Umpqua Valley Music Lessons

Personalized acoustic guitar, ukulele, singing and songwriting lessons, beginners to advanced levels

Personalized acoustic guitar lessons specializing in Fingerstyle, beginners to advanced students, either in person in Douglas County, Oregon or via Skype.

01/02/2025

How to Wrangle a Bear -
Ezra Freestyles a Ballad
"How to Wrangle a Bear"
by Ezra Elye & Sean Shea
(ok, so that's what I called it, but here's the back story.)
During our guitar lesson, Ezra told me about his little brother Axel describing how he would handle it if a bear came into the house.
We were almost done with our lesson, and I had given him a chord progression to practice playing a melody on one string with a harmony line moving on the adjacent string, and a rhythmic ostinato on the other strings (using any rhythm he liked).
While he took a break to rest his fingers, I demonstrated an example of what it might become, following his rhythmic groove. I suggested he sing along, improvising a song based on the story he had told me earlier.
So Ezra made up a ballad on the fly about his brother's plan for dealing with the bear.
I love watching this kind of delightful creativity unfold!
Underground River Music
Soulful Music Coaching to Nurture Your Creative Spirit
https://undergroundrivermusic.com
© copyright 2024 Underground River Music LLC

https://fb.watch/wSgDJMF-Ff/

04/11/2024

How do you nurture creativity?
That's the theme of tonight's Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg.

6:30 at the Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation.
Here's all the details:
https://fb.me/e/5gejP6ku5

How do you nurture creativity?

That's the theme of this month's Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg Oregon.

Join us this WEDNESDAY, April 10th, at 6 PM at Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

Share a song, a story, a poem, a piece of artwork, or just soak up the good vibes.

For all the details, see our event page:
UUUC presents Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg - Second Wed. of Each Month
https://fb.me/e/gX3Vqx0VD

06/11/2023

I'm looking forward to another infusion of inspiration and heart connection this Wednesday (June 14) at the Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg. If you haven't yet experienced this special gathering of kindred souls, you are missing out.
Come join us Wednesday at 6:30 at the Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Roseburg. Your soul will appreciate it!

All the details are on our FB event page:
https://fb.me/e/3zWyJz8u4

Join us for a Heartwarming Evening of Inspiration: Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg this Wednesday!

🌟 Seeking a relaxed and low-key respite from the stresses of everyday life and the constant stream of mainstream news? Look no further than our Positive! Open Mic! 🌸✨

In this welcoming space, we celebrate the power of positivity and kindness. We encourage everyone to respect each other's contributions and perspectives, fostering a sense of community where heartfelt expressions take center stage. It's a much-needed break from the chaos of the world. 🤝💖

Imagine an evening filled with heartfelt and inspiring moments that uplift your spirits and provide a breath of fresh air. With every shared moment, we create an atmosphere that nurtures and rejuvenates, allowing us to recharge and find solace in the company of like-minded souls. 🎶💫📖

At our Positive! Open Mic, you're welcome to share your own expressions, whether it's a song that stirs your soul, a story that resonates deeply, a poem that captures the essence of your heart, or a piece of inspired artwork. But hey, if you'd rather just come and listen, that's perfectly okay too! We invite you to simply sit back, relax, and absorb the positive energy that fills the air. Your presence alone adds to the magic of our gathering. 🌌🌈

So, mark your calendar and join us for a relaxed and low-key evening at our upcoming Positive! Open Mic. Whether you choose to share your voice or prefer to be a part of our circle, we're looking forward to sharing this beautiful experience with you in a space where we can breathe freely, connect deeply, and find solace in the shared magic of positivity.. 🌟💫✨

📅 Date: Wednesday, June 14, and the Second Wednesday of each month
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM PDT
📍 Venue: Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation
🎟️ Admission: FREE
📞 Contact: 541-671-5237
ℹ️ All the Details on our event page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/positive-open-mic-in-roseburg-oregon-tickets-510576075787
Or our FB event page:
https://fb.me/e/3zWyJz8u4

03/07/2023

My student, Sawyer, is at it again, continuing to inspire me!

Looking forward to playing with him this Wednesday at the Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg Oregon.

https://www.facebook.com/UndergroundRiverMusic/videos/878008283432484/

12/14/2022

Positive Open Mic in Roseburg
*** TONIGHT *** at 6:30!

