088: The Best Piano Apps for Students and Teachers with Sarah Molenaar

Sarah Molenaar has built a teaching career that blends tradition with innovation. Based in Ottawa, she balances a thriving studio, published resources, and a passion for helping both students and teachers succeed. In this episode, Sarah shares her top piano apps, from Note Rush to ForScore, and explains how technology, games, and organization strategies can transform lessons into engaging, effective experiences for every age.

1. Sarah shared her journey from music education studies to full-time teaching in Ottawa, Canada.
2. How she balances teaching 25–30 students weekly with writing and arranging.
3. The importance of mentoring new teachers by offering resources and guidance.
4. Sarah shared how she uses apps for short off-the-bench activities with children under 14.
5. Why apps like Note Rush make note reading fun and addictive for students.
6. The value of Rhythm Swing for drilling rhythm patterns with engaging backing tracks.
7. The benefits of using Boom Cards for practice, though setup can be a challenge for families.
8. Sarah described the value of MusiClock for improvisation and scale practice with backing tracks.
9. She highlighted Tenuto and Music Tutor as excellent apps for teens and adults.
10. Sarah shared why teachers starting with apps should prioritize Note Rush and ForScore.
11. How ForScore allows annotation during lessons and easy sharing of notes with students.
12. She highlighted advanced apps like PolyNome for polyrhythms and IMSLP for accessing scores.
13. How organizing resources, from apps to physical games, helps students stay motivated.

Links Mentioned

1. Sarah's website: www.sarahmolenaar.com
2. Sarah's free resources: www.sarahmolenaar.com/freebies
3. Sarah's Facebook page: Sarah Molenaar, pianist
4. Sarah's Instagram page: @sarahmolenaar and @pianostudioevolution
5. Sarah's Youtube Channel

Today's Guest

Sarah Molenaar is a pianist, teacher, and author. She has performed solo recitals, released several albums—including Hommage à Chopin, Undercurrents, and Carols and Classics—and participated in masterclasses by internationally recognized pianists. Holding advanced performance diplomas and a Bachelor of Music degree, Sarah is a certified teacher recognized for her students’ successes in competitions and exams, as well as her own awards for teaching excellence. She is the author of The Advanced Piano Technique Book (2023), with companion volumes in progress, and has also created arrangements for piano four-hands, including You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.

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.

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

Thank you for tuning in!

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