How do you turn an ordinary, nearly boring baby grand piano into a piece that glimmers in its place and excites those around it? 

A better question - how do you stand out at among vendors lining 30 blocks in the Hawthorne District to attract new students into an up-and-coming place for cooperative music education in the SE?

Paint! 

All I have to say is a huge thank you to Damian Zari of Zariart. This is one talented artist who I know has a huge career ahead of himself. He graciously donated his time, energy, and creativity for our project and we cannot imagine it any other way! Please, visit his website right away!

Furthermore, the CTAs all had a wonderful time at the Hawthorne Street Fair this past Sunday, chugging water and snacking on cool watermelon slices in the shade. We made a lot of strong connections and were excited about getting out faces into the community as the fall teaching season is right around the corner. Stay tuned for a few money-saving promotions for new and returning students soon.!

amore (noun) Italian. love; a feeling of great affection: A big pizza pie; that’s amore!

love (noun) 1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. 3. passion or desire. 4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart. 5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love? 6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour. 7. affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one’s neighbor. 10. strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books. 11. the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love. 12. the benevolent affection of god for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God. 13. Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing. 14. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.

I wonder what definition of “love” Valery and Co. have in store for their big concert this Saturday? Could it be number 13? Was there ever an opera written about tennis? Is it worth commissioning? Do Italian tennis players even use the word “amore” to describe a score of zero? 

Nevertheless, come hear and support local opera stars explore the theme of amore in concert before they become the next worldwide stage sensation!

Saturday, July 17th, 7:30pm, $10 suggested donation, St. David of Wales Episcopal Church @ 2800 SE Harrison Street, Portland, Oregon

Valery Saul, mezzo-soprano and voice teacher at the Music Studio on Harrison Hill, Michael Miersma, baritone, Kirsten Hart, Cristina Marino, both sopranos,  and Signe Lusk,  piano, will stage their favorite arias, duets, trios, and scenes from Nozze di Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte, Barbiere di Sivilia, and Die Fledermaus. A dazzling champagne reception will follow to toast their emerging careers.

Check out the event on facebook!

The teachers had a great gathering the other day to discuss and plan their summer experiment towards creating the most musical environment possible here on Harrison Hill. What does that all mean? We’ll let you know in September. Mostly, you’ll hear more teaching in our rooms, enjoy more music at your community events, and the Cooperative Teaching Artists will become more effective teachers and stronger musicians in the process. 

Click around on our updated website for more details and bookmark this blog for more musings and ideas from the newly crowned Cooperative Teaching Artists.