Kind Words for Our Programs
“[My kiddo] has been asking every single day if today is music day because he is so excited to come back to music!” ~ Parent, 2022
"I love the feedback each week! The kids really enjoyed their session, I loved seeing their faces while they were talking about their lessons. I definitely feel like you're a good fit for them as a teacher, and I'm thrilled that they are loving learning!" ~ Parent, 2022
"Thanks for your emails, I really enjoy reading how well my daughters are doing with their music lessons and the growth they are displaying. It is so exciting to see the love of music grow within them." ~ Parent, 2022
"Had a lot of fun in the first in person lesson! Thanks to you and your team for making it a comfortable place to jam out in." ~ Parent, 2022
What KIDZ had to say about MEPAA Summer Camps:
My favorite part of camp was...
"meeting people and having fun making music."
"trying bass guitar for the first time."
"making an original song."
"playing music and playing as a team."
The skills I gained in camp were...
"what I was hoping for: guitar, piano, bass, drums."
"not what I expected, I gained more than I thought I would."
This camp helped me build my confidence...
"I’m still scared to sing out loud but with drums I’m good."
"it helped me with my confidence and it helped me feel more connected with other youth."
"It did help me feel more connected. It also improved my confidence in a group band setting."
"I love the feedback each week! The kids really enjoyed their session, I loved seeing their faces while they were talking about their lessons. I definitely feel like you're a good fit for them as a teacher, and I'm thrilled that they are loving learning!" ~ Parent, 2022
"Thanks for your emails, I really enjoy reading how well my daughters are doing with their music lessons and the growth they are displaying. It is so exciting to see the love of music grow within them." ~ Parent, 2022
"Had a lot of fun in the first in person lesson! Thanks to you and your team for making it a comfortable place to jam out in." ~ Parent, 2022
What KIDZ had to say about MEPAA Summer Camps:
My favorite part of camp was...
"meeting people and having fun making music."
"trying bass guitar for the first time."
"making an original song."
"playing music and playing as a team."
The skills I gained in camp were...
"what I was hoping for: guitar, piano, bass, drums."
"not what I expected, I gained more than I thought I would."
This camp helped me build my confidence...
"I’m still scared to sing out loud but with drums I’m good."
"it helped me with my confidence and it helped me feel more connected with other youth."
"It did help me feel more connected. It also improved my confidence in a group band setting."
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“GRRRLZ ROCK is absolutely essential to building a network of community around music, especially in providing opportunities to young people. Providing mentorship, performance and learning opportunities and bringing various ages and talents together results in a rich experience for everyone involved. It also brings rewards and learning to kids who need it most and might otherwise not get a chance to participate. Keep up the good work!”
– Karen Rainsong, local artist and teacher, former Managing Director of the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene “Three years ago I had never played a band gig in my life, and GRRRLZ ROCK gave me my first gig opportunity ever in Dec 2011, for which I am forever grateful, and things have grown from there.”
- Ramune Nagisetty. Ramune has booked hundreds of gigs since her involvement with GRRRLZ ROCK both with her band Rocket 3 and as a soloist. “We just wanted you to know that the girls from the Sub Pilots wanted to donate their money from their Grrrlz Rock show this year back to you. What you have created with Grrrlz Rock is priceless, and the girls have incredible memories from the opportunities that you made possible, both from shows that they have participated in and from opportunities to see other artists that they otherwise never would have seen. You rock Matrisha!”
- Eva, performer parent. The Sub Pilots and their families have been long time participants, donors, volunteers, and supporters of the festival. |
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MuseArt is a great weekly event where I get to show up with my paints and create an acrylic painting in two hours. I have actually sold several of my pieces and my skills have improved greatly because of the practice and the unique setting. What I find of greatest value about MuseArt is the energy that happens when I am in a public, comfortable, but lively setting, and there are artists all over, and being in close proximity of the musicians. The witnessing of a completely, but equally creative, type of discipline (performing art, music) than what I am immersed in daily (visual art) creates a unique sense of pure excitement and fosters experimentation and causes my energy and creative levels to soar!
As a visual artist and teacher, I am often alone in my studio, or standing in front of a class and giving instructions. Being in MuseArt is a very different setting so it forces me to do my craft in a unique and different setting, so I get very different and unique results. This translates into new skills and confidence that are life long tools in my creative tool-belt. Other benefits are interacting and conversing with people who are just there to watch, my artist peers and the creative people who are making the music. It also brings all these diverse folks together creating a unique, creative and exciting synergy. All ages & skill levels are involved, which gives people a chance to mentor younger artists and musicians, or be encouraged and advised by more experienced or seasoned artists and/or musicians. Besides all this, it is a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Whirled Pies is an ideal location for this, because it has a great ambiance with its rustic high ceilings, colorful murals, artistic lighting fixtures, vintage funky and awesome furnishings, rich natural wood tables benches and chairs, and of course great food and beverages for reasonable prices. It all comes together for a great big music, art, food and fun party! The lively conversations, great music, colorful and talent infused art happening live is just a unique and highly creative, energy boosting experience that is different every week and memorable for a lifetime. And it’s free! I look forward to attending many more MuseArts, as long as I can, and predict a continual growth in my art style and skill levels. I feel like how it must have felt for the impressionists in France in the late 1800s who did some of their greatest works in public restaurants and bars, painting the subjects who were enjoying live music, dancing, and having a blast! - Brian Mark Hahn, Long-time MuseArt Artist; Owner, Iconographic Design; Art Instructor |
Community outreach has been a hallmark of MuseArt. By establishing a comfortable, public setting and offering a number of artistic experiences for no cost, many participants who might otherwise not be able to access the artist's world are assisted in discovering the satisfaction of creating their own art. These experiences can lead to long term artistic development and enduring friendships with other like-minded people.
New Zone Gallery partners with MuseArt to expose our own followers to their programs. This collaboration and mutual support is beneficial to both of us. We certainly recognize the contribution MuseArt makes to our community in the visual arts. Emerging artists may begin with MuseArt and ultimately join our gallery. MuseArt has become an integral part of the Eugene community through the opportunities they create. Because MEPAA programs allow participation, in most cases, for no fee, they have a big impact on the lives of those who might otherwise have no opportunity to learn to play an instrument, paint a picture or develop their creative side. While MuseArt concentrates on the visual arts, other very successful MEPAA programs in music allow participants to explore instruments and voice. MuseArt fills a critical need in our community due to lack of art in our schools. Eugene's residents' exposure to artistic opportunity through MuseArt makes our city a better, healthier place to live. - Dianne Story Cunningham, New Zone Gallery President and Community Partner My 8 yr old daughter and I have really enjoyed going to MuseArt events. It has been a great place to experience live music in a family setting and be exposed to artists at work. Having art supplies on hand has encouraged her to try new mediums and she has learned techniques from watching people around her and asking questions about their art. We have been to local businesses we might not have otherwise ventured into, seen inspirational local performers, and found a safe place to meet new people. It has expanded our community, made music venues comfortable for kids, and all at no cost!
- Larisa Devine, Eugene Resident and Parent |
