Thank you, Port Townsend!

While teaching earlier this year at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival, I connected with some folks based in the Port Townsend region year-round and was invited to return for a one-day workshop and performance event with Ukuleles Unite. We had a great time, and I got to sneak in a few other favorite things in the process!

I was invited to teach one of my favorite workshops: How to Sing and Play at the Same Time. I really love having a full hour to break down just one song into its different layers – strumming, chording, and singing – and slowly and consciously integrating them together as we build the song back up again. These folks did great!

I took advantage of the weekend and camped out at Fort Worden State Park. I was familiar with the grounds from my previous visit, but I was able to explore a lot more of it this time around. The meeting of woods and water has always been a special place for me, and let’s just say the pelting waves against cliffs of towering conifers and relentless winds at the Point Wilson Lighthouse did not disappoint.

Capping off the weekend was an in-person visit to KPTZ radio, which is located right on the park grounds, just a short walk from my camp site. I got to chat and play live on the air with DJ Phil Andrus for a whole hour of his Sunday evening program Cats in Our Laps. It was a real joy to get to know him, to share meaningful conversation about music and artistry, and to be able to play so many tunes from The One Who Remembers. I cannot emphasize enough how important local radio DJs like Phil are to the overall health of the creative community. While we’re hunkered down in our studios, or traveling around to peddle our latest creations, these folks are digging in and serving their local community, earning their trust, and making meaningful connections between artists and audiences. The music industry is wide and vast and easy to get lost in. DJs like Phil and community-based organizations like KPTZ and Ukuleles Unite keep us all grounded in our direct relationships to each other, which is where the magic of art really happens. I am so grateful to have been a part of the magic of this weekend! ❤️

New Classes Begin October 2025

Call me a total nerd, but September rolls around and I am ready to go back to school! 🤓 As musicians, it’s a great opportunity to refocus after our summer adventures and reconnect with basic skills in a way that allows us to go deeper and keep growing.

Beginning next month, I’ll be offering two different workshop series that I hope will serve you well on your continuing musical journey. Learn more in the video below and/or scroll down for more detail:

Musician’s Toolbox Workshop Series

Over the past year or so, I’ve had several students ask a question in class that gets at what I call the skills of musicianship: hearing chord changes, finding the starting pitch of a song, knowing which strum pattern to use, etc. I’ve done my best to answer these questions in the moment, but it’s time to give these questions their due.

The 5-week Musician’s Toolbox Workshop Series I’m offering is focused on the essential skills that support everything we do as musicians, but don’t always get center stage in a typical class. Instead of learning a new repertoire of songs, we’ll revisit familiar songs from recent classes and use them as springboards to explore the building blocks of musicianship: ear training, rhythm, and music theory. Each 75-minute session will focus on a different “tool”—a skill that strengthens your overall musicianship and makes playing more intuitive, expressive, and fun:

  • Week 1: Ear Training ~ Hearing Melody: Learn to recognize melodic movement by ear, follow a tune more confidently, and connect what you hear to what you play or sing.
  • Week 2: Ear Training ~ Hearing Chord Progressions: Learn to recognize harmonic movement underneath a melody, catch common chord changes, and predict what chord might come next.
  • Week 3: Music Theory ~ Beyond the I–IV–V: Many of you have learned the basics of song structure with me. Let’s take some more steps to learn about other chords in the Nashville Number System, and expand our repertoire of common chord patterns in different musical genres.
  • Week 4: Rhythm ~ Feeling the Beat: Explore rhythm through your first instrument, your body! Deepen your sense of rhythm to help you feel better grounded in strumming patterns, time signatures, and the overall groove of a song.
  • Workshop 5: TBD – Your Toolbox Questions, Explored
    We’ll design this final session based on the themes, questions, and challenges that come up in the first four workshops—so we can go deeper where it counts most.

You can participate in the Musician’s Toolbox Workshop Series in one of three cohorts:

Click on your desired class location above to learn more and register.

Whether you’ve been playing for a little while or you’re deepening your practice, this series is designed to help you connect the dots and build confidence from the inside out. You’ve already got the tools—now let’s learn how to use them!  😊

Intro to Songwriting Sessions

The creative process can be an inspiring, fulfilling, yet sometimes lonely journey. This introductory Songwriting Sessions series is designed to introduce you to the basics of songwriting and support your individual writing experience in meaningful community with other songwriters. This term, we’ll have 4 bi-weekly in-person sessions, and 4 at-home self-directed sessions with prompts and studies for guidance.

Each in-person session runs approximately as follows:

  • Participants reflect on their engagement with the creative process since our previous class.
  • I’ll bring a song or two to study together as a group, discussing different approaches one might take to the lyrics, music and/or a song’s arrangement.
  • We’ll have some time for participants to work independently on a piece in progress and/or explore the possibilities for a piece in the “creative sandbox”
  • We’ll close with an opportunity for participants to share what they worked on and/or learned during workshop time

Self-directed study exercises will be emailed on off-weeks between classes for participants to work through at their own pace, including additional song studies, prompts, and questions for reflection.

You can participate in this Intro to Songwriting Sessions in one of three cohorts:

This  class is offered in THREE different cohorts:

  • Thursdays, 7:30-8:45pm in Southeast Portland
  • Saturdays, 11:15am – 12:30pm PT live and recorded Online via Zoom (find your time zone here)
  • Entirely Self-Paced: Can’t make it to class regularly? Take the class by email, and receive a weekly email with materials, instructions, and resource links, and may submit song material for feedback.

Registration for all cohorts of Intro to Songwriting Sessions is open here. I hope you can join us!

See you in class, nerds! 😉

Where Women and Nature Meet in Music

Women know what it means to stand firm in shifting landscapes. In a time when both women’s rights and environmental protections are being rolled back, it’s no accident that these struggles feel connected—they challenge the very systems that seek to keep us silent or compliant.

Album cover for Jaspar Lepak's Desert Ghosts

This is something I discuss often with my friend and fellow singer-songwriter Jaspar Lepak. Her songs Chasing Ground, Dandelion, and Leaves Fall – to name just a few – have long inspired and touched me for the way they weave together human experiences with natural phenomena to create these heartbreakingly beautiful images of everyday life. I admire the grit that comes through in her writing, too, and her willingness to face the tough realities head on.

As a child I had fantasies of living in the woods, growing my own food and making my own clothes. This, of course, never happened, but I can look back and see the impulse – or, perhaps, the intuition – I had to lean in to the natural world; to listen, to observe, and to learn what I could. After all, as I wrote from a Missouri bluff looking down over a lazy river for the title track of my latest album, The One Who Remembers, “All that is here now is older than I…” Surely some answers are to be found with species other than our own.

The One Who Remembers. Album by Avery Hill

Workshop: The Intersection of Women and Nature in Songwriting

It’s only “natural”, then – ha ha – that I am so very pleased that Jaspar and I will be teaching two sessions of the same songwriting workshop this July and August as part of our PNW Wonderland Tour. We’ve designed this workshop for both experienced songwriters and curious newcomers. Through thoughtful prompts and writing exercises, we’ll explore the deep connections between women’s lived experiences and the natural world to help you uncover and amplify your own creative voice.

Of course, you don’t have to be a woman to understand and appreciate the value of feminine / femme voices, both in the world and in your own heart and mind. This workshop centers women’s voices, but all genders are welcome to attend. 

Space is limited! Join us Saturday, July 26, 10:00am – Noon in Portland, or Monday, July 28, 2:00-4:00pm in Sisters. Both workshops take place in private residence; the address will be confirmed a week beforehand with those who have registered.

On the left, Avery Hill looks into the camera holding a tea cup with her elbows on a wood table. On the right, Jaspar Lepak stands outdoors in the desert and looks at the camera with her hands on her hips.

