Interview with Amie Webster, Pianist, Teacher, Studio Owner

Amie Webster is an engaging piano teacher of 25 years, Mom of 3 busy little boys and started Motif Music Studios, alongside her husband, Jeff Webster, in 2010. 

Motif Music Studios is now a collaborative online music school with a team of creative, heart-led teachers who are focused on nurturing students in their musical growth and seeing students thrive as their individual strengths are celebrated! 

Their team is brimming with talent and creativity and truly model a willingness to grow personally and musically alongside each other.  This has created an encouraging musical community that encompasses students, teachers and families sharing music learning in truly inspiring ways. 

Amie is fueled by passion, caffeine and curiosity and is so thankful for the ways music has been woven into her life in so many beautiful ways. 

To learn more, visit motifmusicstudios.com or find their pages on social media.
Motif Music Studios
Web:  www.motifmusicstudios.com
Facebook:  motifmusicstudios
Instagram: @motifmusicstudios
Twitter:  motifmusic

Kindermusik with Motif Music Studios
Web:  motif.kindermusik.com
Facebook:  kindermusikwithmotif

Top 5 Songs of Encouragement:
1) Sunny Side of the Street by Michael Kaeshammer, From the 1998 Album, "Tell You How I Feel" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBxYWhqfd94
2) Beethoven's Tempest Sonata No 17 in D minor, 2nd Movement | Adagio, Played by Wilhelm Kempff  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A_Ru7ogF0g
3) Lympany Plays Poulenc Novelette No. 1, Recorded 1943
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6q8o9OW664
4) Glenn Gould, Brahms Intermezzo No. 2 A Major Op. 118
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JwKDzPlYQs
5) Carrie Underwood, How Great Thou Art Featuring Vince Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ12Fd0AlAw

Transcript

Unknown: 0:03

Welcome to the sounds of encouragement, the place for musicians and music teachers to find support and encouragement to help you stay motivated, creative, and moving forward in what you do best. I'm Melissa Slocum, your host and number one encourager. I currently live in the Atlanta Georgia area and have my own thriving studio, teaching piano to all ages in person and online. I also help other teachers use student goal based learning and differentiated instruction to increase motivation in their students and increase retention rates in their studios. You can learn more at www dot music lesson pathways.com Thank you for tuning into sounds of encouragement. Don't forget to subscribe so you get notified of future episodes. Enjoy the following episode. Don't forget to keep listening at the end and be sure to check out all the links in the comments or show notes. As always, I'm here for you. So you can be there for those who need you the most. Reach out to me at sound of encouragement@gmail.com and let me know how I can better support and encourage you. Amy Webster is an A RCT piano teacher and a BC British Columbia registered piano teacher. Amy is an engaging piano teacher of 25 years mom of three busy little boys and started boutique Music Studios alongside her husband Jeff Webster in 2010. Motif Music Studios is now a collaborative online music school with a team of creative heart led teachers who are focused on nurturing students in their musical growth and seeing students thrive as their individual strengths are celebrated. Their team is brimming with talent and creativity and truly model a willingness to grow personally and musically alongside each other. This has created an encouraging musical community that encompasses students, teachers and families sharing music learning in truly inspiring ways. Amy is fueled by passion, caffeine and curiosity, and is so thankful for how music has been woven into her life in so many beautiful ways. To learn more visit motif music studios.com Or find their pages on social media. Please welcome my guest, Amy Webster. Welcome to sounds of encouragement. My name is Melissa Slocum. And you just heard my guest, Amy and Amy, thank you so much for being with me today. You are the owner and founder of motif Music Studios. And can you really quick just describe where you are on the planet? Because you are in one of the most beautiful places on earth? I think anyway, can you describe where you are? Yeah, absolutely. We are on Vancouver Island in Canada, and it is surrounded, we're about 20 minutes from a ski mountain and about 15 minutes from the ocean. So it's pretty ideal, pretty lovely, is you just sort of have the best of the best of everything right there. So Amy, I'm so glad you agreed to do this interview with me because we are in a lot of the same groups on social media, whether it's Facebook, or Instagram, or wherever. And the reason I really wanted to talk to you was because almost every person and group that we have in common when someone posts something, or when I post something, you are like the first person to like or love or comment and I love it because you're always like, Yay, you're the big cheerleader type person, you know, and you always are so supportive and so encouraging to other people. And you're like the first one to be there and say, No, you're doing great. Oh, this is awesome. And so I love that, just that that comes through, even on something like social media, which for a lot of people seems a lot more impersonal. So we know each other through I'm going to go ahead and throw this out because I feel like we do in every episode. Anyway, the fawns family. We're in that group together. And then of course, there are several other groups that we also interact in. So that's kind of how we know each other. And I'm hoping that we'll meet some day because I'm hoping to be able to make a trip out there and we'll have a big baby funds family get together some sunsets. Yes. So in these interviews, I like to start with looking back a little bit on your life and who was encouraging to you, or what were those moments that were pivotal, where people encouraged you and it actually changed maybe the trajectory of what you chose to do talk a little bit about that. I love this theme for your podcast. It just really