TC283: The Magic of Pushing Outside Your Comfort Zone with Jason Sifford

Are you looking for inspiration or wanting to find the magic of pushing outside your comfort zone? Well, you’re in luck because in this episode, Jason Sifford shares his inspiring musical journey from childhood to eventually going into academia and quickly leaving to move to a different state to start his career anew. He took a chance on pursuing music independently by running his own studio, and now, composing. It’s such an inspiring story that may just give you that trigger you need to motivate you in pushing outside your comfort zone and to crawl out of your shell and pursue your dreams.

• Jason shares his musical background as a child and going into his teens and early 20s.
• The story of how he started to teach at a later age, going to university, and getting his PhD.
• How he became an Associate Professor, what it means, and what he taught as an academic.
• The elements he used to teach his students piano.
• His experience on moving cities, starting from scratch, and becoming an independent teacher.
• How and when he started to make and compose music.
• Jason tells us about his newly published books and music.
• Advice for teachers who are finding themselves stuck to motivate them in pushing outside their comfort zone.

Links Mentioned

• Jason Sifford Website
• Jason Sifford Facebook

Member Links

• Guitar Hacks – The Iron Maiden Trick
• TopMusic Colouring Book

Today’s Guest

Jason Sifford, NCTM is a freelance pianist, teacher, and composer with a wide range of abilities and interests. He maintains a private teaching studio in Iowa City. Jason is in-demand as an adjudicator and clinician, lecturing on such diverse topics as classical performance practice, jazz pedagogy, technical development in young pianists, composition, and music technology. As a composer, Jason focuses on writing engaging music for student pianists. He is currently a composer and clinician for the Willis Music Company/Hal Leonard and is the composer for the Footliters’ Traveling Playhouse, a children’s musical theater project of the City of Coralville, IA. Jason has served on the boards for the Iowa Music Teachers Association and the City Circle Theatre Company. He currently is a commissioner for the MTNA Certification Board and the chair of the Independent Music Teachers Committee for the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy.

Thank you for tuning in!

Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly.