PODCAST

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

Debbie O"Shea

Supporting, connecting and inspiring music educators.

education courses

All Episodes

43:17

The Musical Fitness Movement: Advocating for Music in...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2026/02/08

Welcome back to the Crescendo Music Education Podcast. Today, we’re continuing our conversation with Ann Kay in Part 2 of this important discussion on early childhood music education. In Part 1, Ann shared the research, results, and philosophy behind daily singing and musical fitness for young learners. In this episode, we shift the focus to advocacy, collaboration, and what it really takes to create lasting change. Ann and Debbie explore how music educators, classroom teachers, therapists, a...

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35:52

A Song a Day: How Daily Singing Shapes Young Brains...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2026/02/01

Today on the Crescendo Music Education Podcast, Debbie is joined by the inspiring Ann Kay for a rich conversation about early childhood music education, brain development, and the power of daily singing. Ann is the author of A Song a Day and Brain Prep for Pre-Readers, and her work focuses on one powerful idea: small, consistent music-making habits can create extraordinary outcomes for young children. Drawing on research and real-world results, Ann shares how daily singing supports musical de...

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26:11

Singing Without Fear: Creativity, Coaching, and...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2026/01/25

Welcome back to the Crescendo Music Education Podcast. Today, we’re continuing our conversation with the incredible Emma Dean in Part 2 of our Crescendo Chat. In our first episode, Emma shared her journey as a musician, composer, choir leader, and creativity coach — and explored how music, community, and personal expression shape the work she does. In this episode, we go even deeper. Part 2 dives into creative confidence, advocacy, and the role music educators play in creating spaces where ev...

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34:25

Singing Without Fear: Creativity, Coaching, and...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2026/01/18

Today on the Crescendo Music Education Podcast, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Emma Dean. Emma is an award-winning Australian musician, composer, choir leader, and creativity coach whose work lives at the powerful intersection of music, community, and personal expression. Known for her genre-defying songwriting and compelling storytelling, Emma’s career spans performance, recording, theatre, and large-scale community singing — always with heart and purpose at the centre. She is the fou...

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59:23

Aileen and Debbie Explore “The Stalagmite Effect” | 168

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/12/07

Welcome back to the show! Today, Aileen sits down with Debbie O’Shea for a powerful and inspiring conversation about her brand-new book, The Stalagmite Effect. Debbie shares the story behind the metaphor, the experiences that shaped the book, and how slow, steady growth can transform both teachers and students. If you already know Debbie from her “Manipulatives in the Music Room” podcast, you’re going to love this deeper look into her thinking and the reflections that led her to write The Sta...

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28:32

How Music is Learned in Traditional Cultures with...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/11/30

In this episode, we’re diving into Part 2 of my conversation with the wonderful Daria — world music performer, educator, and cultural bridge-builder who has been sharing songs and traditions from around the globe for over four decades. If you tuned into Part 1, you’ll remember we explored how music is learned in traditional cultures — how it’s woven into everyday life, passed down through families, stories, and community rituals. Today, we’re taking that conversation even further. We’ll talk ...

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37:05

How Music is Learned in Traditional Cultures with...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/11/23

I’m absolutely thrilled to be joined once again by the wonderful Daria. Many of you will remember her from our earlier conversations in Episodes 138 and 139, where she shared her deep passion for world music and for teaching children through authentic, hands-on musical experiences. Today, we’re exploring a topic that I think will really strike a chord — how music is learned in traditional cultures. In many parts of the world, music isn’t something that’s formally taught — it’s something that’...

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26:10

Jessie Lloyd on Embedding Indigenous Voices in Music...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/11/16

If you caught Part 1, you’ll remember Jessie as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songwoman, composer, and cultural leader. She’s also the founder of Jessie’s Classroom and author of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Songbook. In our last episode, Jessie shared her story — from the Mission Songs Project to creating resources that help teachers embed Indigenous perspectives in music education. Her insights were powerful, practical, and full of heart. In Part 2, we’re diving even...

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22:02

Jessie Lloyd on Embedding Indigenous Voices in Music...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/11/09

Today, I’m honoured to welcome Jessie Lloyd. Jessie is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songwoman, composer, and cultural leader. She’s also the founder of Jessie’s Classroom and the author of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Songbook. Many listeners will know Jessie for her incredible work with the Mission Songs Project, which has helped bring powerful Indigenous voices and histories to life through song. Jessie is deeply respected for her advocacy in embedding Indigenous pe...

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25:36

ABC Let's Sing with Bernie Heard | 163

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/11/02

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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42:30

Music in Me - Teacher Mentoring Program with Bernie...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/10/26

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...

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31:52

Harmonizing Education: Louka Parry on the Future of...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/10/19

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...

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36:28

Harmonizing Education: Louka Parry on the Future of...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/10/12

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 ...

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27:22

Dr. Rhoda Bernard’s Vision for Arts Education (Part...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/10/05

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...

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35:24

Dr. Rhoda Bernard’s Vision for Arts Education (Part...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/09/28

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...

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14:35

Thriving in Challenging Schools: Building...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/09/14

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...

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15:54

Thriving in Challenging Schools: Practical Survival...

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/09/07

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 ...

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16:24

Thriving in Challenging Schools: Mindset Mastery | 155

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/08/31

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,...

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28:03

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

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/08/24

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...

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37:46

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

The Crescendo Music Education Podcast ·

2025/08/17

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...

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The Crescendo Music Education Podcast

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