Happy New Year from our family to yours.

I am writing this to you from the warm and relaxed chaos of wrapping paper-strewn holiday joy in our house. We have had a very nice break, kicked off by the kids' playing at West Hills Village Senior Residence on Monday the 21st. The seniors remembered our previous recital, and were happily surprised to find us playing songs for them as they ate dinner that night. Even with a certain two year old (mine) throwing an uncharacteristic tantrum (albeit quietly, thank goodness), it was a fun evening and something we plan to organize regularly.

This seventh year of directing our academy has been a year of deep gratitude. As both a mom and as RCMA's director, I feel privileged to have such great music teachers for my own kids through our school who add depth to our weeks. I am grateful that we have been able to launch donated music lessons for Portland area refugee children and look forward to watching that grow. It's a joy to me that we have begun planning our summer camps in July, because I love camp and because my boys are already asking what classes they will get to take and which friends will be back to play alongside them.

As I take a second to sip some coffee, ignore the pine needles falling off our tree and reflect on the year behind us, I'm struck by a sense of curiosity for the coming year. I wonder what songs Isaac (7) will want to repeat on his cello ad infinitum (this year it was Harry Potter and a song from choir this summer that he figured out). I'm looking forward to watching Toby (9) take more ownership of his own piano playing as he continues to surpass my limited abilities there (I'm a string player- a poor assigned tutor helped me squeak past the piano requirements back in college). I really love the little smile he gets as he realizes he can play things I cannot, and that he is a faster study than I ever was.

Here is my wish for each of our students in 2016: that you would find many things that you are curious about, and that studying music would reveal aspects you might not have known about yourself. I wish you loving audiences (including your own two ears and heart) and ever-increasing skill. Most of all, I hope you continue to discover how to teach yourself in the practice room, because that's where so much of the good stuff is, deep in those many hours of attentive curiosity and care wrapped up in a hard-won phrase or bit of technique.

Happy New Year, Rose City Music Academy. And thank you.

Beginner Buds starts next week! Just a few spots remain open

We have these classes with a few openings available now:
cello (Mondays at 5:30 off campus in NW)

guitar (opening left is 4:15-4:45 Wednesdays starting next week at Catlin)

violin (Fridays at 3:30 at Catlin)

Beginner Buds is a ten week class with a max of 4 students working with a teacher for 30 minutes each week to learn the basics of their instrument. We provide use of an instrument (even cello!) for the duration of the ten weeks. It's just $135 for tuition and there is a one time family registration fee of $25 for new students. 

Call 503-308-8863 or email rosecitymusicacademy@gmail.com to enroll!

Viola for Sale by a friend (former RCMA student)

14" Viola. It comes with the case and the chin rest, and bow of course.
Solid wood front and back, nice tone. Has been used gently, one owner.

Asking $500 obo.

Jane 503-320-1432

Summer Camps are Nearly Here!

We are so thrilled to have another summer of camps at the stunning Catlin Gabel School campus. We have a limited number of spaces available in each week:
July 6-10
July 13-17
July 20-24
Monday-Friday 9am to 3pm

Please click here to print our application form and as always feel free to call or email with any questions.

NOTE: We have a change of address! The correct address is already on all our forms and it's:
RCMA PO Box 2184 Beaverton OR 97075

Group Lessons and Classes for your Music Student!

Hello all- 

We hope your new year is off to a great start. Below you can find information about our Beginner Buds lessons and group classes for students already taking lessons on ANY instrument! Musicians who join a group practice more and learn musical skills of expression and ensemble faster than those who always work alone. Come join the fun- free of additional charge to all RCMA students! (Groups are just $100 per 10-week term for students of other local instructors.)

Thank you and as always, please email or call if there are any questions we can answer. 

-Miriam and the RCMA Faculty

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Small Group Lessons for Beginners

New Beginner Buds 10 week introductory group lessons are starting this week!

Beginner Buds is an easy way to try music lessons in a small group setting. There is a maximum of four students per class, and we can provide instruments for the duration of the course in order to practice throughout the week. Students are given a solid start on an instrument and a short-term chance to see what learning their instrument is like.

Tuition for Beginner Buds classes is only $135! (There is a one-time $25 registration fee per family.) We have a few spaces left in each class.

Piano: 3:30-4:00 on Thursdays at the Catlin Gabel School

Guitar: 4:00-4:30 on Thursdays at the Catlin Gabel School

Violin: 3:30-4:00 on Thursdays at the Catlin Gabel School

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GROUP CLASSES for all music students!

Already taking lessons? If you are a student taking private lessons with one of Rose City Music Academy’s teachers, you can join one of our group classes ABSOLUTELY FREE OF CHARGE! Friends who study outside of RCMA can join our group classes for just $100 per 10-week class.

MUSIC GAMES with Andrew Endres

Students taking any instrument at any level welcome. Explore music theory, note reading and rhythm through high-energy games and group activities.

TUESDAYS 4-4:30 at the Catlin Gabel School

All Levels GUITAR GROUP CLASS with Kyle Williams

Guitar students of all levels welcome. Learn to play fun tunes with a group.

WEDNESDAYS 4:30-5 at the Catlin Gabel School

PERFORMANCE GUITAR GROUP with Andrew Becker

By audition only: please email us for details.

WEDNESDAYS 4:30-5 at the Catlin Gabel School

Beginner through mid-Book 1 VIOLIN GROUP CLASS with Elizabeth Doty

WEDNESDAYS 4:30-5 at the Catlin Gabel School

Mid-Book 1 to advanced VIOLIN GROUP CLASS with Elizabeth Doty

WEDNESDAYS 5-5:30 at the Catlin Gabel School

All Levels PIANO GROUP CLASS with Mahroo Hamedani

Piano students of all levels welcome.

THURSDAYS 5:15-5:45 at Portland First Church of the Nazarene

Specialized CHAMBER MUSIC CLASS with various faculty members

TIME/DAY TBD by group and teacher

Music Students with a playing level at least equivalent to late book 1 and basic note-reading skill are welcome to form groups of THREE or more and receive coaching from an RCMA faculty member. This is an incredible opportunity for our students, and we are excited to hear from parents who have gathered a group ready to learn a piece to play together!

Saturdays in SE Portland!

We have a fantastic new studio day and location available to RCMA students!

Cole Robinson offers guitar (both electric and acoustic), drums, piano, bass and ukulele lessons in his studio near the Hawthorne Bridge in SE Portland.

In addition to teaching popular private lessons for several years with us, Mr. Robinson's classes at our camps this summer were a huge hit! He taught a large variety of classes including everything from beginner piano to ukulele groups singing pop tunes, to music games that got our high-energy students outside and running while learning more about music.

Here are some of his students performing "Radioactive" after just five days together trying out the Ukulele:


Email rosecitymusicacademy@gmail.com or call 503-308-8863 to enroll or have a trial lesson with Mr. Robinson!

Two videos for fall!

We have just returned from a family trip to China and are jumping into fall scheduling head first. Ms. Doty was very helpful with keeping all the emails answered and calls returned while we were gone. It was truly a "family trip" because we came home with a new 19 month old daughter! In another four years or so, we hope she'll be joining our students in the recitals.

There are a few open spots remaining on violin, cello, piano, guitar and voice. As always, email or call if you are interested in a trial lesson.

Here are two fun videos to inspire your young students this fall!

Who can forget the Grasshopper and the Ant?!



And how fun would it be to get one of our free group classes to put on a show like these ladies?! There are a couple of particularly dramatic young boys (my own 6 and 8 year olds!) who I know would love to play at being competitive like this!