061: Finding Your Creative Voice with Leila Viss

In this inspiring episode, Leila Viss shares how nearly 40 years of piano teaching, church musicianship, and personal resilience have shaped her creative voice. She opens up about her journey through trauma, healing, and the power of expressive arts—introducing tools like her Cupcake Improv Pack and the Creativity Pyramid. From hands-on group pedagogy at MTNA to guiding students from improvisation, Leila encourages teachers to embrace curiosity, let go of perfectionism, and find their own “bliss station.” Whether you're stuck in an improv rut or just need a creative spark, this conversation will leave you energized and ready to reconnect with your musical imagination.

• Leila shared an overview of her background and her piano teaching journey.
• The importance of group piano pedagogy, which was a highlight in her MTNA conference experience.
• She encouraged teachers to attend conferences, a great place for networking and community-building.
• Why creativity is essential for pianists and all musicians.
• Leila introduced her Creativity Pyramid model.
• How curiosity, when balanced between fascination and fear, helps unlock creative potential.
• The importance of letting go of perfectionism as a step in creative growth and personal exploration.
• She highlighted a powerful research from Dr. Martha Beck.
• How music became a grounding and healing force for both her and Carter during their recovery.
• Leila introduced her creative teaching resource, the Cupcake Improv Pack.
• Rachel shared how the Cupcake Improv helped her explore fresh musical ideas.
• The power of naming musical patterns to help students remember and reuse them.

Guest Links Mentioned

• Leila's website: www.LeilaViss.com
• Leila's Instagram page: @leilaviss
• Leila's Facebook page: Leila Viss, 88PK 
• Leila's YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@leilaviss
• Leila's Book: Found in the Wake: Rising from the Depths of a Devastating Boat Strike
• Cupcake Improv

Links Mentioned

• TopCast 409: Using Notion to Organise Your Studio and Life with Amy Chaplin & Joy Morin
• Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose by Martha Beck

Today’s Guest

Leila Viss creates imaginative, tech-savvy resources for her in-person and online piano studio and website. She founded Space to Create where she empowers pianists and teachers to connect with their creativity through improvisation, composition, and arranging. A longtime church musician and dynamic speaker, she co-authored Found in the Wake, a memoir of loss and resilience. Viss is Colorado’s 2024 MTNA Foundation Fellow and a 2025 Frances Clark Center Outstanding Service Recognition Award recipient.

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.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
• Visit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694
• Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music

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.

TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial

Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership.

TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL