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Clawhammer Banjo and By-Ear Harmony Classes begin
September 21-22, 2010.
Watch for details! |
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Leela's Banjo Lessons and
Classes,
Harmony Singing Classes, and
Percussive Dance Classes
Portland, Oregon |
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Harmony
Singing Classes
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Old
Time Banjo Lessons and
Classes
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About the Instructor
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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 25 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 13 years, in addition to touring nationally from the
Lincoln Center in NYC to the Summer Solstice Festival in LA and
everywhere in between, she has been offering instruction in by-ear
harmony singing, clawhammer banjo, and percussive dance to
individuals and groups in her hometown and all over the country.
In August of 2007, she relocated to Portland, Oregon, where she
continues to spread the joy. She is a kind, entertaining,
experienced teacher who offers clear, understandable instruction to
singers, musicians, and dancers of all levels. She tries to disarm
her students with laughter and a bit of silliness 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:
leelagracemusic@gmail.com |
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NEXT HARMONY CLASS WILL BEGIN SEPT. 22, 2010 in PORTLAND!
Leela’s Famous By-Ear Harmony Singing Class at
Artichoke Music
Dates:
Wednesdays for 8 weeks September 22-November 10, 2010
Time:
5:45-7:15 p.m.
Fee:
sliding scale $120-$200
Registration:
New! You can now
PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class securely using
your credit card (via paypal)!
Start HERE:
Information:
Contact Leela at
leelagracemusic@gmail.com or at
573-823-5650
Note:
Class will be limited to 20 participants. Pre-registration
required.
Class
Description: With a patient, light-hearted approach, Leela
will help you discover the power of voices raised in harmony.
Through large and small group singing, we will practice the
fundamentals of two-, three-, and four-part harmony using by-ear
techniques. This class is all about singing . . . singing
together, finding your voice, experiencing 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 many different kinds of songs, from
contemporary folk to old country. All abilities and experience
levels are welcome. Come explore the possibilities!
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You wonder what this By-Ear Harmony Singing Class is all
about? Well,
mostly it is 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! All are welcome (from self-proclaimed
non-singers to closet car-singers to classically trained
choral singers -- it is an open and understanding learning
environment).
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! 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.
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Learn to Play the Banjo!
E-mail
Leela for more information:
leelagracemusic@gmail.com
Offering private lessons (and group
classes) at
Artichoke Music in
Portland, Oregon.
Contact Leela for rates, information, and scheduling.
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 Private old time / frailing / clawhammer
banjo lessons
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Over 20 years of
professional performance experience
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Over ten years of
teaching experience
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All levels and abilities
welcome
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By-ear techniques, rhythm,
melody, chords
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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:
leelagracemusic@gmail.com
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NEW BANJO CLASSES BEGIN SEPT. 21 IN PORTLAND.
**e-mail
leelagracemusic@gmail.com
to get on the announcement list for future classes**
Beginning Clawhammer Banjo
Class at
Artichoke Music
Dates:
Tuesdays for 8 weeks September 21-November 9, 2010
Time:
5:45
p.m.-6:45 p.m.
Fee:
sliding scale $80-$135
Registration: New! You can now
PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class securely using
your credit card (via paypal) Start Here:
Information:
Contact
Leela at
leelagracemusic@gmail.com
or at 573-823-5650
Class 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 several old-time tunes in your repertoire. We may even
learn about a few alternate tunings and start practicing
drop-thumbing!
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NEW! FALL 2010
PERCUSSIVE DANCE CLASSES TBA IN PORTLAND. WATCH FOR DETAILS.
**e-mail
leelagracemusic@gmail.com to get on the announcement list
for future classes**
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Class information:
Beginning
Appalachian Clogging
Class at the Maldon Meehan Dance Studio in SE Portland
Dates:
Wednesdays for 6 weeks April 21-May 26, 2010
Time:
7:30-8:30 p.m.
Fee:
sliding
scale $100-$60
Registration:
New! You can now
PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class securely using
your credit card (via paypal).
Note: Registration is closed.
Start here:
Information:
Contact
Leela at
leelagracemusic@gmail.com
or at 573-823-5650
Class Description: Now is your chance to get "feet-on"
experience in Appalachian clogging. Starting from “step
one”, everyone will learn fun, exciting steps to take to any
dance floor. Discover the joy of making music with your feet
in a high-energy, supportive environment! No dance
experience necessary. The class will be limited to 20
participants. Pre-registration required.
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and Ellie Grace's E-Mail List to receive a periodic
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included.
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