How to Teach Musical Phrasing to Piano Students (With Help from a Magical Queen)
If you’ve ever wondered how to teach musical phrasing to piano students in a way that truly sticks—especially with your fairy-loving beginners—let me introduce you to Ginny.
My most “girly” student!
She loves all things girly—if the music has a princess, ballerina (Ginny takes ballet lessons, of course), or fairy in it, she’s hooked. Glitter stickers? Yes. Pink accessories? Absolutely. So when it came time to introduce phrasing, I knew a superhero metaphor wouldn’t speak to her.
That’s where The Musical, Magical Queen came in.
This story was made for students like Ginny—ones who are drawn to enchantment, magic, and elegance. But underneath the sparkles and tiaras lies something even more powerful: a beautifully intuitive way to understand musical phrasing. This is how to teach musical phrasing to piano students!
Musical, Magical Queen
What Is the Queen Note? A Fresh Way to Teach Phrasing
In the story, the Queen holds the magical power to crown the most important note of every phrase. She doesn’t just rule by appearance—she listens, observes, and decides where the music leads. Her wand hurls a golden crown onto the “queen note”—the note that gives the phrase its shape, energy, and purpose.
Ginny was instantly captivated.
The metaphors clicked. The language made sense. And most importantly, it shifted her playing.
Why the High Note Isn’t Always the Most Important- what teachers have to learn, too.
👉 The “queen note” isn’t always the highest.
👉 It isn’t always the middle.
👉 And sometimes… it’s hiding on a weak beat.
In the story, the Queen explores different types of phrases—each with its own personality and challenge:
👑 A phrase with a clear high point
The Queen crowns the highest note, and all the others serve it.
👑 A phrase with a high note on a weak beat
The Queen skips past the flashy high note and finds the stronger beat that deserves her crown.
👑 A phrase with two strong contenders
The Queen brings in her daughter, the Princess, who loves jumping rope while they explore the phrase together—and crown the most deserving note closest to the end.
👑 The biggest moment in the whole piece
This is where the Queen calls on her mother—the Queen Mother—to add the biggest crown of all.
But of course, no fairytale would be complete without danger…
Enter the Dragon
Yes, The Musical, Magical Queen has a villain—a dragon who threatens to overtake the music with dissonance and harmonic tension. A brave knight battles the dragon, protecting the musical arc and giving students an intuitive grasp of harmonic tension and release.
How This Story Boosted My Student's Musical Expression
Ginny LOVED the dragon (almost as much as the princess).
And more importantly, she started playing her phrases with purpose. With shape. With character.
Why This Story Works
I’ve been telling the story of the Musical, Magical, Queen for at least TWELVE years that I can remember Four years ago, I decided my students needed a visual element to the story. Story-based metaphors like these to help students think beyond the notes on the page.
The Musical, Magical Queen isn’t just another method book—it’s a gateway into expressive playing. And for your dreamy, fairy-loving students? It might be the secret ingredient you’ve been missing.
Want to see the magic for yourself?
Musical Magical Queen piano book for teaching phrasing
Looking for a magical, imaginative way to teach musical phrasing to piano students?
The Musical, Magical Queen helps students understand shape, tension, and emotional arc—all through a storybook they’ll love.
Because sometimes, the most important note… isn’t where you expect it.
And the most magical moments in music aren’t what you do, it’s what you DON’T do.
Here’s to more beautiful, expressive playing—for Ginny and for your students, too. 💫
