvisation is an approach to making music that can be applied to any instrument or style. And you don’t have to be a genius to do it!  Every musician should know how to improvise for all kinds of conditions such as "traveling" music for ceremonies, underpinning presentations and more.  In this workshop, Sowash offers step-by-step musical tools and practical tips to get you improvising immediately. Participants are encouraged to bring their instruments, an open mind and a ready smile to this hands-on workshop.

Helping college students focus on rhythm

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I have never seen someone deal with the elements of Jazz in such an instantly engaging and creative way. - Barry Oreck, Ph.D., Consultant in Arts and Gifted Education, NYC

You are a master teacher, conveying your knowledge with sensitivity and patience. - Joanne Eubanks, Program Coordinator, Office of Arts Learning, Ohio Arts Council

Jazz Workshop
Play in a student jazz combo with professional coaching.

Students jam with faculty

 

Snapping to get students on the beat

Meets at:
St. John’s Episcopal Church, 700 High St, Worthington, OH 43085

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Jazz was great this year.  It was good to be able to play with different coaches and see different learning and musical styles.  Your Jazz Workshop was, in fact, Jazzin! - Caleb (age 17)

I think everyone enjoyed the jazz session last night. Lots of great information and the kids seemed to catch on. You have a terrific way of sharing the information step by step and making it all relate and be fun! - Cassie, (student parent)

The concert was fabulous! Always amazes me what you get out of these musicians in such a short practice time. - Melanie (student parent)

Summer Jazz Improvisation & Theory Intensive
Bone up on the inner workings of music for a week in Columbus, Ohio in July.

Jazz Workshop, Summer Session 2007

Every musician's "toolbox" should include a basic understanding of intervals, scales, and harmony. Playing music without this knowledge is like building a house without a hammer and saw.   Knowing "how music works" leads to a deeper interpretation of written music even as it opens the doors towards creating your own music.  Don't go to your grave with your music still inside you.

 

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Advanced Private Lessons

I mentor intermediate to advanced musicians wishing to expand their skills in jazz, improvisation, theory and composition. I prefer new students to be 12 or older and already know how to play at least the major scales (minor also is even better), be able to read moderately well and have a genuine interest in jazz and improvisation as opposed to turning to jazz only because they are bored with traditional lessons (jazz is harder).

I seek to teach an equal balance between the eye and the ear so that all students become capable readers and improvisers. The repertoire is ¼ classical and ¾ jazz. I also assign technical exercises and music theory along the way. Students must understand that, ultimately, musicians teach themselves through consistent practice, listening, reading and investigation. With only two lessons per month, I see my job as providing inspiration and corrections as well as pointing the way toward improvement.

I teach a one-hour lesson every other week scheduled between 1:00 and 5:30 Tuesday - Thursday. I don't teach weekends or evenings. The first lesson is an evaluation to see if the student is ready for jazz and, if they are, for me to find out what they know and don’t know so I won’t be redundant with their previous experience. It's also for the student to evaluate whether what I offer is consistent with their goals.

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I feel your knowledge and skill are worth every penny. You have helped me develop my skills and encouraged me to fulfill a lifelong dream. I really could not put a price on that! - Don (adult student)

...everything I've written, I remember something you taught me.  You're a damn good teacher, and I hope your students realize how crazygood you are. - Pam (singer and composer)

Workshop for Church Musicians and Worship Planners

This track offers traditional church musicians first-hand experience in Latin, Gospel and Jazz keyboard styles, hands-on instruction in improvisation, tips on interpreting choral jazz and consideration for directing a church-based jazz combo. Additionally, practical suggestions for worship planning will be addressed including sample liturgies, hymn suggestions, printed music resources, where to find musicians, using jazz for outreach and why concerns about congregational misgivings are unfounded. Participants will leave this session with new ideas and techniques that can be put to use as early as next Sunday.

United Church of Christ Ohio Conference

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More programs for churches