133: Simply Music at Dancing Keys with Giana Nguyen

The way we're taught to learn music shapes how freely we play it for the rest of our lives. In this episode, I'm chatting with Giana Nguyen, owner of Dancing Keys Music Studio in Irvine, about how she went from a classically trained, page-dependent pianist to a devoted teacher of the playing-based Simply Music method. We talk about her own skepticism turning into 13 years of belief in the program, how she structures group lessons, and her approach to practice and memory retention. Giana also shares advice that applies to any piano teacher, whether or not Simply Music is part of their studio.

• Giana shared how she and Rachel first met at a TopMusic Local meetup.
• How a chance radio performance led her to discover Simply Music.
• She described being skeptical of the playing-based method at first.
• Why Simply Music delays sheet reading in favor of hands-on, immersive learning.
• Founder Neal Moore created the method while teaching a blind student.
• Simply Music now reaches over 700 instructors across 126 countries.
• Giana described teaching in weekly "streams," covering reading, improv, and composition.
• The value of Simply Music's training program for teachers at every level.
• How her Practice Lab concept was built around same-day memory retention.
• Why she reminds students that practice makes progress, not perfection.
• She explained intervallic reading, which teaches note relationships over individual letters.
• Giana encouraged teachers to explore playing-based methods without fully committing.
• The importance of giving yourself grace as a teacher, on good days and bad.

Exclusive Offer to Podcast Listeners

• Neil Moore of Simply Music is offering teachers a free copy of two of his books:Music on Mars, and Music and The Art of Playing-Based Education. Feel free to send Neil an email directly, nmoore@simplymusic.com, and he will immediately reply with links for you to download both books.

Links Mentioned

• TopCast 477: Lowering the Bar, Widening the Door: Playing-Based Teaching with Neil Moore
• Giana's website: Dancing Keys Music Studio
• Giana's Facebook page:Dancing Keys Music Studio
• Giana's Instagram page:@dancingkeysmusicstudio
• Simply Music Website

Today’s Guest Born in Vietnam and raised in Orange County, California, Giana Nguyen is a professional musician and member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Since 2011, Giana has released 16 studio recordings of original songs and covers including her latest single “Magic.” She has performed in various venues as a solo acoustic artist or in collaboration with other musicians, and has sung the national anthem for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Anaheim Ducks. Giana is the owner of Dancing Keys Music Studio in Irvine, California, where she is an advanced Simply Music piano instructor. With over 25 years of experience as an instructor and being a lifelong musician, Giana strives to nurture creative musical expression in all of her students. 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

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