Summer Jams – No Sheet Music, Yes Fun!

It’s that magical time of year again—the sun is out, the days are long, and the outdoors are calling. What better way to celebrate than by making music together under the open sky?

Join us for our Summer Jam Series, a joyful, low-pressure way to deepen your musicianship skills and connect with a vibrant musical community—no sheet music, but all joy! 🤩

While this has always been true, in addition to our usual ‘ukulele crowd, this year I want to extend a special invitation to all vocalists and strummable instrument players! I’m talking to you – guitar, mandolin, banjo, and autoharp players, and singalong singers, as well. Everything I teach in this series is aimed at deepening your ear and internalizing these songs, which can be applied to any of the instruments mentioned above.

❓ What Is the Summer ‘Ukulele Jam Series?

This weekly outdoor jam is all about playing by ear, sharing music face-to-face, and truly connecting through sound and rhythm. We’ll sit in a circle, leave the sheet music behind, and focus on fun, simple 3- and 4-chord songs that anyone can jump into.

Whether you’re used to playing with a songbook or have never tried learning by ear before, this is your invitation to try something a little different—and incredibly rewarding.

📝 Why no sheet music?
When you let go of the page, something amazing happens:

  • Your ears sharpen
  • Your fingers respond more intuitively
  • You lift your head, look around, and really play with the people beside you

This is where true musicianship begins, and I’ll be right there with you to guide each step of the way.

🌅 Why You’ll Love It

  • No pressure, no perfection—just music and community
  • Strengthen your ear and memory for chords and song structure
  • Get more comfortable playing in different keys
  • Build the confidence to play more fluidly (without needing a songbook!)
  • Experience the magic of musical connection in real time

✨ Come As You Are

Whether you’ve been jamming for years or are newer to your uke, this series is especially great for folks who:

✅ Are comfortable with basic chords in the key of C
✅ Know one or two strumming patterns
✅ Are curious, open-minded, and ready to learn in a fresh, ear-forward way
✅ Love being outside and making music in community

You don’t need to be an expert to join—just someone who’s ready to strum, smile, and share a song or two with new friends. This is music the way it was always meant to be: alive, shared, and filled with joy.

All ‘ukulele and strummable instrument players are welcome—just bring your instrument, your enthusiasm, and your willingness to try something new.

☀️ SE/SW Portland Cohorts + Special Guests

As per usual, there will be two cohorts for this jam series: one in Southeast Portland, and one in SW Portland / Beaverton. Follow the links below to register for your preferred location.

At our Southeast Portland jams, we’ll have a slate of special guests! We are so lucky to have so many talented and knowledgeable musicians in our fair city, and I count myself extra fortunate to call them my friends. This year, they’ll be helping us understand the songs we’re learning in a social, cultural, and historical context.

We’ll kick off the first two weeks of this series with Maggie Lind, who has been playing old time music on guitar, banjo, and fiddle for over 20 years and is known here in Portland for her weekly stringband class and private banjo lessons. Together, she and I will guide you through the folk songs of The Carter Family and the spirituals of the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

I’m still confirming guests for Weeks 3 and 4, check back for updates!

🎶 Ready to Jam?

I hope you’ll join me at our Summer Jam Series under the evening skies! Learn more and register for the Southeast Cohort or the SW Portland/Beaverton Cohort … and get ready to strum into summer with confidence, creativity, and community!

Avery Hill leads a group of ukulele players around a campfire in a suburban wooded neighborhood.

Level Up Your Playing This Summer with Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele!

New Years may be the time for resolutions, but summer can often feel like the time for action. If you’re sick of the so-called “beginners’ plateau”, I encourage you to join me this summer in SE and SW Portland for a special summer edition of Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele!

❓ What Is Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele?

This in-person class is perfect for players who:

  • Know their way around chords like C, F, G (or G7), Am, and a few others
  • Can play one or two basic strum patterns
  • Are ready to expand skills and repertoire in a supportive group setting

Using familiar songs and a relaxed, encouraging approach, we’ll explore new techniques, chords, and rhythms that expand your musical vocabulary.

