About Me

Welcome, Musicians!😍

My name is Dr. Malia, and I'm the creator of Music Theory Shop. I'm a music theorist, pianist, and author, and I'm so happy you stopped by. Be sure to grab some FREE theory resources (for learning or teaching) before you leave. Sometimes I send out FREE learning materials, so consider joining my email subscriber list! 

I help ambitious, multi-faceted, diverse musicians of all genres go from being overwhelmed in music theory and musicianship to honing their skills with proficiency and confidence to begin teaching, creating, and performing. 

I struggled with music theory for decades. It took a lot of patience with myself to finally turn it around to become my strength. 

My goal is to help musicians transition from musician to artist, or musician to artist to educator. I want you think holistically about musicianship so that you can create a soul-fulfilling music career and lucrative music-teaching business that is built for longevity.

 

Would you like to support my work? You can buy me a coffee!!

Thank you so much 🙏☺️ and thank you for supporting music education.

Short Bio

Dr. Malia Jade Roberson is a music theorist, piano recording artist, and Lecturer in the Department of Dance, Music, and Theater at CSU Channel Islands, where she teaches music theory, piano, and music marketing. She holds a Ph.D. in Music Theory from UC Santa Barbara and an M.A. in Piano Performance from UC Santa Cruz. Her research explores the intersection of music educator marketing, public music theory, and music theory pedagogy. IDr. Roberson was the November 2024 featured artist on Pandora’s Solo Piano station following the release of her debut album, “90s songs for like, piano.” She published the article, "Music Theory Influencing: The Content Creator Musicpreneur" in Music Theory Spectrum, Jan 2025, as part of the public music theory edition. 

At CSU Channel Islands, she was the recipient of the 2024-25 Exceptional Service Award and is a faculty member for the Summer SURF 2025 Project, which is a paid opportunity for students to be mentored and participate in faculty research.

Dr. Malia's current projects include a new music theory method book, “Music Theory for Visual Learners," an upcoming article on how music theory is represented in music educator ad campaigns, and her sophomore album. She is the designer of Music Theory Staff Paper (Hal Leonard) and is the founder of the brand, Music Theory Shop.

90s songs for like, piano (2024)

 Featured Artist: Pandora's Solo Piano Station (Nov 2024)

Music Education

 If you are a music educator or aspiring music educator, I invite you to read my blog, When Music Called, We Answered.  Please leave your comments and pedagogical insights!

Musicians are lifelong learners. I train rockstar musicians 🤘🏼, but I especially enjoy working with musicians that are "coming back" to music; professional musicians that want to refresh their skills, or add an income stream teaching music.

I have worked with pop, rock, punk, folk, jazz, mariachi, and classical musicians. All are welcome.🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

If you'd like to work one-on-one with me, please reach out! Email musictheoryshop@gmail.com (limited spots available). Most popular services ~ Weekly or bi-weekly 1:1 music theory via Zoom; weekly or bi-weekly 1:1 advanced piano in-person. 

I offer online or in-person music theory coaching, in-person piano (Pasadena or possibly Los Angeles area, online or in-person music marketing coaching.

Publications with Hal Leonard

Music Theory Staff Paper (Hal Leonard 2019), the original hybrid music manuscript notebook. It is the Cornell note-taking method, but for music! The cover design is inspired by vintage 19th and 20th-century European and American sheet music. 

        

Visualize Keyboard Scales & Modes (Hal Leonard 2020) is not like any other scale method book on the market. This is for both readers and non-readers. It includes theory lessons and scales and modes are organized by tonic to understand multiple methods of building modes, which is truer to how musicians think about mode and scale construction. 

 

 

 

Academic Credentials

Lecturer in Music Theory, Aural Skills, Piano, Music Marketing, and Undergraduate Research at California State University, Channel Islands.

Teaching experience: Occidental College, Pomona College, California Lutheran University, University of California, Santa Barbara, Cabrillo College

College Board: Table Leader & Early Reader, AP Music Theory Exam (sight singing)

Areas of research: music entrepreneurship, music marketing, music theory pedagogy, public music theory, music theory trauma

Article in Music Theory Spectrum, "Music Theory Influencing: The Content Creator Musicpreneur."

Membership: ASCAP, Music Managers Forum, ReverbNation, Society for Music Theory, Music Ally

Dr. Malia has participated in four Workshops in Music Theory Pedagogy, at UMASS, Amherst and the Eastman School of Music and conference organizer for the West Coast Conference for Music Theory and Analysis (Eugene, OR, 2023).

•  Ph.D. in Music Theory, University of California, Santa Barbara
•  M.A. in Music Theory, University of California, Santa Barbara
•  M.A. in Piano Performance, University of California, Santa Cruz
• B.A. in Music, University of California, Santa Cruz

 

 

Personal History

Malia's hometown is San Clemente, Ca. She was the webmaster for the Hobie Memorial Foundation and helped realize the memorial statue of Hobie Alter in Dana Point, Ca. The HMF built the most beautiful statue in the world that honors the boating~surfing culture and heritage in Southern California!!! Go see it!

        

Malia lives in Pasadena, CA with her boxer-bulldog, Cooper.  

 All items at Music Theory Shop are made or printed in the U.S.A.