stands out so beautiful. I think that I have a unique privilege that I feel like I've been nurtured in encouragement from early on like a family who was behind me and cheerleading my many random excited things I would chase after. And there was many pivotal people. It was a great question. I was pondering and like, how, how can I even pick someone for this, but I do feel like some of my music teachers really did stand out. And I think that's a beautiful part of our profession, as well that these genuine connections really matter. So I would name two of them, even though all were really instrumental. So Jean shone Felder was my teacher when I was about 15. And she's actually one that propelled me into teaching. She wanted to go on holiday. And she saw this really excited 17 year old teenager, studying piano and really excited about education said, Amy, I think you'd make a great teacher. So she set me up with her 12 music for children, music for children classes, and her 35 private students and sat and subbed for her for my very first teaching experience. Wow, that okay, that's pretty extraordinary. So yeah, but she had a relationship with you. She knew she knew you were capable, good work. What was your reaction to that? I was absolutely terrified. But I was also, I was also really honored. And one of the things that stood out to me as I always felt like I wasn't far enough along in my music. So at that point, I was about grade seven or eight in the conservatory, even though by then I was about 17 or 18 years old. So I had started late, and I felt like oh, I'm not like good enough. But one thing and ignited in me was this desire to keep learning and keep growing, and how that can model growth for years to come. And so she was a really great leader in that. So that was just one of the teachers out. So then when you so let me just sit here for just a second with this, because this is a fabulous story. How did the week go for you? What was that? Like? Yeah, you know, it was so exciting. She had this really cool log home. So it felt like all grown out to be like caretaking this place in the wilderness, as well as teaching. And when you speak about encouragement, I felt like all the families that I taught like these were group music lessons. So I went in not only to teach private students, but to teach like five or six students per class and their parents a new curriculum. So Gino course was fantastically organized, I felt like I was really set for success. And as far as encouragement, the families were like rooting me on. And actually when she started diminishing her teaching load some of those families came my way she transferred some of the private students my way in the end. So it was just a beautiful start to teaching. That is I was gonna just say that word beautiful, what a beautiful way to enter into the profession and to be exposed to that that's not a lot of people have that. That's pretty unique. Yeah, it was, it was exciting, for sure. And there was things about it that I was like, Oh, my goodness, I think these kids count better than me like, little weak spots. I was like, Oh, my goodness, I have so much to learn. But it was just a really exciting opportunity. And I was thrown in the deep end. But then it just gave me a desire to learn more and to grow more as a as a teacher and as a individual. That's amazing. So you mentioned another person, too, that you wanted to talk about who is that? Yeah. So my next teacher, I had some teachers in between that were also really pivotal and each gave their own really genuine care for me. But Cindy Taylor is the one that saw me through to my air CT and piano as a teacher. And even though she was very tough on detail and fine detail, which I love now that I had that experience as a student, it was hard sometimes. But she also just had this genuine faith and like you can do this. You've got this you have value to add to the students you work with. And so I think that her just energized passion and belief was a big driving force, even though I was like the distracted squirrel student that was like, Oh, well, what did you practice this week? And I would always be smiling and like, Yeah, I'm here for lessons and I was like, Oh, what did I do? Well, I did this and he did this and they did this. So I was maybe a little hard to direct and it's a miracle that I finished but I was very stubborn to Yes. Okay. I think that's a trait I'm well familiar with. And I should say that Cindy as this beautiful lady she is also the first teacher that when we Jeff and I started motif as a collaborative music school. She heard this idea and said I will come work for you and she lived in it. Way, and she commuted to teach for us for a decade. So that's how much she believed in what we were doing and a heart for teaching and our heart for creating community around music. So that's another really unique quality that I was just blown away, Jeff and I both were like, Oh, my goodness, I can't believe it. Yeah, you know, and it sounds like there was so much consistency and stability around you. That that's also not only nurture the relationships, obviously, but kept everything really going steadily for you. Yeah, absolutely. It was not as, like, I always felt like my music journey wasn't as linear as some people I know, that started really young. And they were maybe also those really amazing focus students that were following a really clear path. And mine was a little more multi directional, like the same teacher that got me into teaching gene, she was teaching me the bumble Boogie because I said I wasn't going to learn classical music. So my journey was different. But I just love that there was a lot of nurture around me a lot of encouragement for sure. That's so wonderful. So, you know, most of us have dealt with times, and people or situations that have felt more like expectation, instead of encouragement, have you had those experiences? And if so, how have you been able to navigate or tell the difference or discern? What is actual encouragement from someone versus maybe a layer of expectation on you? Yeah, that that question really stopped me in my tracks, because it was just fantastic to read that over in the notes before. And in reflection, I realized that, although I have a sense of expectation on me, it really is mostly internally driven. And when I thought has people actually required or expected things of me? I don't think they actually have. So I think I really have been in a climate of encouragement, but have I felt expectation on me? Absolutely. And I'm very much propelled that in myself, you know. So I think a lot of that. Yeah, has really come from my own sense of expectation and as a chronic pleat, people pleaser in recovery. I think that that has roots in that. But really, I think overall, people have just been like, Hey, you shine. But but there, of course, are layers of that, that I could probably dig into with expectation that well, yeah, and I guess that's one of the if I can follow to that. And you don't have to answer this. That's okay. But, you know, I set high expectations for myself, too. But I still also have to filter. Like, okay, what is it that I really can do? And I know what I use for my, you know, own sense of filtering, what helps you then figure out like, Okay, I have all these expectations of myself, and I have high motivation and high expectations. But what is it that I'm actually going to do versus what I'm not going to do? Yeah, my husband's been really instrumental in giving me a voice to say, No, I think because I'm such a yes person. And when you're young and energetic, and I still am, to some extent. But without family, those yeses can slip off your tongue easier, and it not affect your family and your daily sanity as much. So I think he was instrumental in giving me a voice to say no, and just like a calm guidance of like, Oh, is that really something you'd love? I think it comes down to core values. And hopefully, I'm circling this question, right. But I think something that helps me guide the process more now. And it's still a weakness of mine, because I'm, like, wildly optimistic and spontaneous, which is a quality, but it also can hold me back. But having those core values, and that's something that we did with motif as well was define our core values as a team. So then we're always able, when an opportunity comes our way, or a sense of expectation or obligation, you can use that as a ruler and say, does it line up with either our family values or our core values as a school? And so even though I wouldn't say I'm great at that I keep having to Okay, Amy, focus in, let's see how we can do it. But that's something that does mean a lot to me, and has provided some stability with making those tough decisions over the years. Absolutely. That's great, because it sounds like you're identifying not only a supportive, you know, partner in life, a spouse who's able to kind of reflect back which I need that too. I'm the same way like if I, I mean, if I didn't have my family to tell me, No, I would be doing so many things. But then you also have because you have a school, you're responsible for this team, you're responsible for this group of people. And so you're always managing expectations and and always taking stuff in. And so you get, you know, kind of not just the support and backing from your spouse, your life partner, but then you also get kind of another angle angle from your teachers and from the parents in the studio. So that's a lot, that's a lot to kind of, you know, deal with imbalance. Yeah, it is. And I think, again, that internal expectation we have for ourself, like, for example, with communication, I would have this guilt, like, Oh, I didn't respond fast enough, or I wasn't, you know, doing enough soon enough, or, you know, all those little things. But that's very internal. And I think the more that we communicate in healthy ways, with the people around us that they matter to us, but that we also have some really healthy boundaries, surrounding those kinds of things. We actually create a community where everyone can thrive better. And that's what I found, the more that I'm able to provide leadership and say, Hey, guys, I'm emailing you late in the evening, because that's when my quiet time is. But please don't answer me. If you're resting. This is your time off you answer when it works for you. So I think creating that kind of community and connection through boundaries is really valuable to so much great advice and wisdom that you're sharing here for other teachers and other musicians. Because having that values to rely on and knowing what those core values are, and then being able to have those boundaries in place is super important. I feel like this is also where perfectionism comes in for me. And I know, I'm not alone in that. But I know that sometimes those expectations get woven in with perfectionism for me. And I'm always like, Oh, but I have to get this done. Or I have to do this, or just one more thing, or I have this has to be just this way. And that's a hard thing to do when you're running a business. Sometimes you can't always be perfect. Yeah, it's interesting you say that, I think one of the things that's given me also more space to create my own boundaries is when we started motif, I really wanted to create a healthy environment for others. And it was easier for me to protect their boundaries than protect my own. But it also made me rethink how I answer because I could think of if this was one of the teachers that I love and value that works for us. What would I tell a client? Or how would I protect their time, and I realized I wasn't setting the same standard for myself. So that was a really good actually kind of a magnifying glass on how I was so hard on myself. But I was so gracious with other people. Yeah, what a great gut check for everyone listening or watching is, you know, think about how you are dealing with other people, whether it's teachers who teach for you, or colleagues in the industry, or whatever you're whoever you're dealing with. And are you doing the same for yourself? What a great, what a great thing to share. I need to get better at that do. We've all been through pandemic life. And it's been different in different parts of the world for different people. Some people have thrived, some people have not, how have you managed to move forward to stay hopeful to stay encouraged to stay happy and bubbly? What