🎸 Summer 2025 Focus: The 12-Bar Blues

This summer, we’re diving into the world of 12-Bar Blues—a classic, versatile structure that’s both fun and incredibly useful for expanding your skills. Each week, we’ll explore a new key, learn the most common chords in that key, and apply them right away with a blues song or two. It’s a creative and low-pressure way to leave the comfort of the key of C and discover just how musical you can be.

In addition to lively in-person instruction, you’ll receive:

✅ Weekly recap emails
✅ Practice tips & video links
✅ Ongoing support to keep you inspired and motivated between sessions

🎶 Ready to Play?

If this all fits well with your ‘ukulele goals, Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele is a great next step on your musical journey. Register here now and get ready to strum into summer with confidence, creativity, and community!

Avery Hill stands in a group of ukulele students. Everyone holds their ukuleles in a goofy pose.

Who doesn’t want to hang with these kooks?!

PNW Wonderland Tour with Jaspar Lepak

Soul-Stirring Folk Music with a Purpose
July 25 – August 3 | From Sisters to Seattle

Longtime friend and frequent collaborator Jaspar Lepak and I are joining forces for a special tour of original music throughout Washington and Oregon. Rooted in the landscapes of the human experience and the natural world, our songs invite reflection, connection, and honest expression—creating performances that feels both intimate and expansive. We are so excited to be bringing our music to so many of our favorite communities in the Pacific Northwest!

Many of you already know about me, but let me tell you about Jaspar!

Jaspar Lepak (www.jasparlepak.com) crafts feminist folk songs that are poetic, resonant, and “always evocative” (Mostly Minnesota). Her 2024 release So Strong—inspired by love, loss, motherhood, and the fight for reproductive justice—debuted at #6 on the Folk Radio Chart. With a voice often compared to Kate Wolf and Nanci Griffith, Jaspar’s songs are bravely honest, tender, and sometimes playfully defiant. “So Strong is comforting and charmingly unpretentious.” (89.3 The Current) She is one of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters, a true artist of the craft and one of the most committed artists I’ve had the privilege to know.

Jaspar Lepak and Avery Hill Pacific Northwest Wonderland Tour Poster

Show Dates & Ticket Info

This tour is a celebration of music, friendship, and the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Wherever you find us, expect a night of songs that linger long after the final note. We hope to see you out there!

Special Songwriting Workshop ~ Portland and Sisters

In addition to a series of shows, we are really looking forward to offering a special workshop we’ve designed for this tour: The Intersection of Women and Nature in Songwriting. Join us for this workshop either in Portland or Sisters.

The erosion of women’s rights and the rollback of environmental protections are no coincidence—both challenge the foundations of capitalism. But within nature’s resilience, we can find strength for our own stories. How can the natural world inspire and empower us as women and songwriters?

In this workshop, we’ll share original songs that explore these themes, then guide you through creative prompts and writing exercises to help you craft your own story in song. Whether you’re a seasoned songwriter or just beginning, this is a space to connect, reflect, and give voice to the stories waiting to be told. I hope you’ll join us!

Folk Music With a Purpose

Jaspar and I care deeply about what we do—as songwriters, performers, and teachers. We know you have plenty of choices when it comes to entertainment and learning, and we’re honored when you choose to spend your time with us. We do our best to make it meaningful, memorable, and worthwhile. If you have any questions about attending or participating in any of our tour events, please don’t hesitate to reach out here.

Stronger in Song: Music That Builds Community

This spring, my ‘ukulele students and I have been learning, practicing, playing, and singing songs together that, musically speaking, don’t have a whole lot in common. They are from all different decades, different genres of music, different rhythms, different keys. But they all have moved us in some way to feel closer to each other. And that was precisely the point of this term’s “Theme Study” class: Songs That Build Community.

In challenging times, we turn to one another for comfort, strength, and support—and music reminds us that we are so much more than the sum of our parts!

We are so pleased and excited to collaborate with Resonate Choral Arts for two special performances of these uplifting songs. I hope you can join us for a powerful, joy-filled concert celebrating community, connection, and resilience through music! We will be raising money for some important local organizations, as well.

🎤 Main Concert
🗓️ Monday, May 19 – 7:30 PM
📍 Alberta Abbey (126 NE Alberta St.)
🎟️ [Buy Tickets Here]

✨ All proceeds go to The Marie Equi Center, supporting trans, queer, intersex & gender-diverse communities. Help us reach our $3,000 goal!

🎶 Bonus Show
🗓️ Sunday, May 18 – 2 PM
📍 AMP (16 NW Broadway)
💵 $20 suggested donation + bake sale
🎉 Benefits Artist Mentorship Program, supporting youth facing homelessness.

Come sing with us, feel the music, and be part of something bigger. 💛

Thank you, Port Townsend Ukulele Festival!

What a great weekend at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival in Washington State, hosted by Centrum and led by the incomparable Aaron & Nicole Keim of The Quiet American! I always enjoy teaching at these camps, and this was no exception – best students, best colleagues, best job ever.

It was great to see old friends from the Menucha Ukulele Band Camp in Oregon, and meet new folks from the Seattle region and further afield in the Pacific Northwest. Fort Worden State Park was also such a dreamy spot, and the excellent weather did not hurt!

Staff photo from Port Townsend Ukulele Festival
Avery Hill poses with students at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival
Staff rehearse at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival
Landscape at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival
Avery Hill and Neal Chin at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival
Avery Hill and students at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival
Staff perform at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival

My favorite thing about ‘ukulele festivals and camps like is the value folks place on teaching and learning and sharing the gifts of music. Of course, we teachers get up and perform, as do the campers … but the focus is really on what we get to learn together. This camp, I was invited to teach some of my favorite workshop – How to Sing and Play At the Same Time – as well as a new workshop I’ve developed, based on an 8-week class I taught last fall – The Music and Activism of Harry Belafonte. As per usual, my students were stellar and I was especially proud of those who joined me on stage for a rousing closing night performance of Belafonte’s song Turn the World Around.

I looooove teaching at special events like this – learn more about this part of my work here.

Coming in January 2025 …

Happy *almost* New Year! I hope you all have been and still are enjoying the holiday season with friends, family, and fun. I am really looking forward to making music with you in 2025 and am here with info and invitations!

Weekly Classes

‘Ukulele! I’ll be teaching IN PERSON in SW Portland / Beaverton on Wednesday evenings and SE Portland on Thursday evenings, and ONLINE on Thursday mornings (Pacific time). All classes start January 15/16 and run 8 weeks:

  • ‘Ukulele for Beginners. Covers all the basics you need to know for early success in your ‘ukulele playing: how to hold and strum your instrument, a strong repertoire of songs, and other essential skills and good habits. IN PERSON in Beaverton and in SE Portland.
  • Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele. For players with basic skills looking to take it to the next level: popular and accessible songs to build up a repertoire of chords, keys, strum patterns and maybe even a fingerpicking pattern or two! IN PERSON in Beaverton and in SE Portland; ONLINE Live on Zoom.
  • ‘Ukulele Jam Songbook Study. A mixed-level ukulele class for players of various learning styles and experience. Using songs from our 2025 Jam Songbook, we’ll expand our repertoire of musical skills and techniques, including new chords, various strumming / fingerpicking patterns, and occasional riffs and fills to complement our playing. IN PERSON in Beaverton and in SE Portland; ONLINE Live on Zoom.

Songwriting! I’m super excited to launch an ONLINE songwriting cohort in January and greatly appreciate the patience of those who have been waiting for this!

