TC234: Turning the pedagogy of music on its head with Will Baily

Will Baily turns the pedagogy of music on its head by pivoting to recreational music-making philosophies and student-led learning, from a very classical approach to teaching and it has made an incredible impact on him and his students. Our guest today, Will Baily, is a piano teacher and composer. His publications include the “Way Cool” books which use his unique approach to teaching either one-on-one or groups. In this episode, Will talks about the story of how and why he transitioned to this unique approach; the effectiveness and benefits of his current approach to both kids and adults; 4 key tools students can use to play the music they love; and so much more in between.

• [02:20] A peek into the life of Will Baily.
• [04:25] Will talks about his studio.
• [05:21] How he started his musical training.
• [08:56] The story of how he started teaching.
• [10:03] The changes he applied to his teaching approach.
• [13:09] Meaning of recreational music-making.
• [15:28] Advice for teachers who are unsure of going with the flow of students.
• [17:20] The effectiveness of his approach to both kids and adults.
• [21:54] A short summary of Will’s teaching approach.
• [26:27] 4 key tools students need to play the music they love.
• [29:21] Measures to assess the progress of students.
• [31:06] Will shares his experience about being a composer.
• [34:28] Publications that Will has worked on.

Transcript of the show

If you'd like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below. [thrive_leads id='140189']

Links Mentioned

• Musical Moments & "Way Cool" Keyboarding Website

About our Guest

Will Baily is a piano teacher and composer. He has been teaching piano privately and in groups for over 45 years. He holds degrees in Elementary Education, Music Theory and Composition, and Piano Performance and Pedagogy. He’s currently working with Debra Perez creating group teaching materials for students of all ages.

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