Play What You Hear

A 6-week intensive for intermediate pianists ready to stop playing only what's written — and start hearing, shaping, and creating their own music.

[Grab Your Live Seat — $267] · [Get the Replay Pass — $147]

THE REAL PROBLEM

You can play the songs. You know your scales. You've maybe even studied some theory.

But when the sheet music disappears — when someone says "just play something" — you freeze.

Not because you're not talented. Not because you haven't put in the work.

It's because no one taught you to trust your ear.

That's what this cohort is about. Not more theory to memorize. Not more charts to decode. A real shift in how you hear, think, and feel music — so that when you sit down at the keys, what comes out is yours.

THIS IS DIFFERENT

Most piano courses teach you about music.

This one teaches you to hear it.

There's a difference between knowing that a chord is a Dm9 and feeling why it works where it does — why it opens something up, why it resolves the way it does, why it lands differently on Sunday morning than it does at 2am.

That's the gap we close in six weeks.

WHAT WE COVER

Week 01 — Train Your Ear Intervals, chord qualities, bass motion. This runs all six weeks because everything else builds on it.

Week 02 — Richer Chords & Voicings Extensions, color tones, shell and rootless voicings. The stuff that makes people ask "wait, how did you do that?"

Week 03 — Reharmonization Subs, tritone subs, adding color without chaos. How to take a familiar song somewhere new.

Week 04 — Improvisation Chord tones, melodic cells, phrasing and space. The art of saying something musical without overthinking it.

Week 05 — Songwriting & Composition Motifs, progressions, song structure. How to take an idea from a feeling to a finished piece.

Week 06 — Make It Your Own Live hot seats. You perform. We listen. You leave with something complete.

HOW IT WORKS

This isn't a course you watch on the couch and forget about.

Every week is 90 minutes live on Zoom — small group, real time, real feedback. Two students get hot seat coaching each session, playing live while the group listens and learns. Between sessions, you have a private group chat and direct access to me.

15 seats. That's it. Small on purpose.

Everything is recorded, so if life happens you won't fall behind. But the live sessions are where the real growth happens — there's no substitute for playing in front of people who care.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

— 6 live 90-minute group sessions via Zoom — Hot seat coaching every session (two students play live) — All session recordings — watch back anytime — Rapid Reharm Reference (a $37 value) — included free — Private student community — Direct access to Chris between sessions

Can't join live? The Replay Pass gets you every recording, the community, and the reference guide — at your own pace, for the price of one private lesson.

A NOTE ON PRICE

Less than two private lessons.

For six weeks of structured, live, small-group work — plus tools, recordings, community, and a reference guide you'll use for the rest of your playing life.

I've played with Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Robert Glasper. This framework is what I use to stay inspired and perform my best. I'm not teaching theory from a textbook. I'm teaching what actually works at the highest levels — broken down so it's immediately usable wherever you are right now.

$267 pay in full (best value) or split into 6 × $49 payments at checkout

$147 Replay Pass (self-paced, all recordings)

WHO THIS IS FOR

You're an intermediate pianist. You can play — but you want more. More freedom. More expression. The ability to take a tune somewhere new, write your own music, or just feel less dependent on what's written in front of you.

You're not looking for another course to add to the pile. You want live guidance, a small community, and someone who's actually done this at the highest level to help you get there.

If that's you — you're in the right place.

WHO THIS IS NOT FOR

Complete beginners — this cohort assumes you can already play. If you're just starting out, this isn't the right fit yet.

People who want to watch and not participate — the live format is the point. If you're not ready to show up, the Replay Pass is a better option for now.

ABOUT CHRIS

Chris Cadenhead is a Grammy-nominated pianist with touring and recording credits alongside Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Robert Glasper, Ludacris, CeeLo, KC & the Sunshine Band, Gloria Gaynor, The Jacksons, and Leslie Odom Jr. He is the host of The Modern Accompanist and has spent his career studying what makes music feel alive — and teaching others how to access that same feeling.

chriscadenhead.com

READY?

15 seats. July 2026. When they're full, they're full.

[Grab Your Live Seat — $267] [Get the Replay Pass — $147]

Not the right time, or know someone who'd love this? Send them this page — and when they sign up, you'll get $20. Just have them enter your name in the "Referred By" field at checkout.

Questions? chris@chriscadenhead.com