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INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION
Mostly old-time music. The listed musicians are active in Portland's traditional music circles. They are the style setters.
See the bottom of the page for bluegrass and blues.
FIDDLE BANJO
  • John Adams - Clawhammer banjo, (mostly Salem and mid-valley area)
  • Curt Alsobrook - Beginning to advanced clawhammer banjo, tablature and learning by ear, heavy focus on timing and drive - 503-206-1097
  • Cory Goldman - (Water Tower Stringband) Beginning - advanced clawhammer, three finger banjo for old time music - 503-250-1470
  • Jane Keefer - Clawhammer banjo & old-time stringband workshops
  • Maggie Lind - Clawhammer banjo, 503-331-1911
  • Alan Ransenberg - Clawhammer banjo
GUITAR UKULELE TEACHERS OF EVERYTHING!
GROUP CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
The details below are often out of date, but the classes and the teachers are ongoing. Use the email links to get up to date info.
SUMMER OLD-TIME FIDDLE CLASSES WITH SOPHIE VITELLS
  • Beginning fiddle class: Tuesday evenings from 7:00 til 8:15 from July 13th
    through September 7th, with no class on July 27th.
  • Intermediate/advanced class: Thursday evenings from 7:00 til 8:15 from July
    15th through September 9th, with no class on July 29th. If there is a lot of interest, I might split this class into two groups, intermediate and advanced (if this happens, I will let everyone know and help you all decide which class to take).
  • Classes will be held at Pacific Crest Community School, located in NE
    Portland on the corner of 29th and Davis.
    Cost will be $95 for the 8-week session or $15 per class on a drop-in basis.I've got lots of exciting ideas for tunes and techniques to work on, and I
    think it will be lots of fun! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to
    shoot me an email at oldsophs@gmail.com. Also, please forward this info to
    anyone you know who might be interested.
PORTLAND FIDDLE CAMPS FOR KIDS

FIDDLE CAMP 2010 - August 9th-13th - REGISTRATION DEADLINE JULY 19th
We are so pleased and excited to offer five fun-filled days of fiddle, square dance, jam sessions, special guest appearances from bands and much more.

Campers ages 6 through 16 will be playing fiddle tunes from around the world, learning to improvise, creating band arrangements with their peers and participating in an end of the camp concert for their friends and family.

Campers should have a basic knowledge (2-3 months minimum) of the violin although no prior fiddle-style experience is necessary. Includes a Portland Fiddle Camps 2010 CD and Songbook of 12 traditional bluegrass, Irish, and folk songs recorded by Annalisa and Kate backed by local professional players.  A big treat!

Beginning to advanced players will be further inspired towards a fiddling future!

OLD-TIME STRING BAND CLASS

Spring is in the air and that means just a few short months before summer and all the tunes and festivals that the warmer months bring! The spring session of stringband class will start on Tuesday, April 6th.  We will run eight classes over nine weeks ending on June 1st. Please note there will be no class on Tuesday May 11.  As usual, we will learn a tune a week except for the fourth meeting which will be spent playing in small groups and the last meeting when we'll have a potluck dinner and more jamming.
  • Instructors are Sophie Vitells--fiddle, Maggie Lind--clawhammer
    • banjo, Patrick Lind--guitar.
  • Classes held at Pacific Crest Community School, 116 Ne 29th St at Davis
  • We will meet Tuesdays 7:00-8:30pm
  • Class meetings on: 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/18, 5/25, 6/1
  • Please note there is no class meeting on 5/11
  • For the final class on June 1st we'll meet early for potluck at
    • 6:30pm, jamming to follow
  • Cost for the 8 week session is $105 per student
  • Previous experience on your instrument is required
To register, please send an email letting us know the instrument you
play, your playing experience (if new to the class), and your phone
number.  Feel free to call if you have any questions.

For more detailed info about the fiddle section, please email Sophie
at oldsophs@gmail.com .  For more info about the guitar section, please
email Patrick at patricklind@gmail.com .
Leela Grace ~ BEGINNING CLAWHAMMER BANJO II

Dates: Wednesdays for 6 weeks beginning June 9, 2010
Time: 5:30-6:25 p.m.
Fee: sliding scale $60-$100
Registration: You can now PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class at http://www.gracefamilymusic. com/leela-ellie/Leela-lessons. html
Information: leelagracemusic@gmail.com  or at 573-823-5650
Description: Designed for banjo players who have completed Leela's Beginning Clawhammer Banjo class. Need to know how to tune your banjo, be somewhat comfortable with frailing/clawhammer strum, (perhaps even starting to try out drop thumbing), be familiar with slides, pull-offs, and hammer-ons, know at least a few tunes and chords in G tuning. This will still be a class for beginners, not advanced players. The focus will be on expanding your repertoire and continuing to build your basic clawhammer banjo skills. You will be learning a selection of old time tunes in the G tuning, as well as possibly delving into the Modal and Double C tunings. We will continue to focus on learning by ear, although some tab may be provided.
Location: Artichoke Music, 3130 SE Hawthorne

Leela Grace ~ BEGINNING CLAWHAMMER BANJO

 Dates: Wednesdays for 6 weeks beginning June 9, 2010
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Fee: sliding scale $60-$100
Registration: You can now PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class at http://www.gracefamilymusic. com/leela-ellie/Leela-lessons. html
Information: leelagracemusic@gmail.com  or at 573-823-5650
Description: Always wanted to learn the old time banjo? Now's your chance to get started! Get that banjo out from under the bed and come on down. We will be learning how to play the old time banjo from step one! We will start with the basics of how to hold and tune the banjo and then move quickly into mastering the frailing strum and left hand techniques. Utilizing by-ear learning, clear, step-by-step instruction, and time for individual coaching, we'll have some fun learning how to wrangle this amazing instrument. By the end of the six weeks, you should be comfortable with the frailing strum, adept at basic chord changes, know how to do hammer-ons, slides, and pull-offs, and have a tune or two in your repertoire!
Location: Artichoke Music, 3130 SE Hawthorne

Sammy Lind - GROUP FIDDLE CLASS. Bring the fiddle, $10, a folding chair or stool, a recording device. All levels welcome although it will be more of a beginning level to start out with. 109 NE 78th Ave in Portland (just north of Burnside) - info: 503.347.3860

Lisa Ornstein ~ FINE TIMES OLD TIME FIDDLE CLASS (fiddle, mandolin)
Fine Times is about learning great, off-the-beaten-track old-time tunes at a relaxed pace. Instruction by ear, with a learning CD and tune transcriptions provided. Ramp up your style and get that old-time groove and drive into your fingers!
  • Tuesdays 8:20-9:20 pm for 6 weeks from Sept 20 to Oct 25
  • 1605 S.E. 27th Ave., Portland
  • $90 pre-paid; $95 at door; $85 for job-hunters & students; $20 per class for drop-ins
  • To register call Lisa at 503-236-8277 or lisa.ornstein@hotmail.com
Lisa Ornstein ~ FIDDLE BIO-MECHANICS
In this friendly, hands-on class we explore how to improve playing technique. We’ll address issues like string crossings, double stops, tone production, intonation, swing, etc. In addition, participants can ask for help on their own particular issues. There’s also a “Fix that Tune” portion where you bring in a tune that you love but which contains some kind of pesky technical challenge. You’ll come away with new insights and skills to make your playing soar. For advanced beginners and intermediate/advanced players.
  • Tuesdays 8:20-9:20 pm for 6 weeks from 21 Sept. to 26 Oct.
  • 1605 S.E. 27th Ave., Portland
  • $90 pre-paid; $95 at door; $85 for job-hunters & students; $20 per class for drop-ins
  • To register call Lisa at 503-236-8277 or lisa.ornstein@hotmail.com
Lisa Ornstein ~ QUEBEC HOUSE PARTY (all melody instruments)
Love French-Canadian and Acadian music? Here’s an opportunity to learn the tunes that get played at house parties in Quebec! Learning CD and transcriptions provided. For intermediate players (if you can learn by ear and play tunes at moderate speed, this class is for you!).
  • Tuesdays 7-8:10 pm for 6 weeks from 21 Sept. to 26 Oct
  • 1605 S.E. 27th Ave., Portland
  • $90 pre-paid; $95 at door; $85 for job-hunters & students; $20 per class for drop-ins
  • To register call Lisa at 503-236-8277 or lisa.ornstein@hotmail.com

Lisa Ornstein ~ LEARNING BY EAR (all instruments)
If learning by ear is a struggle, this class will change your musical life! With hands-on, step-by-step, common sense strategies, you will soon be able to pick up tunes by ear from recordings and at jam sessions. You’ll also become a more accomplished player on your instrument. Thursdays 7:30-8:30 for 4 weeks from Sept. 23 to Oct. 21

Lisa Ornstein ~ PRIVATE LESSONS (fiddle)
Learn a tune, learn a style, or just become a more skillful player! Learn tunes and how to make them swing: old-time, Quebecois, and New England contradance styles. I can also help you to improve your core technique and make you a more nimble, skilled player, or help you prep for that special gig.

  • $30/30 minutes; $40/45 minutes; $50/60 minutes
  • Call 503-236-8277 for details.
Annalisa Tornfelt ~ "FIDDLE ON MONDAY " (for kids)
 Annalisa teaches fiddle tunes through the summer. Learn fiddle tunes with other kids, improvise, play back up and jam!

$10.00/family per session (Drop-ins welcome)
Mt Tabor Presbyterian Church, 5441 SE Belmont, Room 108
Registration & Info: (503) 984-7079 or annalisatornfelt@gmail.com

  • When: Mondays 5:00pm-6:00pm Dates: Beginning April 13th (Drop-in welcome) Class Size Limit: 15 Location: 1635 SE 57th Ave. Tuition: $10/family per session
  • Registration & Information: (503) 984-7079 or annalisatornfelt@gmail.com
BLUEGRASS TEACHERS IN PORTLAND
ACOUSTIC BLUES TEACHERS IN PORTLAND
 
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