Making and teaching music for a living was an accident.
I was a musical kid. My parents did their part to support my interests in the arts. I didn’t exactly plan for a life in music, but it seems that is the plan life has had for me!
As I kid, I wanted to be a schoolteacher when I grew up. Now, my (metaphorical) studio is my own little school – for myself, and for my students. I create here. I explore ideas here. I write here. I learn here. I teach here.
Join me! There’s so much to explore together …
Bio Options
Short Bio – Performance
Avery Hill is a singer-songwriter, a storyteller, and a teaching artist. Her performances range from thematic presentations to community campfires to a nice old-fashioned “good show”. Integrating intricate melodies with insightful, storytelling lyrics, Avery’s voice is at once both wise and curious, telling and investigating. Her latest album is Dreams & Ghosts: A Family Album (2015), featuring the award-winning single Hello & Goodbye. Since 2013, Avery has also taught ʻukulele and songwriting in classes, workshops, retreats, and on YouTube. Learn more at www.averyhill.studio.
Short Bio – Teaching
Avery Hill has been teaching music since 2013, and is a staple instructor of the Portland (OR) ‘ukulele community. Over the years, she has run her own studio of ‘ukulele classes and workshops, and is a regular instructor at the Menucha Ukulele Band Camp. More recently, she has maintained a YouTube channel for ukulele tutorials and has begun teaching songwriting, including at the Songwriter Soireé Retreat. Whatever the classroom, Avery strives to educate everyone’s inner musician, to elevate their self-knowledge and confidence, and to enchant them with insight, presence, and a handful of good jokes. Avery is also a performing singer-songwriter, and storyteller. Her latest album is Dreams & Ghosts: A Family Album (2015), featuring the award-winning single Hello & Goodbye. Learn more at www.averyhill.studio.
Full Bio
Avery Hill is a performing singer-songwriter, storyteller, and teaching artist. She grew up in several homes, all full of music. Her mother dutifully shlepped her to piano lessons, bought her first guitar, and graciously smiled when Avery held up a Joni Mitchell LP and asked, “Have you heard this woman’s songs?!” Her father made her first mix tape, took her to music festivals every summer, and taught her how to harmonize to The Beach Boys on the radio.
From a young age, Avery planned to be a school teacher, but as we know, life hardly ever goes to plan. After teaching in classrooms in Germany, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon, she left teaching to try the singer-songwriter thing. Integrating intricate melodies with insightful, storytelling lyrics, Avery’s style reflects the musical influences of both her youth (Brian Wilson, Carole King, Dar Williams) and her professional adulthood (Anais Mitchell, Gillian Welch, The Wailin’ Jennys). Whether stripped down to just guitar and vocal, or with a full house band, her voices rings true – at once both wise and curious, telling and investigating.
Her latest album, Dreams & Ghosts: A Family Album (2015), ranked in the Top 10 on the Folk DJ charts, and features the award-winning single Hello & Goodbye. Tom May, host of River City Folk, commented: “This emerging singer-songwriter has a memorable, lilting voice and is already penning songs that could someday be classics. She is an extraordinary young talent.”
Once a professional musician, Avery’s relationship with music changed. She recognized that as long as the public experiences music only as a commodity – a performance, a recording, a concert tour t-shirt – they will not recognize themselves as the musicians they already are. Before long, her original dream of becoming a teacher came full circle.
In 2013, she was asked to teach her first ukulele class, and has since become a staple instructor of the Portland (Oregon) ukulele community. Over the years, she has run her own studio of ukulele classes and workshops, where she is known for teaching how to play music and how to understand music within theoretical, historical and cultural contexts. She leads weekly sing’n’strum classes, monthly instrumental workshops, and is a regular instructor at the annual Menucha Ukulele Band Camp. More recently, she has maintained a YouTube channel for ukulele tutorials and has begun teaching songwriting, including at the Songwriter Soireé Retreat. Whatever the classroom, Avery strives to educate everyone’s inner musician, to elevate their self-knowledge and confidence, and to enchant them with insight, presence, and a handful of good jokes.*
Learn more at www.averyhill.studio.
*I’ve been told the idea of educate – elevate – enchant came from E. B. White, but I can’t find any definitive references.
What People Say
Have I helped you as a music student? Let other learners know with your testimonial!
Contact me here
Have you seen me perform? Let other audiences know what your experience!
Contact me here
Have I been a part of your teaching staff? Let other camp and festival organizers know how I contributed!
Contact me here