Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash
Whether you’re packing lunches, heading into your first day of teaching, settling into a new practice routine, or simply looking for ways to make this next season a little richer – this curated collection of back-to-school episodes will equip and inspire you to elevate your autumn with music.
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore all the ways music can make our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.
Today is September first. Next week is Labor Day here in the US, and back-to-school time here is looming – or, in some cases, already underway.
New teachers. New classrooms. New schedules. New backpacks. And maybe new music lessons, too. And whether you’re a parent, educator, grandparent, student, or simply a lifelong learner looking to jumpstart your own learning as the calendar turns to fall, today’s Microhance is a curated collection of episodes that will help you kick off this season elevated and enhanced with music.
Think of this as your Enhance Life with Music back-to-school resource guide. I’ve pulled together some favorite micro and full-length episodes to support and inspire you as you integrate music into your life this school year – whether you’re building new routines, returning to music lessons, finding motivation to practice, or simply looking for more ways to make music part of your everyday life.
I’ve divided this curated collection into a couple subgroups; the first one is…
- Practical Tips for Making Music Lessons Work Better
These episodes range from the preliminary, What is the best age to begin music lessons? and What is the best way to find a music teacher? to making lessons enjoyable by Creating a Practice Nest and 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Music Lessons.
There are tips on Making Music Practice Easier and on crafting a fall schedule by Building Routines, Not Self-Control. Because let’s face it – while self-discipline can be developed, it is also a finite resource at any given point in time (for kiddos and their adults!). Creating a sustainable routine allows small, steady habits to shape not just our days, but our future self.
Also under the “Practical” subgroup: For parents – check out My CHILD is taking music lessons; what’s MY role? And, of course, the perennial question for parents and teachers: How do I get my student to practice?! You’ll love How to Get Your Child to Practice…Without Resorting to Violence! and How to Talk…when kids don’t want to practice, with authors of the famed “How to Talk” series (which I really wish I would’ve discovered when my kids were much younger than they were!). Because sometimes the most important thing isn’t finding the perfect practice strategy – it’s finding a better way to communicate about it.
And finally, a couple episodes on making time for music, whether it’s your busy teen or yourself; because while I’ve heard countless adults mourn the fact that their “parents let them quit piano lessons,” you’ll never regret prioritizing music… and it’s never too late to reap the brain benefits.
Which brings me to the 2nd subgroup…
- Why music?
One reason I started this podcast in 2019 was that I wanted my piano students’ parents to more fully understand the lifelong gift they were giving their children through music lessons – we weren’t just teaching their child to play Mary Had a Little Lamb; and music lessons aren’t just another extracurricular to round out your child’s activities.
There are science-backed cognitive, emotional, social, and health benefits that stem from making music. Music impacts learning in all other subject areas in profound ways, including making it easier to learn a second language. And there is a Neurological Link Between Music and Reading Skills.
But the benefits don’t stop when childhood ends. We explore Unlocking Success with 5 Lifelong Skills Shaped by Music Lessons, Future-Proofing Your Life with skills needed in the AI Age, and the surprising ways musical activities can benefit your professional life.
The 3rd subgroup is more personalized – it’s…
- Choose Your Own Adventure
Because these episodes are just the beginning and, like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, you can easily choose your own path based on your interests and situation by browsing the Education & Community category on the Enhance Life with Music website. You’ll find episodes covering an incredible range of topics – from autism and speech delays to adaptive and special-needs music, stuttering, and helping young children identify, express, and regulate emotions through music.
And teachers, especially, take a look around. There are tons of resources that may spark an idea for your classroom or studio – including episodes exploring social-emotional learning, creativity, technology, and more.
Fun Bonus
And finally, because we can’t officially welcome fall without it, I have one fun bonus for us all: Micro 18: Sonic Pumpkin Spice – Usher in fall with comfort food for ears. Because sometimes music doesn’t need to improve your reading skills, your productivity, your career, or your child’s practice habits. Sometimes music can simply make a season feel like itself.
Closing
So whether you’re packing lunches, heading into your first day of teaching, settling into a new practice routine, or simply looking for ways to make this next season a little richer – I hope you’ll find this curated collection encourages and equips you, and sparks your own ideas to elevate your autumn with music. Because music can help us learn, grow, connect, focus, create, and experience life more deeply.
Here’s to a new school year – and to making it a little more enhanced with music.
If there’s a topic that hasn’t been covered on this podcast, that you’d find helpful in this back-to-school collection, I would love to hear about it!
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn; and by signing up for my occasional e-Newsletter.
I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.
In-Episode Promo
SHEET MUSIC DIRECT: One of the simplest ways I enhance my life with music is by having the right music available the moment inspiration strikes. That’s why I keep coming back to Sheet Music Direct. Powered by Hal Leonard, it gives you instant access to over a million digital sheet music arrangements – for every instrument, genre, and skill level. You can view scores, listen to them, download instantly, and build your own personalized library that travels with you on any device. Example: I watch a movie and love a song I hear. I find it on Sheet Music Direct. I watch the documentary, “The Greatest Night in Pop” and immediately get the itch to play “We Are the World” for myself. Sheet Music Direct. It’s the holidays and I want to play a fun modern song like Sia’s “Snowman.” You got it, Sheet Music Direct.
Pro Tip: If you’re a university student, you can get the Sheet Music Direct PASS for 50% off! And a free trial is available for everyone. Whether you’re practicing for class, playing just for fun, or rediscovering music as brain-boosting self-care, Sheet Music Direct makes it easy. Prices start at just 99 cents, and everything is available instantly at SheetMusicDirect.com.
If you enjoyed this episode, please:
- Follow us in your podcast app: This is FREE and conveniently delivers each new episode to your device when it releases, so you don’t have to search for it.
- Share us with others: If you know of someone who would enjoy this episode, please share it with them! It’s easy to do right in your podcast listening app. Just tap the Share feature for options to share by text, email, or social media (or share this page).
- Rate & review our show: This fuels my creative energy, and also helps others find the show!
View all Microhance episodes
Note: We occasionally use affiliate links for products and services we whole-heartedly believe in. We may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for purchases made through these links. This helps support the free content we provide.