has helped you? Yeah, another, you're just full of these powerful questions. And Alyssa, I would say that, although it's, again, put this like intense magnifying glass on life choices and business in 2020. For us, it required immense change. And again, as leading a team, it kind of again, magnified those changes, because it wasn't just adapting for our own herself. It was adapting for our beautiful community of teachers and our clients. But I think when it comes to thriving, I love that the theme of this podcast is encouragement. And really, it has opened up new ways of connecting with people. So that's been a bit of a lifeline for me things like what you mentioned, funds family group and other Facebook groups. And I know, it's really hard to balance the social media life and the life in front of us and something I'm also not great with balance. But at the same point, it's been a lifeline to connect with genuine people who really do care out in the world, and to build to build genuine connection. Like I think I'm not somebody who just waits for it to happen to me. I definitely feel that like reaching out into some buddy space or sending them a message and say, Hey, I care. I noticed on your post, you sound like you're struggling. Are you okay? Those things have also mutually fed my helpfulness. So I think that's been reciprocal there. Wow. And you've had, you know, twice the task being it's not only for you to encouraged and hopeful. But then to try to help your employees, your teachers do that as well. And then all your students on top of that, you know, can you talk a little bit about what that's been like for you to not only stay hopeful moving forward, creative, positive, but then how you've been able to help your teachers do that as well? Yeah, well, first starting point, I think it was so beautiful that we entered this season with such establish trust with the people that we work. And I know they'll probably listen in. And they know what a big fan I am a of each of them. So I think that's the starting place of trust was huge for us as a team. And moving into such change. We were a brick and mortar school, Vancouver Island, a really small community, but a very vibrant, well loved school in the community, and then made the decision really fast to go fully online. Because personally, I knew I couldn't do both. I'm a mom of three kids under eight years old, and boys are wild. And I knew that I just couldn't juggle, like in person, and then online and back and forth. So I am just so grateful for the teachers who joined us. And again, they were like, You know what, we trust you. Let's do this. And even though for some of them, that online transition was like, Oh, my goodness, I am not a tech person. How do I do this? I think the fact that we felt like we were in it as a community, we were one of our core values is that we're teaching and being taught. And that applies to the teacher student relationship, but also teacher to teacher. So I felt like we felt like we could get into learning together, we can have some sessions where we brainstorm ways to make the experience better for those around us. So I think that was pivotal for us to kind of survive the change. Has it been hard? Absolutely. I wouldn't underestimate the challenge. It's been for business. But it's also brought about some new exciting opportunities, too, that I would not have happened otherwise. So share one of those opportunities, what are some new things that you are doing that you wouldn't have been able to do otherwise? Yeah, I think one of the really fantastic things is we're now teaching students from outside our area and reaching students that some of them wouldn't have been able to have a wonderful music teacher, they're more remote. So that's been really special to just be like, Hey, I get to be your teacher, and maybe not even a music teacher in your community. That's been one of them. And then I also feel like my world and this speaks to you as well, is that my world as far as colleagues has opened up, and for me, that was a huge encouragement, because that business owner side of things was fairly isolating, and especially in that stage of life, where like, you're nursing babies and raising tiny humans as as your social life. And so, so the online community has just expanded my inspiration, I think, and I started, like, you've seen a YouTube channel. And there's been so much encouragement, you know, it's just a small things that kind of give hope and allow for different ways of doing music and doing business. So I'd love that. I, you know, I love everything that you're saying, because one I think you have established in your business for your teachers of culture, of openness to learning and trying new things, which for a lot of people, a lot of people resist. So you know, when they talk about trying to do a zoom lesson, it's like, nope, not not happening, right? And yet there are so many of us who have said, Ark, you know, let's, let's learn it. Let's figure it out. Let's try it. And so you've been able to cultivate that mentality or that openness as a value in your particular business in your culture, and look how well it has served you. And then I think also saying, you know, we might not have all the answers, but together, we're going to be able to figure it out. And we can teach each other and there's always something we can learn such beautiful, you know, things that you've been able to cultivate in your own business and to instill not only in your own teachers, but I'm sure that passes on to your students as well and their students. Yeah, absolutely, we definitely see that it just creates trust and genuine connection. And I think that's what it is about, I think as humans and especially pandemic life, like you mentioned, can be really isolating for a lot of people. And so I think just realizing there's, there's beauty to be had, I always say that, like I think of a cactus growing in these like really like conditions where we wouldn't think anything could thrive, and then suddenly the cactus flowers, and you're like, Oh, my goodness, beauty can come out of such a variety of circumstances. And I think humans are really capable of that and we don't always want to have beauty come from hardship, but when it does, it's really rare and special, and I think it can have us all take a pause to just be like, Wow, BT came, VT came. That's a really fabulous way to put you know, what we've all been through. And I think a lot of us have seen exactly that. Certainly, there's been a lot of suffering, too. And there's been a lot of hardship. But I agree with you. I think the idea of community has been strengthened for a lot of music teachers and a lot of musicians because we have all connected online. And a lot of people like you have, you've reached out to new communities to find students. What a great business model to word it. Like, did you have any business background or business training or leadership training? before? Yeah, no, Jeff and I both we were well rested pre kids and had gone to Costa Rica for a vacation, and we came back energized. And we'd always wanted to start a business. And we thought, you know what Jeff's background was that she can be heater science, and I had been teaching privately. And he often teased, it was kind of just a nomad teacher, because I go from place to place. But we both thought that something that we'd love, we'd love to invest in that heart of community and music. So that's how we started, you have just done an outstanding job, I just love that. You know, and that's also you don't have to have an MBA in order to open your own business. And, you know, you can be a great leader just by being a great human being. And, you know, a lot of people could take, I think, a lot of a lot of wisdom and a lot of expertise from what you're doing to I think you could not only have a YouTube channel of great piano music, but a YouTube channel of how to how to run your music school and have a great culture. So yeah, exactly. Well, it's certainly learning, right, like you dive into business ownership, and then you realize it's, it's the most intense of university course you could ever take is to suddenly be in charge of payroll and marketing and leadership and building community. It's very unique, for sure. It is and you know, very stressful at some moments. But you know, again, I think having surrounding yourself with good people, and having the support is critical. So yeah, I agree with you. For someone who is watching or listening to the podcast right now. And who may actually be struggling with something, whether it's their business, or their music, or their teaching or some other aspect or just fatigue. What encouragement would you like to offer? Yeah, that's so strong. I think I always even though I can come across as this Pollyanna kind of person, I'm an optimist. I always don't want to say, you know, something, like, just look to the bright side, because I think there is deep hardship and deep struggle. So I think, and sometimes even reaching out is hard, right? Like, you go reach out, there's people, but it's not as natural for some. So I think sometimes it's as simple as Hold on, hold on for Hope ahead, you know, because that's, it's not easy. So I come from a place of privilege, and I know it, you know, that I am surrounded by support. So that makes me teary. Yeah. That message of hold on is an important one. And it's, it's not that it's not that we can guarantee it's gonna get better. Yeah, yeah. But it will change your will. Yeah. And I think and then, and then, no, like I said, with beautiful things can happen. So unexpected things can happen. And so I think that that just gives that, you know, hopeful thought of, and, and just that there's value to a person, regardless of what they do, you know, it's so easy as a culture, that hustle culture that demands of us so that we feel that expectation. And something that I've been learning to is, people, humans Hold Value without doing anything or achieving anything. So sometimes, there's an aspect to just being and sometimes that's enough, it has to be enough, because when things are hard, everything else might fall away. And it might just be getting up getting up and doing another day. I'm really glad that you said that because and especially the word value, I'm pretty passionate about making sure that other teachers and musicians and people in the industry feel valued. And that's actually the one of the core things that's happening with this new company that I'm building is working very hard to make sure that when people get together and they go to a conference or they go to an event where there are other teachers or musicians that I'm communicating and the company is communicating that they are valued, not because they're some award winning musician, not because they've had a student, you know, play at Carnegie Hall, not because they've been you know, awarded some amazing critical acclaim or Grammy, but just because they are And I'm right there with you. And I feel like we do a very poor job right now of communicating that people are valued, valuable and lovable and amazing. Just because they are. Yeah, yeah, that's so serendipitous that it aligns so well with what you're doing in your vision. I knew we were soul sisters from no various closets. I know. Yeah. See? So I'm in little my little podcast booth, my little teaching booth. Here is a closet and you have a closet there too. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Oh, well, we have lots of things, lots of ways that we intersect. The other question I wanted to ask, and this is not again, you don't have to answer this because I didn't give this to you ahead of time. But my question is, where does this sense of hope and joy and cheerleading come from in you? Is it something that you've always had? Is that one of the gifts that you were given? Or is it something that you learned along the way? Or you were shown by example, where does that come from? Yeah, you know, I think it's, it's a variety, like I think I always have had a hopeful, optimistic look on life. And again, I come from a place of privilege that I've had nurture, and I've had, the conditions have been right for that. But I think also faith just knowing that there's, there's more to this world than we can understand on this surface level. And so I think, just hope, hope that's deep inside and have faith in God, and knowing that he