(the second Wednesday, remember?)

https://fb.me/e/43wWZzLGT

12/13/2022

I'm so proud of my guitar student Sawyer, who has become so dedicated he inspires me in my own practice. He has fallen in love with one of my original songs, "Water Is Life," and is excited to share it at the upcoming Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg Oregon this Wednesday at 6:30 pm, at the Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Roseburg.

(A little accompaniment by Susie and myself 🙂)

Come join us and be part of this community of positive, caring people.

Here's where to find details about the Positive! Open Mic in Roseburg - Second Wed. of Each Month
https://fb.me/e/2mp0P7Pu7

11/25/2022

"Be grateful for your life, every detail of it,
and your face will come to shine like a sun,
and everyone who sees it will be made glad and peaceful.
Persist in gratitude, and you will slowly become
one with the Sun of Love, and Love will shine
through you its all-healing joy."

(paraphrased by Andrew Harvey- Author)

See more illustrated at
http://oceandropsmusic.com/rumi-mystic-poetry

06/01/2022

Umpqua Valley Music Lessons (aka Umpqua Valley Guitar Lessons) is now part of Underground River Music.

Beyond music lessons, we offer transformational music coaching that inspires personal growth. Based in Sutherlin, Oregon, and online.

Visit our new home on the web at http://undergroundrivermusic.com

Shoot us a message or give us a ring and let's have a conversation about how learning music can change your whole life!
(541) 671-5237

Underground River Music Beyond music lessons, we offer transformational music coaching that inspires personal growth. Based in Sutherlin, Oregon and online

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Personalized Acoustic Guitar Lessons in Roseburg, Oregon and the Douglas County area

I believe that learning music should be as fun and inspiring as it can be to play. We all have a vast wellspring of creative energy within us, and the goal of the relationship between the student and the teacher is to help nurture and develop that latent talent. For this reason, my approach to teaching music is highly individualized. I start out with the premise that the student has unique gifts and my job is to help them discover what those are, and develop and refine them in order to make beautiful and deeply satisfying music, through whatever instrument and in whatever style they are drawn towards.

Depending on one's starting level of experience, some basic exercises will be assigned to develop core skills, with increasing levels of technical challenge and complexity. Elements of music theory will be woven into practical lessons. Students will have the choice to incorporate material from popular and familiar music, and will be encouraged as they progress to compose original pieces incorporating concepts and skills from the lessons.

As music should be enjoyable, I expect students to be highly motivated and to dedicate regular time to practice in between lessons. Of course there is some work involved to get to a point of effortless fluent expression, but you should also be able to have a lot of fun along the way!

About Me

I began teaching acoustic guitar and voice lessons in 1984, also offering harmonium and tabla lessons a few years later. Some of my students have approached music mainly for personal enjoyment and deepening their self-identity, while others have used the skills they learned in their careers.

I've found that in order to be a successful teacher, I must be patient and compassionate, and try to always put myself in the shoes of a learner. I feel my greatest teaching strengths come from listening to my students, as well as drawing from my experience as a singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist.

I'm grateful for my exposure to the music of different cultures, especially the fascinating polyrhythms of traditional African drumming and the deeply moving melodies of Indian Classical music. I had the good fortune to study these disciplines intensively with Master Teachers during my time at Dartmouth College, at Wesleyan University, and through independent studies in India. My teacher training at Pacific Oaks College further deepened my appreciation of cultural diversity as well as my sensitivity to different learning styles.

This experience has enriched my own compositions, as well as my ability to connect with learners from diverse cultural backgrounds, and to help guide people in developing a personal style free from artificial boundaries of genre.

Currently, I'm working on recording an album of original songs based on the poetry of Rumi, Hafiz and other mystics.

For rates and schedule availability, please call 541-671-5237

Location

Roseburg

Contact the school

Click here to send a message to the school

Website

http://umpquavalleyguitarlessons.business.site/, http://umpquavalleymusiclessons.business.site/, http://undergroundriver

Address

Valley Court
Roseburg, OR
97470

Opening Hours

Monday	5pm - 8pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	5pm - 8pm
Thursday	5pm - 8pm
Friday	5pm - 8pm
Saturday	11am - 9pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm