On this episode of the Time to Practice podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Cooper and Claire Allen. They discuss Violin Music by Women and the moment when they first got passionate about championing female composers in their work. Plus, they talk about their new course built on Cooper’s anthology. This was such a fun conversation and a great look behind the scenes at how resources like this are created.

I use all of these resources in my own teaching and can’t recommend them enough. I don’t get any compensation or perks for recommending them; they are truly resources I find valuable and feel excited to share!

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

147 | Violin Music by Women with Dr. Cora Cooper & Claire Allen – Time To Practice: Conversations for Parents & Teachers of Music Students

This week on the Time to Practice podcast we’re talking how to want to practice. Christine shares a follow-up episode to last week’s fantastic conversation with violinist and author Anthea Kreston.

In episode 145, Anthea Kreston shared a practice tip about finding ways to make practice something you are more likely to want to do. As a follow-up, this episode is full of ideas you can try to make practice more appealing to the young musician(s) in your life.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

This week on the Time to Practice podcast I’m sharing a fantastic conversation with violinist Anthea Kreston. Anthea is a member of the Delgani Quartet, a parent, and a former Suzuki kid. She’s also All Classical Radio’s artist in residence this year, 2026 through 2027.

In this conversation Anthea Kreston talks about her childhood growing up as a young violinist, including the time she got to play for Shinichi Suzuki, her philosophy about music practice for her own two children, her new memoir Crescendo: Chronicles of an Adventurous Violinist, and she shares a fantastic practice tip with us that I would like all my own students to take to heart.

I can’t wait to get my own copy of Anthea’s book and start reading, especially after such a fun and insightful conversation!

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

145 | Anthea Kreston on Music Practice & Leading an Adventurous Life Through Music – Time To Practice: Conversations for Parents & Teachers of Music Students

Links in this episode with Anthea Kreston

This week on the Time to Practice podcast pianist and Music Educator Barbie Wong joins us to share some lessons we can learn about raising musical kids from the late, great Dolly Parton. She shares resources you can find if you want to learn more about this incredible artist, and incredible person that we all admire. To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform…

This week on the Time to Practice podcast, violinist, music educator, and parent Sharon Funk is joining us to talk about music practice at home with her 3-year-old daughter, who is learning Suzuki Guitar. She shares practical advice and real life examples of how they are making music lessons and practice work for their family at this young age – it was inspiring to hear all of her ideas!

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

141 | Music Practice with a 3 Year Old: Sharon Funk shares Real Life Music Parenting Advice – Time To Practice: Conversations for Parents & Teachers of Music Students

Highlights of this conversation include Discussions about:

This week on the Time to Practice podcast I’m excited to kick off Season 4 with a fantastic conversation with Vijay Gupta: violinist, speaker, founder and aurtistic director of the nonprofit Street Symphony and author of the new memoir Restrung: A Memoir of Music and Transformation. Vijay shares his reflections on music learning, what he’s learned from sharing music through Street Symphony, and great wisdom about nuturing young musicians.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

140 | Vijay Gupta on Music, Nurturing Young Musicians' Growth, and Coming Back to Yourself – Time To Practice: Conversations for Parents & Teachers of Music Students

It’s always a good time of year to review the materials and logistics your child needs to be successful in their music lessons. The start of the school year, or the calendar year, can be an especially great time to take stock of what you have, what you need, and what is coming up on the calendar.

You can make a big difference in your child’s progress this year by helping your child get organized. You’ll find suggestions below to consider as you think through what logistical help your child may need this year. Depending on your child’s age, they may be able to do some of these tasks with you or take on a few of them themselves.

As a music teacher, I am depending on parents to help make sure these items are taken care of. You can check with your own teacher to see what from this list applies directly to you.

If you notice any to-do items that you need to take care of below, I encourage you to see what you can get done today, and otherwise schedule time on your calendar to come back to this list and complete it in the near future.

Here are Some of the Items I like Families to take an Inventory of this time of Year:

This week Laura Nerenberg, performing musician, music educator, and parent, is sharing a practice tip with us that involves creativity and the outdoors, and I can’t wait for you to hear it! Laura first came on the Time to Practice podcast on episode 127 and if you enjoyed this tip, you’ll want to check out our conversation from earlier this year all about practice and improvisation. Meanwhile, I hope this practice tip inspires you this week and inspires creativity in your own practice! Thanks for sharing your tip with us Laura!

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

Parent, and musician himeself since childhood, Anton Van Oosbree sat down with me recently to share 3 practice tips for parents of young music students. If you help support practice with a child in music lessons right now I think you will find these great tips and food for thought about how we show up for ourselves so that we can best support our child as they learn their instrument.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

136 | 3 Practice Tips for Parents of Young Musicians with Parent Guest Anton Van Oosbree – Time To Practice: Conversations for Parents & Teachers of Music Students

Claire Allen joins me this week to discuss and reflect on perfectionism and perfectionist thinking in the music studio, one year after we published our podcast series where we went in depth on the topic. We’re excited to share what has stuck with us and helped us personally as well as in our teaching and approach to music.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

135 | NEW – Perfectionism in the Music Studio Revisited with Claire Allen & Christine Goodner – Time To Practice: Conversations for Parents & Teachers of Music Students