Student Challenge Awards

Let’s earn some stickers and get noticed!

I launched a new award program in summer 2021, as a 50-day practice challenge. The program will start picking up once I target more awards and issue new challenges.

Awards for long-term accomplishments are a great tool for motivating students and keeping them invested in their piano journey. I’m not going to stop giving stars to my youngest students, but this is system is more aligned, along with festivals and recitals, to encourage the type of learning that will hopefully encourage many of my students to be lifelong pianists.

This award program is totally the brainchild of my mentor, Nicola Cantan, who runs Vibrant Music Teaching, a community of music teachers. All of the stickers, posters, and designs remain her intellectual property. If you’d like to find out more about joining Vibrant Music Teaching, I’d be glad to share my experience. You can also contact me directly.

Let’s Go to the Challenges


50 Day Practice Challenge – Encourages students to practice daily, with small allowances for fun or rest days.

Congratulations for completing our debut challenge:

Challenge Period: June 28, 2021 – August 16, 2021

  • Lucas
  • Madelyn

Next Challenge Period: January 10, 2022 – February 28, 2022



Pentascale Star – Major 5-finger patterns in every key



Pentascale Hero – Minor 5-finger patterns in every key



Scale Apprentice – Two octave major scales in every key



Scale Scholar – Two octave minor scales in every key



Scale Ninja – Four octave major scales in every key



Scale Superstar – Four octave minor scales in every key



Eventually, there will be over 20 challenges. A few will only be seasonally offered. The rest can take place whenever the student is ready!

Last Updated 2021-10-02 | Originally Posted 2021-09-25

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