Listening: Youtube playlists just for you!
When you learn how to play a music instrument, listening becomes extremely important. You can't really learn to play instrument without listening -- the same way you can't learn a language without listening. In fact, there is a way to make music studies way easier and achieve better results without too much effort -- you just have to expose your kids to classical and jazz music while they are a few months old. This sounds crazy but this is how our brain works. I am not a big fan of too intense early education, but even just passively listening to more complex music in early childhood will make your kids' brain "wired" for music. And for babies it should be a really complex music -- not only "popular classics", but something with unpredictable modulations and key changes (jazz, classical music of late 19 - early 20 centuries, and Bach). Popular music or kids music is too repetitive and predictable -- it will not develop brain much. That's why almost all big musicians came from music families -- they were exposed to complex music while they were babies, and it is their native language. They also often have an absolute pitch -- a special ability to remember and recognize any note without additional references.
Listening is important for music students of any ages. This is where we get new ideas and inspiration. Small kids should see the end result of their efforts -- they should understand that if they learn consistently they will be able to play more beautiful music in nearest future. They should watch to videos of various instruments, symphony orchestra and know the sound of every instrument -- because when we play on the piano, we often imitate the sound of other instruments as well.
And of course listening brings more repertoire ideas -- often we hear something randomly on youtube, fall in love with the tune and want to learn it!
I recently created several playlists for my students on Youtube, and constantly adding more music in each of them. I encourage my students to watch something from these playlists every week, and we can discuss those briefly as well. This will bring your musicianship skills to a new le
Beautiful Classical Melodies - these are some shorter "popular classics" melodies or excerpts from longer pieces, played by various instruments. They are all live performances so you will see and hear all instruments. While you are watching with your kids, comment on what instruments you see and hear.
Young pianists - inspirational videos of your kids' "colleagues"
Repertoire for late beginners - you can find some repertoire ideas there, and we can find arrangements for your level
Interviews with young pianists
Children with orchestra - full performances of piano concertos with orchestra performed by young pianists
Piano + orchestra concertos - adult pianists performing with orchestras the most beautiful piano concertos. The most outstanding performances
Learn about music - some of these videos are for kids, some for their parents... some interesting information about instruments, orchestra, developing music abilities, etc...