  • We’ll start with a weekly introductory class Intro to Songwriting: Basics & Beyond, which runs Live on Zoom on Saturday mornings, 10:00-11:30am Pacific time, January 18 – February 22. Learn more and register here.
  • In March, we’ll start up mixed-level Songwriting Sessions on 1st & 3rd Saturday mornings, so keep an eye out for more info on that.

Monthly / Quarterly Jams

Our monthly jams in partnership with Artichoke Music and Portland Folk Music Society will continue! In addition, I’ll be hosting a Spring Zoom Jam in March (exact date TBA). Save the dates and/or donate ahead of time via the links below.

Special Workshops

  • Saturday, January 11, 10:00am-Noon, How to Change Your ‘Ukulele Strings. This workshop will demonstrate the process for you, then allow you time to practice putting a new set of strings on your own instrument, provided as part of your registration by the Artichoke Music store. Learn more and register here.
  • Pre-Jam Workshops, 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 1:00-1:45pm. As you saw above in the Jams list, each jam is preceded by a short skills workshop. 1st Saturday workshops are an on-going study and practice of How to Lead a Song at a Jam, offering you the chance to practice with a small group of fellow jammers. 3rd Saturday workshops are a series of strum pattern studies affectionately called “Strumming Support Group”. Learn more about both workshop series here.

So much fun ahead!

Whew! We’re in for a ton of fun in the New Year, I hope you will join us. As always, you can stay most up to date by subscribing to my e-newsletter and/or reach out any time with questions and concerns. Both of these options are available here.

‘Ukulele Holiday Jams ~ 2024 Edition

In place of our usual Songbook jams, this month we’ll sing and play songs for the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, and generally finding and keeping the light bright in our hearts through the darkness of the season. It’s a fun, eclectic collection of songs, ranging from The Pretenders to Ella Fitzgerald, from Traditional and Blues tunes to Pop favorites, and more. I hope you’ll join me!

Holiday ‘Ukulele Jam Songbook

All three jams will use the same songbook described above. In person jams will have paper packets available, but if you’d like to preview and practice a bit beforehand, feel free to download it here:

2024_Holiday JamDownload

Note: This document has some two-page songs, and I recommend you print double-sided if you can so you can easily see the whole song at one glance. 🙂

Scroll down for links to practice videos for many of the songs we’ll be playing!

Jam Details

Saturday, December 7 ~ Artichoke Music. Our 1st Saturday jams here start at 2:00pm and run until 3:15pm or so. Paper copies available, or download the PDF above.

If you are able to offer a donation to cover the use of the room, the printing of the packets, and my time, it is gratefully accepted. You can pre-register here or bring cash. That said, donations are optional – all are welcome, regardless of funds, and no one is checking at the door.

Saturday, December 14 ~ Live on Zoom. The online jam is back for this special occasion! We’ll meet live on Zoom at 1:00pm Pacific time (check your time zone here). To receive the Zoom link, please subscribe to my e-newsletter here (it helps maintain a certain level of privacy for the group), and make sure you’ve downloaded the Holiday Jam Songbook PDF above.

Saturday, December 21 ~ with Portland Folk Music Society (Beaverton). Our 3rd Saturday jams take place at Southminster Presbyterian, and start at 2:00pm and run until 3:15pm or so. Paper copies available, or download the PDF above.

Jam Donation Options

If you are able to offer a donation to cover the use of jam rooms, the printing of the packets, and my time both preparing the packet and leading the jam, it is gratefully accepted. I love my work teaching and sharing in my community, it is my livelihood. You can pre-register for the Artichoke Music jam here, and for the Online and Beaverton jams here. You may also bring cash to either in person location. Thank you!

That said, donations are optional – all are welcome, regardless of funds, and no one is checking anyone at the door. Please join us to share in the music!

Jam Songbook Practice Videos!

Click on the links below to practice for our Holiday Jams ahead of time. I’ll be updating my ‘Ukulele Studio YouTube Channel with new holiday song videos all month. Feel free to subscribe and get an email each time a new song is ready for you!

Enjoy your practice! And hope to see you at a jam soon … 🙂