holds our future and our tomorrow. And so that's been powerful for me personally, to just go, there is there is faith, and there's something that gives me a deep sense of belonging, even when things are tumultuous. So that's been big for me. That's wonderful. It's a it's an amazing it's an amazing thing to have that to have that sense of faith, because it not only gives you that grounding, and that deep well to draw from when things are not going well. But then it also gives you that perspective, like you said, you know, you have been privileged to have been well nurtured, and it gives you that perspective and time and space to say, so yes, if I've been given all these things, this is what I'm going to do. Right? Yeah. Yeah, I think it's easier to have that spring forth a bit more naturally, for me, for sure. And my husband coined the phrase, reckless optimism. It sometimes gets me into trouble, but it is something that's core to who I am. Although if you see me under rested and under caffeinated, I don't always look as optimistic. That's okay. That's okay. You know, and it's hard because when you when we share some of the real stuff, you know, on social people are like, but you know, you're usually so happy and you're usually so positive. And you're like, Yeah, but also a real live human being too. Yeah, exactly. I know. I do love to share fairly openly on my personal feeds that, you know, there's always people see how do you do it all? And I definitely answer that you don't there's always something that goes for me. It's the house and the children are going rogue and park fail feral. And the house, the laundry, the dishes, you know, all those common practical things. Yeah. Oh, I know. And just wait, I have teenagers now. Huh? Oh, yeah. Three boys, I can imagine. Yeah. You know, and it's one of those things. It's not that having teenagers is any harder. It's just a different thing. It's just different. I like to say that and I have great kids and I know you have great kids too. But when they get into that preteen and teenage stage, I like to call them moody broody and attitude II because that's just that's just what you get. Yeah, that sounds pretty legit. Sure. Well, let's switch over to the music that you wanted to share your top five songs of encouragement. So I'm going to share screen and we're going to go over to this first clip. We all play yeah, about 10 seconds of each of these. So these are all linked in the show notes and so please make sure that you go listen to every single one of these in their entirety. These are all amazing songs and pieces to listen to by these particular artists. And this first one is sunny side of the street and the piano is how do you pronounce his last name? I say Kay Shimer, but a shimmer Okay. Michael Shermer and Canadian pianist right? Yeah, yeah. So let's listen to this little bit there we go. And if you like rags and little jetty and bluesy stuff that is the tune for you go listen to the whole thing. Talk about that one. Why is that you're on your list. Oh, this is just speaks to my eclectic love of music and that when it's titled sunny side of the street and later in the video for people who listen in further it's, you know, to move over to the sunny side of the street. So I just love that picture of this. Growl Lee jazzy voice singing Hey, sometimes you need to just walk to the sunny side and experience the sun on your face. And I also Michael is a brilliant pianist. He is classically trained, but does the most amazing boogie woogie piano. So this album was released when I was 18. And it's just been a favorite the whole album forever. I've seen him live a couple times in our community as well. Oh, wow. Okay, yeah. So I saw that he had been classically trained, but then kind of made that switch over to more boogie woogie and jazz and blues. And it's just clearly that's his gift. So, yeah, I'm always curious to when music intersects in people's lives. And so the fact that you came across that when you were 18, I think the music that we resonate with when we're young, like that sticks with us a very long time, and what a great artists to be exposed to at that point. Yeah, it's pretty special. And honestly, my exposure to music, which is ironic was somewhat limited, like we listened to awesome contemporary praise and worship music. And we didn't have a television till I like growing up. So I actually just made my own music and live my life very outside of the lens of pop culture listening. We did have old Beatles records and stuff, which is cool now like, it's it's so in, in vogue, but yeah, so it's cool, but I love that piece. And it's always the whole album just brings a smile to my face. And I have special memories of when I taught music for young children with like the young students, I would often put his album in as the families were coming in. And the three and four year olds, just buki was fashionable. Well, and I have to admit, you don't have to be three to like, move around and buggy to it. Because I did that this morning when I was asking to. I was just like, Oh, good. I love this. So go listen to the whole thing. Let me share this. Next, we're gonna go change the mood slightly here. This is Wilhelm camp, playing the Beethoven sonata number 17 and D minor. The second movement, this is the Tempest, if you're familiar with Beethoven and his sonatas, and again, listen, go listen to the whole Sonata and listen to definitely just this movement. And then I'm going to let you talk about this one in just a second. So here's a clip. I let that go a little bit longer. And I'm glad because I wanted people to see the audience. This was I think, recorded 1964 1965, maybe 66. Somewhere in there. Because he, I think did a tour starting in New York in 1964 65. Neat. Yeah, this piece is just so full of space to breathe. And I think what I loved best about this when they first saw it was when I was playing the just that movement, I didn't play the whole Sonata. But I was playing just that movement. And this recording struck me because I just had this beautiful old soul that I felt like each note was really precious. And when he played it, it felt like he was living through, you know, decades past and that nothing else