The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

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The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Debbie O'Shea

166 episodes

1 day ago

Today, we’re welcoming back Bernie Heard for another wonderful conversation. Bernie is the Director of the Music in Me Teacher Mentoring Program with the Australian Youth Orchestra. She leads a national team and works with education systems across Australia. Together, they help teachers bring more singing and music into classrooms every day. In this episode, we’re exploring an exciting project — ABC Let’s Sing. Bernie has played a key role in bringing this initiative to life with the ABC. It’...

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Self-Improvement

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Today, we’re welcoming back Bernie Heard for another wonderful conversation. Bernie is the Director of the Music in Me Teacher Mentoring Program with the Australian Youth Orchestra. She leads a national team and works with education systems across Australia. Together, they help teachers bring more singing and music into classrooms every day. In this episode, we’re exploring an exciting project — ABC Let’s Sing. Bernie has played a key role in bringing this initiative to life with the ABC. It’...

Show more...

Self-Improvement

Episodes (20/166)

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

ABC Let's Sing with Bernie Heard | 163

Today, we’re welcoming back Bernie Heard for another wonderful conversation. Bernie is the Director of the Music in Me Teacher Mentoring Program with the Australian Youth Orchestra. She leads a national team and works with education systems across Australia. Together, they help teachers bring more singing and music into classrooms every day. In this episode, we’re exploring an exciting project — ABC Let’s Sing. Bernie has played a key role in bringing this initiative to life with the ABC. It’...

1 day ago

25 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Music in Me - Teacher Mentoring Program with Bernie Heard | 162

Welcome to Crescendo Chat — the podcast where we explore inspiring ideas, passionate people, and the power of music education. Today, I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Bernie Heard. Bernie is the Director of the Music in Me Teacher Mentoring Program with the Australian Youth Orchestra, where she leads a national team and works closely with state education systems to ensure primary teachers have access to mentoring, professional learning, and the resources they need to deliver high-quality m...

1 week ago

42 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Harmonizing Education: Louka Parry on the Future of Learning and Music (Part 2) | 161

Welcome back to the podcast! Today we continue our powerful conversation with Louka Parry, education futurist, learning strategist, and CEO of The Learning Future. In Part 1, Louka shared how music education connects to education transformation and helps students build essential human capabilities. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, be sure to go back—it sets the stage beautifully. In this Part 2, we go even deeper. We explore how music education strengthens social-emotional learnin...

2 weeks ago

31 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Harmonizing Education: Louka Parry on the Future of Learning and Music (Part 1) | 160

Welcome back to the podcast! Today we’re joined by someone who is truly reshaping the way we think about learning and the future of education—Louka Parry. Louka is an education futurist, learning strategist, and the CEO and Founder of The Learning Future. His mission? To transform educational systems so they can better equip learners with the essential human capabilities they need to thrive in the world ahead. His work has taken him around the globe, collaborating with organizations like the ...

3 weeks ago

36 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Dr. Rhoda Bernard’s Vision for Arts Education (Part 1) | 159

Welcome back to the podcast! Today we continue our inspiring conversation with Dr. Rhoda Bernard, the Founding Managing Director of the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education and Assistant Chair of the Music Education Department at Berklee College of Music. In Part 1, Dr. Bernard shared her incredible journey in music education, her vision for accessible arts education, and a behind-the-scenes look at her upcoming book. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, we highly recommend...

4 weeks ago

27 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Dr. Rhoda Bernard’s Vision for Arts Education (Part 1) | 158

Welcome back to the podcast! Today, we are thrilled to be joined by a very special guest, Dr. Rhoda Bernard. Dr. Bernard is the Founding Managing Director of the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education and the Assistant Chair of the Music Education Department at Berklee College of Music. Her academic journey is extraordinary — she earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Music in jazz voice from New England Conservatory, and both her Master of Edu...

1 month ago

35 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Thriving in Challenging Schools: Building Relationships in Crisis | 157

Welcome back to Thriving in Challenging Schools. In our last episode, we looked at practical strategies to help you survive the day-to-day chaos. Today, we’re shifting the focus to something even more powerful: building relationships in crisis. Because here’s the thing—sometimes your toughest students are also the ones most desperate for connection. I’ll never forget the Year 6 boy who asked me to marry him, or the one who swore he’d stolen and eaten the teacher’s pythons. These moments might...

1 month ago

14 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Thriving in Challenging Schools: Practical Survival Strategies | 156

Welcome back to Thriving in Challenging Schools. This is Episode 2 of our series, and today we’re diving into something every teacher in a tough environment needs: practical survival strategies. Let me ask you this—what if I told you a coffee machine could actually save your sanity? Or that the secret to surviving a challenging school might already be sitting in the boot of your car? Sounds a bit crazy, right? But these are the kinds of real-world, low-cost, zero-permission-needed strategies ...

1 month ago

15 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Thriving in Challenging Schools: Mindset Mastery | 155

Are you finding that behaviour management is becoming more and more difficult? Every year, schools seem to include a greater number of children with special needs, often with little or no additional support. If you want to hear what I’m doing, the changes I’m making, and the mindset shifts that are helping me stay afloat after 40 years in education — then you’re in exactly the right place. This episode is about how we can reset, reframe, and rebuild our confidence — not by chasing perfection,...

