Sound Farm Publishing
As a classroom teacher at an independent school for over a decade, Liana wrote a lot of curriculum and educational resources; she continued that work with nonprofits after leaving the classroom, and has amassed a trove of resources that will now be available for other educators and homeschool families through Sound Farm Publishing.
"As I considered what/how to teach my students, I thought about my education and my career: what worked, what didn’t? What did I gain from the traditional band/orchestra/jazz programs, and what did I gain from playing guitar in a rock band with my friends?"
Some of Liana’s former students have gone on to study music at Los Angeles College of Music, California Institute for the Arts, The New School, The Boston Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, Reed College, Western Washington University, and more.
As an adult, one thing I have heard a lot from peers who play “on the club scene” is that they wish they had learned to read music and understand music theory. I realized that my path through traditional band/orchestra/jazz programs is a big part of how I learned these skills. AND: they are transferable skills! I first learned to read music as a trumpet player, but it translates seamlessly when I’m playing the electric bass.
As an educator, I decided that along with honing everyone’s ear, each student would get exposure to sheet music and basic introductions to music theory—no mater what instrument they play. As a result, I made custom arrangements of popular music (tunes often requested by the students themselves!), and those are now available for others to use through Sheet Music Direct and Sheet Music Plus.