Performing on YouTube presents unique challenges and opportunities, and Annique Göttler has embraced both as a classical pianist and content creator. In this episode, she shares how she balances traditional concert performances with digital content creation, the lessons she’s learned from growing her YouTube channel, and how storytelling and audience engagement play a crucial role in modern musicianship. Annique also reflects on her classical training, the discipline required for success, and why musicians today should embrace online platforms to share their artistry with the world.

• Annique shared her journey as a classical pianist and content creator based in Stuttgart, Germany.
• The impact of traditional Russian-style piano training on her disciplined approach.
• How she built her career through concerts and social media instead of waiting for opportunities.
• The importance of organizing her own concerts for greater artistic freedom.
• How changing teachers at the right time helped her push her skills further.
• Her education in Stuttgart, including her bachelor's, master's, and concert exam degrees.
• Studying information science, which introduced her to social media marketing.
• How COVID-19 led her to start a YouTube channel, which grew unexpectedly.
• She revealed her viral “One Minute, 10 Minutes, One Hour” practice challenge videos.
• The benefits of live streaming performances.
• Balancing YouTube content creation with concert preparation.
• The importance of live streaming as a way to simulate performance pressure.
• Advice on improving YouTube success, including engaging thumbnails and strong storytelling.
• Annique encourage more professional musicians to embrace digital platforms to share real expertise.

• Annique's Website: Annique-Piano.com
• Annique's YouTube page: Heart of the Keys
• Annique's Instagram page: @anniquegoettler

Annique Göttler was born on August 9th 1995 in Germany. She received her first piano lessons at the music school in Herrenberg at the age of five. In Herrenberg she finished high school while studying at the music school in Stuttgart from 2007 until 2013. After finishing her Bachelor (2017) and Masters degrees (2020) at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts, she continued studying the concert exam at the same university. Annique has won a number of competitions and has performed on concert stages throughout Europe.

Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
• Visit her YouTube channel: