Leela Grace offers banjo and singing lessons in Portland!

For information on dance and music classes offered by Ellie Grace, go to: Ellie's School of Music and Dance
Leela's Banjo Lessons and Harmony Singing Classes Portland, Oregon!
Harmony Singing Classes	Old Time Banjo Lessons	About the Instructor
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Leela Grace (Singer/ Banjo Player/ Guitar Player/ Performer/ Songwriter/ Percussive Dancer Extraordinaire) is a Columbia, Missouri native who has performed and taught nationally for over 20 years, first with her family, and now as a solo musician and with her sister Ellie (as Leela and Ellie Grace). She likes to say that she spent her childhood and teenage years taking herself way too seriously and catering to her own perfectionist tendencies, so she is trying to make up for that now! J For the last seven years, in addition to touring nationally, she has been offering instruction in by-ear harmony singing, clawhammer banjo, and percussive dance to individuals and groups in her hometown. In August of 2007, she relocated to Portland, Oregon, where she hopes to continue to spread the joy. She is a kind, entertaining, experienced teacher who tries to disarm her students with laughter, silliness, song and dance while, unbeknownst to them, they are not only learning to sing, dance, or play the banjo, but also learning to believe in their own ability. Leela’s devious plan is to do her part to create world peace by returning voices, simple joys, and power stolen in childhood to their rightful owners.
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Leela's Famous By-Ear Harmony Singing Classes Contact Leela for more information and/or to be added to her e-list: E-mail: leela "at" gracefamilymusic.com
You wonder what this By-Ear-Harmony Singing Class is all about? Well, mostly it is all about singing…singing together, finding your voice, finding the power of voices raised in song together, listening, laughing, and generally having lots of fun. We will learn to understand harmonies and how they work by SINGING lots of different kinds of songs (mostly in the folk vein, although I have been known to delve into other genres a bit)! All abilities and experience levels are welcome (from the self-proclaimed non-singers to the closet car-singers to the classically trained choral singers -- everyone seems to find a great deal to learn and be very open and understanding). You are welcome no matter your expertise or experience level. Do you consider yourself a closet singer? You can find your voice in a supportive, fun environment! Have you been looking for a chance to sing in a group? Here it is! Are you a trained choral singer who wants to improve your ear? Come on down! Are you a strong singer who wants to learn to sing more easily with others, to feel the power of our voices joined together? This class is for you. Have you never done anything like this before? Even better! Have you taken my classes before? Well, then, you know what you have been missing! Come one, come all! Here's what a few former students have said about Leela's By-Ear Harmony Singing Classes: "I still find myself singing some of the songs that we learned - and it evokes that same feeling of the energy of the group and the state of grace that only "music that you make from scratch" creates. The class challenged me to be more adventurous about singing. I can only describe it as fun and freeing." -- Maureen D. "Leela's class is the best. Each session we learned new songs, great harmonies, and best of all, we sang our hearts out. If you like to sing and you like harmonies, this class is for you!" -- Ginny W. "I loved Leela's harmony singing class! No matter how tired I was at the end of the day, it lifted me to go sit with a small group of strangers and sing! The small size, the friendly informal atmosphere, and Leela's teaching style made it a comfortable experience for everyone. It was marvelous to learn a different song each week and to find at the end of a class, I could sing not only the melody but the high harmony and low harmony--by heart. To be able to stand at the end of the night and make music, interchanging the parts--inspiring! " -- Terry S. "The class was fun and it brought me joy to sing with others. I found a greater range in my voice and began to exercise it in a way I never have. Leela is a fabulous teacher! Even for a beginner like me, I felt I could sing with others and hold my own and I also had room to make mistakes and sing off key." -- Kristin P. "Leela's Harmony By Ear class was a powerful experience for me. I don't know how to read music, so singing in a choir has always seemed too intimidating. Before her class, I sang with the radio, which I still do now, but it's different because now I hear vocals that I hadn't ever noticed before, and I love it! It's like a new world of sound has opened up for me--I can hear harmonies and melodies simultaneously, which I could NEVER do before her class. I can sing harmonies now--I'm able to follow them if someone is singing them, and sometimes I can find them on my own. One of the best things I got from this class is that my husband, a professional musician, actually let me sing lead on stage with him for one song while he harmonized with me. This was BIG because before Leela's class, I couldn't maintain the melody unless I heard someone else singing it. If I was singing alone, and I heard someone singing harmony, I lost the melody and followed them instead. Now I'm a rock star (individual results may vary : ). Leela's personality and methods blend in such a way that make the class inviting, invigorating, and also challenging. She has great stories to tell about learning how to play music and sing, and she is funny and kind, so each class is different, and each class is thoroughly enjoyable. This was my first time to take her class, but there were several people who were taking it for their third or fourth time, entirely because they enjoyed the experience of singing with a group and being lead by such a dynamic, engaging, and knowledgeable instructor. Leela is an incredible folk musician and a very patient teacher--I'd take her class again if she hadn't moved 1,605 miles away! Take her class--you'll love it, and anyone who has had to listen to you sing off-key will probably appreciate it too." -- Lania K. -Top-
Learn to Play the Banjo E-mail Leela for more information: leela "at" gracefamilymusic.com Private old time / frailing / clawhammer banjo lessons Over 15 years of professional performance experience Over seven years of teaching experience All levels and abilities welcome By-ear techniques, rhythm, melody, chords . . . Individualized instruction Listen to Leela play the tune, "Big Scioty" (mp3) (if it won't play, try saving first then opening) Here's what a few of Leela's banjo students have said about her teaching:* "After muddling through years of instruction books and tabs, Leela's clear instruction helped me to hear the music in a way that elevated my banjo playing to a new level. Her creative arrangements of classic tunes have inspired me as I work to develop my own style." -- Jim R. "I would highly recommend Leela to banjo students at all levels. Leela is a skilled musician, has a wonderful ear (for hearing all your flubbed notes!), and a super way of motivating you to develop your skills. In about 18 months Leela helped me develop from a true beginner to being able to say "I can play the banjo" and prove it! She quickly taught me the basics and then gradually helped me hone my basic skills by adding drop thumbs, double thumbs, slides/pull-offs, triplets etc as I grew in my abilities. I highly recommend her to anyone!" -- Bud S. "Leela is a great and generous teacher. She introduced me to some magical banjo tunes and tunings and helped me hugely in learning to listen and play by ear. Her easygoing teaching style and sparkling, clean playing lured me down the first strange, crooked, and colorful paths of old time music." -- Jim B. E-mail Leela for more information: leela "at" gracefamilymusic.com -Top-
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