Workshop Weeks

Spring Workshop Week is almost here!

Tuesday, March 19 – Saturday, March 23, 2024
See full schedule here!

How to Sign Up

  1. Scroll down to see the list of all the workshops we’re offering.
  2. Click on the blue sign-up button and fill out a form for EACH workshop you’d like to sign up for.
  3. If you are NOT a registered Powers student / parent, please use the payment form below to pay for all workshops you sign up for (instructions above the form).
  4. We’ll see you there!

Payment for Non-Powers Attendees

If you are not a currently registered Powers Music School student or family, please use this payment form below to pay. Workshops are $10 (per workshop, per person), or $25 for a week-long pass to ALL workshops!

Once your payment is successfully processed and you have registered for the workshops on the Google form (using the blue sign-up buttons above), you’re all set!

Want to spread the word or share what you’ve learned? Use the hashtag #workshopweekatpowers and tag @powersmusicschool on Facebook and Instagram!

 

What is Workshop Week?

New tips, new techniques, and new ways of thinking from the experts themselves. Step out of your comfort zone with more than 30 workshops for all, instruments, and experience levels.

Powers is thrilled to offer “Workshop Weeks” for our community and our students – a week of fun and interactive workshops and masterclasses taught by our expert teaching artists at Powers and special guests.

Twice each year, we’ll throw open the doors to Powers so YOU can experience the joy of music for yourself! These weeks encourage creativity within our faculty, bring accessible music and arts programs right to you, help you strive towards your own personal musical goals, broaden and share our perspectives, and provide a fun way to experience music together.

Who can attend a workshop during Workshop Weeks?

Anyone! We’ll have a variety of hand-chosen workshop topics for all age groups, including adults, seniors, young children, K-8 and high school students, and parents. All ages, instruments, and abilities will find something they like. Don’t see anything interesting in the schedule? Let us know what suggestions you have!

What does it cost?

Workshops are 100% free for currently registered Powers students, and $10 per forwkshop/$25 for the whole week for non-Powers participants (per person, per workshop). We hope that the low cost will allow you to sign up for as many workshops as you like!

Can I bring a friend?

Absolutely! Music is even better when we experience it together. In fact, we encourage your friends and family to also sign up for one or more workshops so you can share your experience together AND learn about things that interest you.

 

What are people saying about Workshop Week?

“THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for opening up the workshops to the public. I appreciate the numerous workshops that were made available to adult learners.”

“The teachers are so sweet, professional, and touching. You can feel their love in music.”

“It was a great chance to break out from the routine and try something different.”

“I liked the community and the level of professionalism.”

“It was fun and appropriate for both of my children (ages 5 and 7). It got them excited about new instruments and kinds of music.”

 

Younger Kids

Hand drumming

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Instructor: Gavin Farrell
Best for: Ages 4 to 7
Please have ready: Just yourself!

This workshop is full. Please email Rachel at rbeuseekauffman@powersmusic.org to be added to the waitlist.

sign up

Explore the music and rhythms of West Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Try West African drums, congas, and small percussion instruments in this popular, fun workshop!

Movie Night! Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts: What Does Music Mean?

Friday, March 22, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Instructor: Jim Guttmann
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

Ever watch something on TV and wonder what it was like to be in the room while it was happening? Join us for a free screening of the first in Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts series “What Does Music Mean?”. The screening will be followed by a Q+A with Powers Music School bass teacher Jim Guttmann, who was one of the young people in attendance at many of the concerts in this series. Enjoy a musical family movie night with snacks and music chats!

Listen, Move, Sing!

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Elizabeth Basconi
Best for: Ages 6 – 7
Please have ready: Just yourself! 

This workshop is full. Please email Rachel at rbeuseekauffman@powersmusic.org to be added to the waitlist.

sign up

Meet new friends and learn a new song through listening and movement games! In this workshop, your little one will use their bodies and voices to explore rhythm patterns. They should be ready to move barefoot and move creatively!

The Music Class® Class Demonstration

Saturday, March 23, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Instructor: Jennifer Choe
Best for: Early Childhood: 0 – 4 Years Old
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

This workshop is a sample class of The Music Class® program. We’ll give your little one an introduction to a wide variety of music styles, songs, and instruments that are fun and educational. We sing, dance, jump, play percussion instruments, roll balls, and wiggle around to get a good musical foundation. You’ll get to participate too and learn how to encourage your child to keep singing and making music outside of class!

Piano

How Do I Listen?

Tuesday, March 19, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Tamara Medoyeva
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Any music you have played, currently working with, or would like to play.

sign up

Join us for this piano master class to help you focus on listening skills and how those skills could improve the quality of your artistic performance. The particular focus of this workshop is to help you recognize what elements of music you find beautiful and what skills you need in order to refine and accomplish that.

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

Introducing A Contemporary Piano Work: Chaconne, Variations, and Finale for Piano Solo by Christos Tsitsaros

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Instructor: Yunhee Kim
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

In this workshop, experienced pianist Yunhee Kim will introduce you to a modern living composer, Christos Tsitsaros, and guide you through his piano work Chaconne, Variations, and Finale for Piano Solo.

Play in a Céilí Band

Thursday, March 21, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

sign up

On March 30, Powers will host its first community Irish Céilí (which means “party,” or “gathering” in Irish Gaelic)! Students are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the band, led by three professional musicians, including Powers’ fiddle teacher, Ellery Klein. The tune list, links to music, and videos of the tunes that the band will play are available here. This workshop is for anyone who wants to try playing in a Céilí band, would like to play in the Céilí band at the March 30 event, or who wants to explore the world of traditional Irish music meant for a party of dancers.

Traditional Irish Music Session

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

SIGN UP

Looking for a relaxing and fun opportunity to jam out? Come join Powers’ fiddle teacher Ellery Klein, of the Bow Tides to play common Irish session tunes with other local players of all ages!

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Kathryn Rosenbach
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument, a current solo piece

sign up

We all know we should practice our instrument, and we know how to…but are you prepared for making mistakes, fluidity, and discomfort? This workshop addresses these major practicing issues everyone struggles with and basic strategies on how to be prepared for any performance, from a solo in your room to a stage in front of hundreds of people. You are encouraged to bring your current lesson pieces and instrument.

Sight Playing for Pianists

Saturday, March 23, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Instructor: Natacha Rist
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

The blueprint to being a successful musician is having a firm grasp on your technical skills and we want to help you get there! Come join us for Sight-Playing for Pianists with Natacha Rist to start your journey, or build upon the skills you already have. Through sight-playing solo and four-hand pieces, you will learn how to become a better music reader, how to develop skills necessary to play chamber music, and ultimately how to become a better musician.

Strings

JOIN US AT STRING DAY 2024!

Saturday, March 23
10:00 am – 5:00 pm

learn more

Using feedback from our community and Workshop Week attendees, we’ve hand-crafted a special day full of workshops, masterclasses, and play-ins devoted just to string students, with opportunities for all ages and experience levels. You’ll practice and learn techniques on your instrument, try new ways of thinking and playing, get your questions answered by teachers and leaders in the field, and more!

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Play in a Céilí Band

Thursday, March 21, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

sign up

On March 30, Powers will host its first community Irish Céilí (which means “party,” or “gathering” in Irish Gaelic)! Students are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the band, led by three professional musicians, including Powers’ fiddle teacher, Ellery Klein. The tune list, links to music, and videos of the tunes that the band will play are available here. This workshop is for anyone who wants to try playing in a Céilí band, would like to play in the Céilí band at the March 30 event, or who wants to explore the world of traditional Irish music meant for a party of dancers.

Traditional Irish Music Session

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

SIGN UP

Looking for a relaxing and fun opportunity to jam out? Come join Powers’ fiddle teacher Ellery Klein, of the Bow Tides to play common Irish session tunes with other local players of all ages!

Plucked Strings

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

Nail Care for Guitarists

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Catherine O’Kelly
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Nail file, nail buffer, nail clippers or scissors, guitar and footstool

SIGN UP

One of the biggest complaints for guitarists is the state of their nails. Let us help you fix that! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to care for your nails so you can produce a beautiful tone on the guitar. We will cover which tools you need for nail care, how to find a good nail length/shape for your nails, how to file your right-hand nails, strategies to stop biting your nails, and using fake nails and still be able to play your guitar.

