Immersive learning is our jam!
When we research, collaborate, innovate, and experience through all of our senses, we build durable skills, strong self-esteem, and magical memories that will last for life.
This gallery features some of our favorite deep-learning projects. Prepare to be inspired!
This gallery features some of our favorite deep-learning projects. Prepare to be inspired!
Out of This World! Outer Space Costume Concert, Portland, March 2024
For this exciting concert, students dressed as their favorite extraterrestrial creature, character, celestial body, or abstract concept and delivered fabulously interesting speeches full of space facts. From the Interstellar soundtrack to They Might Be Giants to the Doctor Who TV show theme, the musical performances were simply out of this world!
And did we mention the space-themed snacks at the reception, including Jell-O aliens and glittering Milky Way macarons?
For this exciting concert, students dressed as their favorite extraterrestrial creature, character, celestial body, or abstract concept and delivered fabulously interesting speeches full of space facts. From the Interstellar soundtrack to They Might Be Giants to the Doctor Who TV show theme, the musical performances were simply out of this world!
And did we mention the space-themed snacks at the reception, including Jell-O aliens and glittering Milky Way macarons?
"Menagerie" Animal-themed Concert at Toast Studios, June 2022
Composers have been penning odes to creatures great and small since the dawn of time, and this fun-filled concert was jam-packed with them! But was that all? Never! With the audience playing Animal Bingo during the show, creative creature-themed reception snacks, and a Balloon Animal party after, it was a wild day to remember!
Composers have been penning odes to creatures great and small since the dawn of time, and this fun-filled concert was jam-packed with them! But was that all? Never! With the audience playing Animal Bingo during the show, creative creature-themed reception snacks, and a Balloon Animal party after, it was a wild day to remember!
Celebrate Black History Month! Musical Heritage of the African Diaspora, February 2022
Our first indoors concert after the pandemic (hooray!!) is a wild ride of musical genres and styles celebrating the countless Black musical legends who inspire us! Solos, duos, and piano-vocal songs featured favorites by Scott Joplin, Aretha Franklin, TLC, Lil Nas X, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, The Weeknd, Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Jidenna, and many more!
Our first indoors concert after the pandemic (hooray!!) is a wild ride of musical genres and styles celebrating the countless Black musical legends who inspire us! Solos, duos, and piano-vocal songs featured favorites by Scott Joplin, Aretha Franklin, TLC, Lil Nas X, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, The Weeknd, Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Jidenna, and many more!
World Changing/Humans Changing, February 2021
Unable to gather in groups indoors during the pandemic, we focused instead on learning how to use the dreaded medium of Zoom to create a fun, engaging, and beautiful event.
Students were given three tasks: they wrote informative speeches full of climate change facts and actionable information and filmed them in their favorite natural areas across Oregon; they presented "Baby T.I."s, small maquette versions of the large-scale "Transmogrified Instruments" that they are designing and building out of trash in preparation for our professional concerts at BodyVox theater in 2022; and they performed climate-change-themed repertoire live on camera.
What a wonderful way to share hope and music in dark times!
Unable to gather in groups indoors during the pandemic, we focused instead on learning how to use the dreaded medium of Zoom to create a fun, engaging, and beautiful event.
Students were given three tasks: they wrote informative speeches full of climate change facts and actionable information and filmed them in their favorite natural areas across Oregon; they presented "Baby T.I."s, small maquette versions of the large-scale "Transmogrified Instruments" that they are designing and building out of trash in preparation for our professional concerts at BodyVox theater in 2022; and they performed climate-change-themed repertoire live on camera.
What a wonderful way to share hope and music in dark times!
"Paint Your Intention" socially-distanced outdoor piano festival, August 2020
No indoor gatherings during pandemic lockdown? No worries!
We turned the Great Outdoors into a Great Opportunity for an incredible festival of music, sharing, community, and laughter!
Students masked up, slathered on hand sanitizer, and wowed the crowd with a fabulous mix of piano repertoire and hilarious experimental performances of their own original "Quarantine Haikus".
No indoor gatherings during pandemic lockdown? No worries!
We turned the Great Outdoors into a Great Opportunity for an incredible festival of music, sharing, community, and laughter!
Students masked up, slathered on hand sanitizer, and wowed the crowd with a fabulous mix of piano repertoire and hilarious experimental performances of their own original "Quarantine Haikus".
Rainbow Costume Concert at The Courtyard at Mt. Tabor Retirement Home, 2019
To kick off Portland Pride, our students gave a joyous, colorful concert full of RAINBOW EVERYTHING! Students told stories, myths, legends, tall tales and jokes about rainbows and Jennifer made a triumphant rainbow cake.
To kick off Portland Pride, our students gave a joyous, colorful concert full of RAINBOW EVERYTHING! Students told stories, myths, legends, tall tales and jokes about rainbows and Jennifer made a triumphant rainbow cake.
May The Forte Be With You STAR WARS COSTUME CONCERT, 2017
The most epic piano concert ever conceived, culminating in a 14-piano rendition of the Star Wars Main Title Theme, conducted with a light saber. Students created their own arrangements of classic Star Wars music themes, dressed in costumes, and introduced each piece with a movie-worthy original skit. AND we demolished a five-foot Death Star pinata afterwards.
The most epic piano concert ever conceived, culminating in a 14-piano rendition of the Star Wars Main Title Theme, conducted with a light saber. Students created their own arrangements of classic Star Wars music themes, dressed in costumes, and introduced each piece with a movie-worthy original skit. AND we demolished a five-foot Death Star pinata afterwards.
Audio Visual art/music concert, 2016
Each student created an original piece of visual or performance art that was inspired by their live performance repertoire in a wild variety of media: painting, sculpture, cymatics, videos, even installations of light and bubble machines! Several students collaborated with live artists and dancers. The artwork was displayed in a gallery setting in the venue foyer after the show.
Each student created an original piece of visual or performance art that was inspired by their live performance repertoire in a wild variety of media: painting, sculpture, cymatics, videos, even installations of light and bubble machines! Several students collaborated with live artists and dancers. The artwork was displayed in a gallery setting in the venue foyer after the show.
Mozart's Letters, 2014
In celebration of the music of the Classical time period, students told the audience colorful stories of European life in the 1700s and read aloud entertaining letters penned by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to his family and friends.
In celebration of the music of the Classical time period, students told the audience colorful stories of European life in the 1700s and read aloud entertaining letters penned by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to his family and friends.
"ART:MUSIC" 20th-century concert & student sound sculpture exhibition 2013
Students explained and performed some of the more wild and experimental trends in 20th-century music, with their non-traditional scores projected on the wall for all to see. The warehouse space at PLACE Studio became a gallery of 30 sound sculptures created by the students from parts of an old piano that we demolished. Pictures coming soon!
Students explained and performed some of the more wild and experimental trends in 20th-century music, with their non-traditional scores projected on the wall for all to see. The warehouse space at PLACE Studio became a gallery of 30 sound sculptures created by the students from parts of an old piano that we demolished. Pictures coming soon!
Valentine's Day Piano Decoration/Donation Project 2013
The culmination of a massive project in which we decorated every last inch of an upright piano - dubbed "The Queen of the Night" - and donated it to The Blazers Boys and Girls Club in Portland, Oregon!
In honor of Valentine's Day, students wrote rhyming speeches that sounded like Valentine's card poems.
The culmination of a massive project in which we decorated every last inch of an upright piano - dubbed "The Queen of the Night" - and donated it to The Blazers Boys and Girls Club in Portland, Oregon!
In honor of Valentine's Day, students wrote rhyming speeches that sounded like Valentine's card poems.
Baroque Harpsichord Costume Concert, 2012
Set in the gorgeous Leach Botanical Garden, we transported the audience back to the 1700s for an unforgettable concert of Baroque harpsichord works performed on my Neupert Telemann model harpsichord.
Each student, costumed in glorious Baroque finery and powdered wigs, impersonated members of the different classes of Western European society who would have had access to harpsichords: musicians, the bourgeoisie, aristocrats, and royalty - with hilarious results!
Set in the gorgeous Leach Botanical Garden, we transported the audience back to the 1700s for an unforgettable concert of Baroque harpsichord works performed on my Neupert Telemann model harpsichord.
Each student, costumed in glorious Baroque finery and powdered wigs, impersonated members of the different classes of Western European society who would have had access to harpsichords: musicians, the bourgeoisie, aristocrats, and royalty - with hilarious results!
Cinco de Mayo Piano Social, 2012
Great music and holiday food, lots of laughs, and sombrero silliness!
Great music and holiday food, lots of laughs, and sombrero silliness!
Singer-Pianist Cabaret Extravaganza, 2011
Students created their own original arrangements of their favorite songs and performed these cover versions lounge-style, singing at the piano with a mic. These programs were a wildly entertaining mash-up of everything from Billy Joel, folk songs and Spanish pop ballads to Monty Python skits with props!
Students created their own original arrangements of their favorite songs and performed these cover versions lounge-style, singing at the piano with a mic. These programs were a wildly entertaining mash-up of everything from Billy Joel, folk songs and Spanish pop ballads to Monty Python skits with props!
April Fools Piano Social, 2011
Students wore wacky hats and surprised everybody with April Fool's jokes in their speeches and songs!
Students wore wacky hats and surprised everybody with April Fool's jokes in their speeches and songs!
Silent Film Concerts, 2010
Two live screenings of Charlie Chaplin's classic film "The Circus" with students providing non-stop live piano accompaniment on two grand pianos! A truly epic feat and a huge and rare treat for the audience!
Two live screenings of Charlie Chaplin's classic film "The Circus" with students providing non-stop live piano accompaniment on two grand pianos! A truly epic feat and a huge and rare treat for the audience!
Jazz Cafe Concert at RimskyKorsakoffeeHouse, 2010
A jazz feast with a side of improvisation, sizzling with individual stylings and finished with musical humor and a big dose of personality - all in one one of the wackiest musical establishments in town!
A jazz feast with a side of improvisation, sizzling with individual stylings and finished with musical humor and a big dose of personality - all in one one of the wackiest musical establishments in town!
The Golden Age of the Piano, 2009
These recitals gave us a firsthand chance to explore and present the common practices of 19th-century musicians and audiences. Students impersonated famous composer-pianists of the Romantic Era (which, due to the small number of professional female musicians active in that time period, required quite a few of the gals to be in drag - with fake beards, pillows stuffed under their waistcoats, and so forth).
Aesthetic archrivals Liszt and Brahms glowered at each other; Paderewski displayed his famous mane of hair; and Chopin coughed blood into a handkerchief. The audience threw flowers and shouted "encore!" - and the students obliged!
These recitals gave us a firsthand chance to explore and present the common practices of 19th-century musicians and audiences. Students impersonated famous composer-pianists of the Romantic Era (which, due to the small number of professional female musicians active in that time period, required quite a few of the gals to be in drag - with fake beards, pillows stuffed under their waistcoats, and so forth).
Aesthetic archrivals Liszt and Brahms glowered at each other; Paderewski displayed his famous mane of hair; and Chopin coughed blood into a handkerchief. The audience threw flowers and shouted "encore!" - and the students obliged!
New Works Concerts, 2007
Two incredible concerts comprised entirely of students' own original compositions!
Two incredible concerts comprised entirely of students' own original compositions!
Countries of the World Masquerade Concerts, 2005
At this gorgeous costume extravaganza, students dressed in the national finery of their chosen country, told stories and performed music from every corner of the globe!
At this gorgeous costume extravaganza, students dressed in the national finery of their chosen country, told stories and performed music from every corner of the globe!