How a Superhero Helps Piano Students Play With Expression

Getting students to play expressively can feel like an uphill battle. You know how important phrasing is, but for many young learners, it’s an abstract concept they struggle to grasp.

Here’s the challenge:

🌀 Jean Piaget’s research shows that children don’t fully develop abstract thinking until around age 12—which means younger students often struggle to understand musical phrasing.

🎧 Many kids today have little exposure to classical music, so they aren’t naturally hearing the shaping and expression we want them to replicate.

😩 Without the right tools, explaining phrasing can feel like talking to a brick wall.

You can keep saying, “Just crescendo to the high note!” and hope it clicks… but let’s be honest, that doesn’t always work.

How I Made Phrasing Concrete for Young Learners

I was tired of repeating myself. I needed a way to make phrasing tangible—something my students could visualize and connect with.

So, I leaned into the power of storytelling.

I don’t usually use a lot of imagery or cute names in my piano lessons, but in desperation, I grabbed musical examples that cover the four basic phrasing scenarios we encounter in piano literature:

1️⃣ 🌄 A phrase with a high note – The peak of the phrase naturally leads the shaping.
2️⃣ ⚖️ A high note on a weak beat – Instead of emphasizing it, we highlight a stronger beat for better phrasing.
3️⃣ 🎭 Two possible strong notes – We shape the phrase toward the one closest to the end for a natural resolution.
4️⃣ 🔥 The climactic note of the whole piece – The emotional high point that deserves special attention.

And that’s when I created Tonal and Sonica—a musical superhero story that transforms phrasing from an abstract concept into a fun, relatable, and memorable adventure.

superheroes in a modern city

Meet the Superheroes: Tonal and Sonica!

💎 Tonal is a superhero with a powerful jewel that he hurls at the most important note in the phrase. All the other notes have to serve this "jewel" note, creating natural shaping.

👂 Sonica is his sidekick, a powerful female superhero with superior listening powers—helping students develop aural awareness of phrasing.

Together, they team up with a band of musical superheroes to battle their nemesis: Tritone!

This storytelling approach has worked for over four years in my studio—and now, I want these musical superheroes to help your students, too!

Bring Musical Superheroes to Your Studio!

✨ Make phrasing click for your students—get Tonal and Sonica today! ✨

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Let’s make musical phrasing exciting, engaging, and unforgettable for young pianists! 🎶💥