Play in a Céilí Band

Thursday, March 21, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

sign up

On March 30, Powers will host its first community Irish Céilí (which means “party,” or “gathering” in Irish Gaelic)! Students are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the band, led by three professional musicians, including Powers’ fiddle teacher, Ellery Klein. The tune list, links to music, and videos of the tunes that the band will play are available here. This workshop is for anyone who wants to try playing in a Céilí band, would like to play in the Céilí band at the March 30 event, or who wants to explore the world of traditional Irish music meant for a party of dancers.

Traditional Irish Music Session

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

SIGN UP

Looking for a relaxing and fun opportunity to jam out? Come join Powers’ fiddle teacher Ellery Klein, of the Bow Tides to play common Irish session tunes with other local players of all ages!

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Kathryn Rosenbach
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument, a current solo piece

sign up

We all know we should practice our instrument, and we know how to…but are you prepared for making mistakes, fluidity, and discomfort? This workshop addresses these major practicing issues everyone struggles with and basic strategies on how to be prepared for any performance, from a solo in your room to a stage in front of hundreds of people. You are encouraged to bring your current lesson pieces and instrument.

World/Folk Music & Percussion

How To Tune a Drum

Wednesday, March 20, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Gavin Farrell
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: A drum to tune if you’d like

sign up

In this workshop, Executive Director and percussion teacher Gavin Farrell will teach you about drums and drumheads, and how they work together to make a sound. He’ll then guide you through some tried and true techniques for getting a drum to sound the way you want it to for your own unique playing.

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

Hand drumming

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM (ages 4-7), and 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (ages 8-11)
Instructor: Gavin Farrell
Best for: Specific age sections, please sign up for the time slot correlating with the participant’s age as the curriculum is designed for those groups.
Please have ready: Just yourself!

Ages 4 – 7

This workshop is full. Please email Rachel at rbeuseekauffman@powersmusic.org to be added to the waitlist.

sign up

Ages 8 – 11

sign up

Explore the music and rhythms of West Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Try West African drums, congas, and small percussion instruments in this popular, fun workshop!

Meet and Play the Tin Whistle

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Lucy Joan Sollogub
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Tin whistle in the key of D if you have it

sign up

Want to meet a unique instrument you’ve probably never played before? Come meet the Tin Whistle with folk music aficionado Lucy Joan Sollogub. We will listen to tin whistle music, learn its deep history, its differences from other wind instruments, and learn to play some tunes on charts and by ear.

Play in a Céilí Band

Thursday, March 21, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

sign up

On March 30, Powers will host its first community Irish Céilí (which means “party,” or “gathering” in Irish Gaelic)! Students are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the band, led by three professional musicians, including Powers’ fiddle teacher, Ellery Klein. The tune list, links to music, and videos of the tunes that the band will play are available here. This workshop is for anyone who wants to try playing in a Céilí band, would like to play in the Céilí band at the March 30 event, or who wants to explore the world of traditional Irish music meant for a party of dancers.

Traditional Irish Music Session

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

SIGN UP

Looking for a relaxing and fun opportunity to jam out? Come join Powers’ fiddle teacher Ellery Klein, of the Bow Tides to play common Irish session tunes with other local players of all ages!

Voice

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

So You Think You Can’t Belt: A Painless Approach to Powerful Singing

Friday, March 22, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Instructor: Lucas Coura
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

Belting is a chronically misunderstood coordination of the voice: Many in the classical voice world believe it to be inherently harmful, while those who aspire to it believe it must be much harder than it actually is. This workshop is meant to demystify the process of learning to belt through understanding the underlying vocal mechanics, active listening to singers at the highest level, and hands-on application in exercises. You will leave empowered with the knowledge of what you need to do in your daily practice to achieve a powerful, effortless belt.

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Kathryn Rosenbach
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument, a current solo piece

sign up

We all know we should practice our instrument, and we know how to…but are you prepared for making mistakes, fluidity, and discomfort? This workshop addresses these major practicing issues everyone struggles with and basic strategies on how to be prepared for any performance, from a solo in your room to a stage in front of hundreds of people. You are encouraged to bring your current lesson pieces and instrument.

Woodwinds

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

Meet and Play the Tin Whistle

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Lucy Joan Sollogub
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Tin whistle in the key of D if you have it

sign up

Want to meet a unique instrument you’ve probably never played before? Come meet the Tin Whistle with folk music aficionado Lucy Joan Sollogub. We will listen to tin whistle music, learn its deep history, its differences from other wind instruments, and learn to play some tunes on charts and by ear.

