Field notes

Exploring the Art and craft of Teaching Piano

Piano Safari Field Notes are short essays on various pedagogical topics. Some topics correspond directly to the Piano Safari method, while others are more general. Field Notes are intended to provide a deeper understanding of the foundational principles that lead to excellent teaching and learning at the piano.

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Foundations of Music Literacy: Intervallic Reading (Part 2)

Reading
Elementary
Feb 4, 2026
By
Katherine Fisher

After surveying piano methods, teaching for many years, and researching the history and philosophy of different reading approaches, we decided to use the intervallic reading approach in Piano Safari.

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Foundations of Music Literacy: Intervallic Reading (Part 1)

Reading
Elementary
Jan 28, 2026
By
Katherine Fisher

Helping students become confident and proficient readers of music notation is one of the core tasks of the piano teacher. After all, the eventual goal...

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Where to Go After Piano Safari Level 3?

Lesson Planning
Intermediate
Dec 17, 2025
By
Katherine Fisher

A frequent question received from teachers is what material to use after students have completed Piano Safari Level 3. First, let's celebrate the fact that students have grown to this stage!

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Foundations of Piano Technique

Technique
Rote
Elementary
Nov 20, 2025
By
Katherine Fisher

As students develop as pianists, we want them to have positive feelings about piano technique, which can be defined as “physical gestures in piano playing that allow the expression of musical ideas."

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The Rationale for Rote Teaching

Rote
Elementary
Oct 31, 2025
By
Katherine Fisher

During my years as an undergraduate piano major and a graduate piano pedagogy student, I spent many happy hours reviewing both current and historical piano methods.

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