2 months ago

15 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Leading with Influence - Joel Copeland (Part 2) | 154

Welcome back to The Crescendo Music Education Podcast! If you tuned in to Part 1 of our conversation with Joel Copeland, you already know what a powerful and grounded voice he brings to the world of music education and leadership. And if you haven’t listened to that episode yet—press pause and go back! It’s packed with stories and insights that lay the foundation for what we’re diving into today. In this second part, we go even deeper into Joel’s journey—especially his experience becoming a n...

2 months ago

28 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Leading with Influence - Joel Copeland (Part 1) | 153

Hey friends, and welcome back to the Crescendo Music Education Podcast —the podcast where we explore the heart and craft of music education, one inspiring conversation at a time. Today’s episode is a special one. I had the privilege of hearing our guest speak at the HALT Summit in Canberra, and his keynote left a lasting impression. There was something about the way he spoke—grounded, clear, and deeply human—that stayed with me. He reminded us that impact doesn’t end at the classroom walls… i...

2 months ago

38 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Behind the Book: The Making of The Stalagmite Effect | 152

Today’s episode is extra special—and honestly, a little bit emotional—because I’m sitting down with my dear friend and colleague, Deb, to celebrate the live launch of my brand-new book, The Stalagmite Effect. Now, if you know Debbie like I do, you know she’s one of the busiest, most passionate educators out there. So naturally, my first question to her was… Why on earth write a book? Aren’t you quite busy enough already? But here’s the thing—this isn’t just any book. It’s personal. It’s heart...

2 months ago

42 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Recorder Geeks Unite! (Part 2) | 151

Welcome back to part two of our conversation with the wonderful Erin Elliott! If you tuned in to part one, you already know Erin is a creative force in the elementary music classroom—bringing joy, structure, and sparkle to every lesson she teaches. In this second half of our chat, we dive even deeper into the real-life rhythms of music teaching. Erin shares more of her favorite classroom strategies, her passion for recorders (yes, recorder geeks unite!), and how she stays grounded and efficie...

3 months ago

31 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Recorder Geeks Unite! (Part 1) | 150

Today’s guest is someone who brings joy, creativity, and solid musicianship into every corner of her classroom—and beyond. Erin Elliott has been sharing the joy of music since 2008 and is currently a K-5 elementary music teacher in northern Indiana. But her reach goes far beyond those school walls—she’s also the teacher-author behind From Do-Re-Mi To You, where she shares practical ideas and inspiration with music educators around the world. Erin has taught everyone from curious kindergartner...

3 months ago

21 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Meaningful Movement with Leanna O'Brien (Part 2) | 149

Welcome back to Part 2 of our conversation with the inspiring Leanna O’Brien! If you caught Part 1, you already know that Leanna is passionate about bringing music to life through movement—and helping educators feel confident doing it. In this second half of our chat, we go even deeper. Leanna shares practical examples of how she brings movement into the classroom, explains how it reinforces key music concepts, and gives us some of her favorite “nuggets of fabulous” for music teachers everywh...

3 months ago

36 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Meaningful Movement with Leanna O'Brien (Part 1) | 148

Hey everyone, and welcome back to the show! Today, we’re diving into a topic that will get your students moving—literally! We’re joined by the incredible Leanna O’Brien, a curriculum designer, movement specialist, and professional development expert who has made it her mission to bring music to life in classrooms around the world. Leanna’s lessons are used in over 500 schools, and she’s known for integrating meaningful movement—think scarf dancing, movement breaks, and activities that teach t...

3 months ago

33 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

BONUS: Introducing "The Stalagmite Effect"

Hey there, and welcome back to the show! I’m so glad you’re here—especially today—because this episode is something a little different and very close to my heart. I’ll walk you through the five key parts of the book: The power of small steps in personal growthHelping others growRedefining productivity and successEmbracing diverse, colourful pathsAnd designing your own journeyAnd yes—each chapter ends with reflection questions, because I want this to be about your journey, not just mine. If yo...

4 months ago

25 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Why Singing Matters with Kate Schirmer (Part 2) | 147

Welcome back to Part Two of our inspiring chat with the wonderful Kate Schirmer—musician, singing teacher, conductor, and vocal pedagogy powerhouse. If you caught Part One, you already know Kate brings so much wisdom, warmth, and depth to the world of singing and music education. Today, we’re shifting gears just a little to talk about the music that moves her. In this episode, Kate shares some of her all-time favorite choral pieces and composers—the ones that speak to her soul, challenge her ...

4 months ago

38 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Why Singing Matters with Kate Schirmer (Part 1) | 146

Hey everyone, and welcome back to the show! We have an absolute treat for you today—a conversation with someone whose passion for singing, teaching, and musical artistry runs deep. Today’s guest is Kate Schirmer—musician, vocal pedagogue, conductor, and passionate music educator. Kate holds a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from the University of Queensland, and a Master of Music Studies in vocal pedagogy from the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. She brings an incred...

4 months ago

36 minutes

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

"Moderation in All Things" - The Art of Balance | 145

Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast! I’m so glad you’re here today because this episode is a little different—and a little special. It’s rooted in a phrase my father lived by, one that I’ve carried with me through so many moments in life and work. The phrase? “Moderation in all things, and in all things, moderation.” It’s simple. It’s classic. And yet, it carries a kind of quiet wisdom that’s more relevant now than ever. We live in a world of extremes. Hustle culture tells us to go hard...

4 months ago

13 minutes