013: Using the Piano Pronto Series with Jennifer Eklund

In today's episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Jennifer Eklund, a seasoned musician, educator, and the creative mind behind the Piano Pronto method books series. With a rich background in music performance, pedagogy, and historical musicology, Jennifer offers invaluable insights into piano education and composition. Join us as she shares her journey from teaching piano in Sweden to becoming a renowned composer and author, and how her passion for music led to the development of the Piano Pronto method book series. From discussing the importance of composition as a teaching tool to offering practical advice for beginner teachers, Jennifer's expertise shines through as she navigates the world of piano education with wisdom and enthusiasm. Tune in as we delve into the innovative methods and resources that make the Piano Pronto series a staple in piano classrooms worldwide.

• Jennifer shares a brief overview of her background.
• How she started teaching piano at a young age and eventually retired from teaching in 2014 to focus on her publishing business, Piano Pronto.
• The Piano Pronto method books, songbooks, and sheet music.
• She discusses her journey to becoming a composer, starting with teaching piano in Sweden and creating materials out of necessity.
• Importance of composition as a teaching tool, providing practical tips and resources for teachers.
• She encourages flexibility in teaching and acknowledges that composition may not be for every student.
• How she sees improvisation and composition as intertwined in her teaching approach.
• Why she developed the Piano Pronto method books.
• Jennifer's advice for beginner teachers.

Guest Links:

• Piano Pronto Website
• Jennifer's Pop Music Catalog site (F.M. Sheet Music)
• Piano Pronto Publishing Facebook Group
• Piano Pronto Instagram Page

Today’s Guest

Jennifer Eklund holds a bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in performance and pedagogy and a master’s degree in historical musicology from California State University, Long Beach. She is an avid arranger, composer, and author of the Piano Pronto® method books series as well as a wide variety of supplemental songbooks for students of all ages and levels. Jennifer is also a Signature Artist arranger with Musicnotes.com providing a large pop music catalog spanning many genres and styles.

About Rachel Ehring

Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

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