Mozart and the Clarinet

Thursday, March 21, 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Instructor: Colleen Hartung
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You often hear of Mozart in piano or violin, but what do you know about his work with the clarinet? Learn about Mozart’s fascinating history, clarinet operas, and Anton Stadler, his clarinetist collaborator.

Play in a Céilí Band

Thursday, March 21, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

sign up

On March 30, Powers will host its first community Irish Céilí (which means “party,” or “gathering” in Irish Gaelic)! Students are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the band, led by three professional musicians, including Powers’ fiddle teacher, Ellery Klein. The tune list, links to music, and videos of the tunes that the band will play are available here. This workshop is for anyone who wants to try playing in a Céilí band, would like to play in the Céilí band at the March 30 event, or who wants to explore the world of traditional Irish music meant for a party of dancers.

Traditional Irish Music Session

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Instructor: Ellery Klein
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Please have ready: Your instrument

SIGN UP

Looking for a relaxing and fun opportunity to jam out? Come join Powers’ fiddle teacher Ellery Klein, of the Bow Tides to play common Irish session tunes with other local players of all ages!

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Kathryn Rosenbach
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument, a current solo piece

sign up

We all know we should practice our instrument, and we know how to…but are you prepared for making mistakes, fluidity, and discomfort? This workshop addresses these major practicing issues everyone struggles with and basic strategies on how to be prepared for any performance, from a solo in your room to a stage in front of hundreds of people. You are encouraged to bring your current lesson pieces and instrument.

Any Instrument

Music for All: An Introduction to Modified Music

Tuesday, March 19, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Instructor: Cheyenna Eagle
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument if you’d like

sign up

This workshop is an introduction to the many ways music can be adapted to include all types of learners and abilities. We will explore the different ways to read, write, understand, and play music. Throughout the workshop, we will touch on a variety of modified tunings/instruments and different styles of musical notation, and how/why they are used. You will have the opportunity to work together to create a unique musical notation system, try out some modified tunings and instruments, and even play together in an “almost impromptu” band at the end of the session. You are encouraged to bring any instrument you would like to play. Music is for all, and all are invited to play, regardless of ability!

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Compose Meditation Music in One Hour, Even If You Can’t Read Music!

Wednesday, March 20, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Instructor: Andrew Sorg
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: a laptop with Garage Band, or some Digital Audio Workstation like Logic, or Abelton

sign up

Bring out your most zen self in this workshop! Trumpet teacher Andrew Sorg will teach you how to use free, accessible software to compose meditative music using pre-existing midi files. Bring your own laptop with Garage Band or other DAW and you’ll leave with your very own piece to take home and relax to!

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

Meet and Play the Tin Whistle

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Lucy Joan Sollogub
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Tin whistle in the key of D if you have it

sign up

Want to meet a unique instrument you’ve probably never played before? Come meet the Tin Whistle with folk music aficionado Lucy Joan Sollogub. We will listen to tin whistle music, learn its deep history, its differences from other wind instruments, and learn to play some tunes on charts and by ear.

Songs and Fingerplays for Parents/Grandparents

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Lucy Joan Sollogub
Best for: High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

As a brand new grandmother, Powers folk music teacher Lucy Joan Sollogub started to sing and do finger plays with her own granddaughter on the first day they met. Her granddaughter now knows her voice so well and has such a fun time moving to the music that it made Lucy recognize how important it is to share music with the little ones in your life. Do you remember your favorite song to sing with your parents growing up? Build those memories with your own children with songs from an expert! Join Lucy as she guides you through her large collection of songs and finger plays, learn and play with these tunes, share your own songs, and learn from the group.

Is Music Therapy for Me?

Thursday, March 21, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Instructor: Cheyenna Eagle
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!
This workshop is available in person or virtually over Zoom!

sign up

Have you ever seen a video of a musician playing at the bedside of a hospice patient, or walking through the halls of a school with a guitar and a cart of instruments? Or maybe someone leading a choir for adults with disabilities, or doing vocal exercises with a stroke survivor? You might have seen a music therapist and didn’t even know it! Music therapy is a far-reaching profession with therapists serving a wide variety of populations and settings. Now, you might find yourself asking “What is music therapy?” or “Is music therapy for me or my loved one?”, and if that is the case, this workshop is for you! This workshop is an introduction to all things music therapy and what it looks like at Powers Music School. During the workshop, we will define what music therapy is (and is not), who does it, what it looks like, and participants will have the opportunity to engage in interactive music experiences and explore the science behind it all. You will gain an understanding of what music therapy is, what it can do, and how to access music therapy services.

