Creativity isn't just a nice-to-have for our students, it might be the very thing that eases their anxiety and helps them build a lifetime love of music. Today, I'm chatting with one of my favourite return guests, Leila Viss, who's back to talk about the link between creativity and anxiety, her book Found in the Wake, and the four principles she uses to get even the most hesitant improviser playing beyond the page. We also dig into her composiums for teachers and what's really changed for piano teachers in the ten years since we first talked creativity together.
Tim explained why creativity and improvising is this month's show theme.
Why "Calm is not the opposite of anxiety, creativity is" resonated deeply with Leila.
Tim highlighted stats showing art and writing reduce anxiety and trauma.
Why Leila co-wrote Found in the Wake with her family.
How creativity has shifted from a soapbox topic to mainstream over ten years.
She explained her four principles: permission, choice, boundaries, curiosity.
How the "choice architecture" idea uses a spaghetti sauce aisle analogy.
How composiums help teachers create and give feedback together.
Why boundaries reduce students' anxiety around too many options.
How movement and drumming keep students actively engaged in lessons.
Why connecting theory to repertoire matters for students.
Leila Viss creates imaginative, tech-savvy resources for her in-person and online piano studio and website. She founded Space to Create where she empowers pianists and teachers to connect with their creativity through improvisation, composition, and arranging. A longtime church musician and dynamic speaker, she co-authored Found in the Wake, a memoir of loss and resilience. Leila is Colorado’s 2024 MTNA Foundation Fellow and a 2025 Frances Clark Center Outstanding Service Recognition Award recipient.
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