Learn from a classical fine artist how to draw with, block in, determine values & blend pastels.  Weekly critiques & a private Facebook group for additional sharing & resources through the week. Drawing experience is helpful as emphasis will be on pastel color application with some critique for drawing.

In the battle for attracting and retaining customers in the Information Age it has become more important than ever to understand the power of Social Media as a marketing tool. 

Call the office to schedule 207-778-3460

Everyone is born with the tools they need to sing!

Through vocal exercises, breathing patterns and diction technique, you can use these tools to your advantage. Come and sing in an open, welcoming and safe environment.

For the best experience, Matt suggests that you be in a comfortable space. He notes that while no special equipment is needed, an external mic will lead to a clearer sound. Accessing the class from a computer, rather than a smartphone, is preferable but not required.

Registration closes at noon the 1st day of class.

Note: Need to get comfy with online classes? For more info visit https://oobsaco.maineadulted.org/online-classes/

Matthew Scala, actor, singer and voice teacher, has a BA in Music from Plymouth State. He has been teaching private voice and piano lessons for several years at Scala Studios, Gorham School of Music and the Community Arts Center in Gorham. He is the director of music for the theatre program at the Community Arts Center and also music directed shows throughout SoME. Matt was recently cast as Laurie Lawrence in the Biddeford City Theatre production of "Little Women” and is a member of Northern Pitch, a professional a cappella group.

The magical ukulele is capturing hearts and minds in Maine and around the world! Why not yours? Come join our adult beginners’ series and share in the fun of learning to play. The ukulele is versatile and a blast to play (with a bit of regular practice, of course). On it you can knock out folk music, rock, blues, jazz, pop, country, tunes grandma knows -- even classical music. In Part 1 of the course, Duncan Perry, who has taught more than 400 students of all ages, will introduce you to essential chords and strumming techniques using familiar songs -- truly a fun way to learn ukulele. Oh, and there are lots of laughs along the way. And here’s a bonus! You do not need to know how to read music! However, you must have a playable soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele and an electronic tuner or a tuner app on your cell phone or tablet. Ukes are affordable and compact and you can take them most anywhere. And when folks hear you play this happy instrument, well, they just have to smile! If you don’t own a ukulele, please contact the Portland Adult Education Office for helpful information on buying a ukulele. So grab a uke and get ready for a low-stress, fun musical adventure, then spread the joy!

This introductory course is designed for beginners interested in learning how to play the ukulele. We will cover choosing and caring for a ukulele. We will cover sight reading, music theory, chord progressions, scales, and note values. When you finish this course you should be able to pick up sheet music and know key, melody, chords, and changes. You will need to pick up the Hal Leonard Ukulele Method book 1 and class handouts from the MMRACE office prior to the first class. Cost of the book is $7 with an audio option for $11. Students will also need a tuner, a 3 ring binder for homework/handouts and a notepad to take notes in class. Students ages 10 and up are welcome. Parents or Guardians must register and participate in the class with students under 17. Limit 10 students.

The magical ukulele is capturing hearts and minds in Maine and around the world! Why not yours? Come join our adult beginners’ series and share in the fun of learning to play. The ukulele is versatile and a blast to play (with a bit of regular practice, of course). On it you can knock out folk music, rock, blues, jazz, pop, country, tunes grandma knows -- even classical music. In Part 1 of the course, Duncan Perry, who has taught more than 500 students of all ages, will introduce you to essential chords and strumming techniques using familiar songs -- truly a fun way to learn ukulele. Oh, and there are lots of laughs along the way. And here’s a bonus! You do not need to know how to read music! However, you must have a playable soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele (no baritones please) and an electronic tuner or a tuner app on your cell phone or tablet. Ukes are affordable and compact and you can take them most anywhere. And when folks hear you play this happy instrument, well, they just have to smile!  So grab a uke and get ready for a low-stress, fun-filled musical adventure, then spread the joy!

 

About your Instructor:

Duncan is an experienced multi-instrumentalist who has been performing and teaching folks how play the ukulele for the last 13 years. Having served as a volunteer music therapist in medical and hospice settings, he quickly came to understand that music is medicine and that learning to play an instrument not only sharpens the brain but helps reduce stress. It also brings joy to the ukulele player and to her or his audience. Duncan has taught in a variety of Maine communities and has not let the COVID-19 epidemic stop him. He simply moved from teaching in person to an online format last June.

Learning to play the guitar can be fun and very rewarding! In this introductory course we will learn the names of the parts of the guitar and how to tune a guitar. We will cover the names of the notes on the guitar, learn some basic strumming patterns and try out some picking as well. Moving on to chords and common progressions, we will work up to playing a complete song of your choice, if students wish. Students should have their own guitar and an acoustic guitar tuner (clip-on style is best) and bring it to every class – we will be focusing on the acoustic steel-string or nylon-string guitar. The instructor will have handouts and course materials available for the students. No experience is necessary! This class skips 4/1.

Middle Eastern Dance (Bellydancing) is native to the ancient middle east. It was widely spread by migrating tribes from India, north to Turkey and west to Spain. Egypt is renowened center of the art form in modern times and Cairo now hosts respected dances from Asia, Europe and the USA. Belly dancing gives gentle, strengthening exercise to the full torso with an emphasis on the belly and thighs. This class skips 4/1.