Music Interpretations: A Look at Recordings of Gustav Mahler’s 5th Symphony

Friday, March 22, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Instructor: Spencer Aston
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

Sharpen your critical musical listening skills and dive deep into Gustav Mahler’s 5th Symphony. In this workshop, we will take a close look at several recordings of Mahler’s 5th Symphony and examine concepts of interpretation and performance practice. You’ll leave with a better understanding of how to listen critically to the music that is all around you. These skills will help everyone from the average concert-goer to the enthusiastic performer on their journey to discover what may need to be unlocked in the score.

Movie Night! Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts: What Does Music Mean?

Friday, March 22, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Instructor: Jim Guttmann
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

Ever watch something on TV and wonder what it was like to be in the room while it was happening? Join us for a free screening of the first in Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts series “What Does Music Mean?”. The screening will be followed by a Q+A with Powers Music School bass teacher Jim Guttmann, who was one of the young people in attendance at many of the concerts in this series. Enjoy a musical family movie night with snacks and music chats!

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Kathryn Rosenbach
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument, a current solo piece

sign up

We all know we should practice our instrument, and we know how to…but are you prepared for making mistakes, fluidity, and discomfort? This workshop addresses these major practicing issues everyone struggles with and basic strategies on how to be prepared for any performance, from a solo in your room to a stage in front of hundreds of people. You are encouraged to bring your current lesson pieces and instrument.

No Instrument? No Problem!

Music for All: An Introduction to Modified Music

Tuesday, March 19, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Instructor: Cheyenna Eagle
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Your instrument if you’d like

sign up

This workshop is an introduction to the many ways music can be adapted to include all types of learners and abilities. We will explore the different ways to read, write, understand, and play music. Throughout the workshop, we will touch on a variety of modified tunings/instruments and different styles of musical notation, and how/why they are used. You will have the opportunity to work together to create a unique musical notation system, try out some modified tunings and instruments, and even play together in an “almost impromptu” band at the end of the session. You are encouraged to bring any instrument you would like to play. Music is for all, and all are invited to play, regardless of ability!

I’ve Got Rhythm: How Our Brains Construct Meter

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Sachin Shukla
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You’re sitting in the car or bus, on your way to work or school, and a new song you’ve never heard comes up on your Spotify mix. It’s actually pretty good. You start tapping your foot and dancing in place to the music. No matter how funky the rhythm gets, your foot moves in perfect time to the beat. You know exactly where all of the upbeats and downbeats go. Wait a minute…you’ve never heard this song before. You’ve certainly never seen it written down. How did you do that?? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of how our brains can instinctively make sense of rhythm and meter. We’ll look at the details of the musical surface that tell us how many beats there are to a bar, where one measure begins and another ends, and how we navigate ambiguity, vagueness, and surprises.

Compose Meditation Music in One Hour, Even If You Can’t Read Music!

Wednesday, March 20, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Instructor: Andrew Sorg
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: a laptop with Garage Band, or some Digital Audio Workstation like Logic, or Abelton

sign up

Bring out your most zen self in this workshop! Trumpet teacher Andrew Sorg will teach you how to use free, accessible software to compose meditative music using pre-existing midi files. Bring your own laptop with Garage Band or other DAW and you’ll leave with your very own piece to take home and relax to!

Improv (Taksim) in Modal Music

Wednesday, March 20, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Instructor: Tev Stevig
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Bring your instrument and/or your voice.

sign up

The World Music Workshop Series is intended to present concepts from various music traditions from around the globe to curious students who wish to have a richer understanding of how the many peoples of the world think about and perform music. In this workshop, we will explore basic improvisation in modal music. Through demonstration and discussion, we will learn how to create a simple improvisation in Makam Nihavend. We will also learn a piece in Makam Nihavend that we can use as a jumping-off point for improvisation. You need not be a performer, though instrumentalists and vocalists are encouraged to take part in call-and-response demonstrations. You should have a general understanding of basic Western musical concepts such as scales, chords, and rhythms. Improvisation in Makam-related music is called Taksim and is often presented in a very complex manner, with a lot of rules and concepts that may seem unfamiliar and confusing to the Western learner.

Introducing A Contemporary Piano Work: Chaconne, Variations, and Finale for Piano Solo by Christos Tsitsaros

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Instructor: Yunhee Kim
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

In this workshop, experienced pianist Yunhee Kim will introduce you to a modern living composer, Christos Tsitsaros, and guide you through his piano work Chaconne, Variations, and Finale for Piano Solo.

Hand drumming

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM (ages 4-7), and 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (ages 8-11)
Instructor: Gavin Farrell
Best for: Specific age sections, please sign up for the time slot correlating with the participant’s age as the curriculum is designed for those groups.
Please have ready: Just yourself!

Ages 4 – 7

This workshop is full. Please email Rachel at rbeuseekauffman@powersmusic.org to be added to the waitlist.

sign up

Ages 8 – 11

sign up

Explore the music and rhythms of West Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Try West African drums, congas, and small percussion instruments in this popular, fun workshop!

Meet and Play the Tin Whistle

Thursday, March 21, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Lucy Joan Sollogub
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Tin whistle in the key of D if you have it

sign up

Want to meet a unique instrument you’ve probably never played before? Come meet the Tin Whistle with folk music aficionado Lucy Joan Sollogub. We will listen to tin whistle music, learn its deep history, its differences from other wind instruments, and learn to play some tunes on charts and by ear.

Mozart and the Clarinet

Thursday, March 21, 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Instructor: Colleen Hartung
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

You often hear of Mozart in piano or violin, but what do you know about his work with the clarinet? Learn about Mozart’s fascinating history, clarinet operas, and Anton Stadler, his clarinetist collaborator.

Songs and Fingerplays for Parents/Grandparents

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Instructor: Lucy Joan Sollogub
Best for: High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

As a brand new grandmother, Powers folk music teacher Lucy Joan Sollogub started to sing and do finger plays with her own granddaughter on the first day they met. Her granddaughter now knows her voice so well and has such a fun time moving to the music that it made Lucy recognize how important it is to share music with the little ones in your life. Do you remember your favorite song to sing with your parents growing up? Build those memories with your own children with songs from an expert! Join Lucy as she guides you through her large collection of songs and finger plays, learn and play with these tunes, share your own songs, and learn from the group.

Is Music Therapy for Me?

Thursday, March 21, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Instructor: Cheyenna Eagle
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!
This workshop is available in person or virtually over Zoom!

sign up

Have you ever seen a video of a musician playing at the bedside of a hospice patient, or walking through the halls of a school with a guitar and a cart of instruments? Or maybe someone leading a choir for adults with disabilities, or doing vocal exercises with a stroke survivor? You might have seen a music therapist and didn’t even know it! Music therapy is a far-reaching profession with therapists serving a wide variety of populations and settings. Now, you might find yourself asking “What is music therapy?” or “Is music therapy for me or my loved one?”, and if that is the case, this workshop is for you! This workshop is an introduction to all things music therapy and what it looks like at Powers Music School. During the workshop, we will define what music therapy is (and is not), who does it, what it looks like, and participants will have the opportunity to engage in interactive music experiences and explore the science behind it all. You will gain an understanding of what music therapy is, what it can do, and how to access music therapy services.

Music Interpretations: A Look at Recordings of Gustav Mahler’s 5th Symphony

Friday, March 22, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Instructor: Spencer Aston
Best for: Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

Sharpen your critical musical listening skills and dive deep into Gustav Mahler’s 5th Symphony. In this workshop, we will take a close look at several recordings of Mahler’s 5th Symphony and examine concepts of interpretation and performance practice. You’ll leave with a better understanding of how to listen critically to the music that is all around you. These skills will help everyone from the average concert-goer to the enthusiastic performer on their journey to discover what may need to be unlocked in the score.

Movie Night! Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts: What Does Music Mean?

Friday, March 22, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Instructor: Jim Guttmann
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adult
Please have ready: Just yourself!

sign up

Ever watch something on TV and wonder what it was like to be in the room while it was happening? Join us for a free screening of the first in Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts series “What Does Music Mean?”. The screening will be followed by a Q+A with Powers Music School bass teacher Jim Guttmann, who was one of the young people in attendance at many of the concerts in this series. Enjoy a musical family movie night with snacks and music chats!

See the day-by-day schedule for the week here!