mattered. But the moment he was in. Wow. So that's what I really loved about it. And I also it was promising to me, because I had started my music journey is so late, that I was like, Oh, look at him. He's senior and loving music and living it still. And so I just felt that to be inspiring that he was just in the moment. And it's of course a beautiful, inspiring Sonata. But it has so much stillness and I'm not naturally a still person. So it was really beautiful to actually have to think and let there be space between notes. So I love that. Yeah, and you know when you watch this whole clip, so I encourage people to go watch the whole clip, click on the link in the show notes and you'll see the audience and you'll see different people and their their reactions and the economical see people just breathing and being still and I love that because I think exactly what you're talking about that he's able to create and do is what you're seeing in the audience. And then you're you know, here we are, how many years later and we're still seeing and hearing and feeling it. It's amazing. Alright, so we are going to go to the next clip here. And I love that you have some really older older Looking clips and clips, or maybe not, from just in the last, you know, 20 years or so, this one, oh my goodness, go listen to the whole thing. I'm gonna play this clip. This is limp Annie playing the Poulenc novelette. Number one, this is short, but this what a brilliant performance. I'd never heard this before. So we'll just play a little clip and I'll let you talk about it Yeah, it's so beautiful. I think one thing I was drawn to this other recording because again, it spoke to me of the timelessness of music and have someone who long ago just recorded this beautiful piece, we're still here enjoying it. And this novelette I learned this one and I just loved it, there's this little melody. And it's interesting because when I am feeling stressed, like, It's not often that I like just go around being like I'm so stressed out, I'm so stressed out, but when I am I tend to hum that little. And I just have that little tune in my head. So it's interesting that it's just brought a letter calm for me. And again, this just beautiful melody that just goes throughout. So definitely listen to the whole thing for those listening because it's a real gem. It is and you know, there are so many. There's so many pieces that are so big. And they're so amazing. And they're so loud and they're so full. And I love that so many of your pieces you've chosen that have some smallness or some thinness or some space the way you describe between the nodes because I think that's a, what a great theme. And if people are looking for that, these are great pieces to listen to. And we have another one this is the Glen gold version of the Brahms intermezzo. Let me share screen here and again, just a short clip. This is the intermetro number two in a major Opus 118 And again this is Brahms doing our Glen gold doing the Brahms here we go I'm gonna have to stop it there. This one again. Yeah, that I love that clip and the interplay between voices. I love that about this Brahms intermezzo, it just plays around with different harmonies and different voicing, I know I love to like bring out the left hand voicing in that section, you're there and then the right hand. So just think I love the depth. And then in this recording of it a bit of a more spontaneous feel than they usually feel for Brahms. But there was just movement and beauty. And again, this is one that just I felt very settled playing. So I think it's linked to that experience of music making. For me, this is one I also played and enjoyed. And interestingly, there's a section in it that in my head, sometimes I hear words when I play, not often. But there's this one section that I always heard, I'm thankful. And so this one came to me and it has this repeated little melodic thing. Melody that to me spoke, I'm thankful. So every time I played it, I couldn't it almost would chase me because I'm here. I'm thankful. I'm thankful. But then interestingly, two years after this, I actually had a stroke. We won't dive into that. But I had a stroke that took away the use of my right hand. And so then in reflecting when I chose this piece, I thought, Ah, I'm thankful that I got to play those pieces. And then I'm also starting to be able to play again, it's just so marvelous. And so that gratitude is what links me to this piece. What an amazing story because I was gonna ask you when like How old were you when in your life did that come into your life? That piece? When did you play it? I actually played it after my air ct i got my air CT and piano teaching it when I was 30. And so I that in the year following so that would have been I bought years ago. Yeah. Oh, wow. So it's interesting because I I'm going to pull that one out again because I almost almost got to work on it again with a student who is going to audition for music school and then he decided not to and I was like, ah, because that was on our list of things, you know? But I think I'll go back and pull it out. Anyway. Just to play for myself. Yeah, good, good. Oh, wow. So, alright, I'm not going to ask any more questions around that one because I could we could talk for like three hours. Yeah. What a fabulous connection to that piece. And someone else, I'll just say this one last thing about it. Someone else that I had interviewed last year had also said about Brahms that you really shouldn't play it when you're like young and in your 20s, or whatever, because it's just you don't really understand it. And it's not until you have some life experience and some self awareness and some understanding about the world, that you can come to it with a whole different sense of touch and a whole different sense of hearing what you're doing and understanding the music. And that's one that I also agree with, that's a great piece to come back to. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, you can keep it reinventing music. I think I love that about the timeline of music making it doesn't stop changes. It's very, very beautiful. But what a great, what a great story about encouragement and why that's so why that's so encouraging to i Wow, that's amazing. Well, let's do this last clip, this is a hard left turn in. Yes. That's what you get from me. That's okay. I love that. I love that I love the diversity. So we have Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood. This is at the American Country Music Awards, girls night out awards, and she's singing her version of How Great Thou Art, we can only play a tiny little clip of this, but I promise you just go listen to the whole thing, watch the whole thing you're gonna have, you know, the hairs on your arms are gonna stand up, and you're just going to be so moved and uplifted by this. So we'll hear a little clip, and then I'll let you talk about it. Stop it. Sorry about that. That's okay. Yeah, this one is just I think in listening to the context of the whole song as well, for those who want to dive into listening to it. It's just electrifying to see someone just in the moment and singing from the very bottoms of their feet with every bit of breath they have. And I think anytime someone sings with so much conviction, I think that's what struck me is singing about faith in a very public forum. But also singing with every ounce, that's in your body to give. And so I think that was just so inspirational. And just such a beautiful moment, that was just electric in the building as well. And the interplay with Vin scale on the guitar to the solo before that is just really beautiful. And I'm hopeful, again, I think anchored in hope. Yeah. And if you grew up in a tradition where this hymn was sung often, like I did, it's, it can have a lot of meaning and a lot of power anyway, just a few, you know, read the words. The words. And you know, it's been a favorite in my family for a long, long, long time. And I haven't sung it for a while. But it's, it is a favorite. And a lot of people I think not only will appreciate this, the song Not just because it's it's hopeful. And it's a it's an old hymn, and it's a beautiful hymn, but then this version of it Wow, go listen, if you haven't heard, because if you haven't seen it or heard that clip, that whole version, it's just like I said, the hairs on my arms were standing up, and I was just like getting chills listening. It was amazing. Absolutely. So you have just gorgeous music that keeps you encouraged. And that is hopeful. And then I think has just been wonderful and uplifting to those who are watching or listening. Is there anything else that you would like to share today? Before we sign off? Is there anything else that you would want to say to people? Oh, that just leaves it wide open? I could have no. Yeah, no, I just think I'm just so genuinely thankful for the amazing, nurturing community out there in the world. And I think it's easy to just get hustling so hard in our culture. And so um, speaking this as much to me as to other people is to slow down, breathe more, and just be present more and that's what I'm my goal is and I'm really not great at that. But yeah, just I think this podcast will hopefully be encouraging and I love that theme that you've chosen Melissa. I just think it brings a lot of beauty to the world and I'm really grateful for that. Oh, thank you. Yeah, I just feel like we we all need more support. We all need more good. Because like you said, we can all hustle out in the world, and we can all get caught up in all the ugliness, especially that can happen on social media, and in our world. And there's a lot going on right now. But that's why we all need to have light, and carry that light and share that light with other people. And that's, that's the whole goal of, of sounds of encouragement. And everything else I'm doing is to help people be supported and encouraged so that they can more profoundly impact the people around them and positive ways as well. So thank you so much, Amy, for joining me today. This has been such a beautiful, wonderful time together. I hope we can do this again, at some point, but in person, maybe, yes, come to Vancouver Island. I'm there, you know, and I have to say like, I don't know if this influences or not. But I really do think it does. I actually heard an interview not that long ago, about how the spaces we occupy physically, really do impact and influence our outlook on life. So that if we grow up in beautiful spaces, right, you know, where there's clean air and clean water, and we have access to beauty, we have access to nature, we actually have a different outlook than if we grow up in inner city projects where there's concrete, and there's violence, and there's sirens and there's all sorts of other chaos continually continually happening. So I think it does have a huge impact and you're in one of the most beautiful places on earth in my personal opinion. So I'm hoping I'm hoping I will be out there at some Yes, you are always welcome to join our chaos here. For happy to happy to. Alright, well we are going to call it a day here at sounds of encouragement. Thank you all so much for tuning in listening to this episode. As always, if you need support or encouragement, you can reach out to me personally and find me at sound of encouragement@gmail.com. Otherwise, we'll see you around the social atmosphere and all the social media platforms. And we hope I hope you'll tune into the next episode. Take care everybody, thank you. Thank you for listening. Please click on the show notes to learn more about my guest and to listen to their top songs of encouragement. If you have found value in these podcasts, please share the podcast with those you know, leave a positive review or support the show at buy me a coffee.com Sounds of encouragement is a podcast production of music grow LLC, part of growing musicians and teachers everywhere. Sounds of encouragement is hosted produced and edited by Melissa Slocum. To get in touch contact sound of encouragement@gmail.com you can also find sounds of encouragement on clubhouse drop in weekly for a dose of personal encouragement theme music by Melissa Slocum and Steve trusler music mixed and mastered by Steve trusler. Thank you to Steve Tressler and Christina Lowe priori who encouraged me to do this in the first place. And remember, I'm here for you so you can be there for those who need you. The most