Learn to play. Learn to write. Learn to sing.
Learn to love music in a whole new way.
Learn Guitar, Mandolin, Bass, Banjo, Ukulele, or Piano
Beginner to Advanced
Spencer teaches private lessons for people of all ages and musical tastes. He will help you reach your musical goals.
Instruments include:
Guitar and Mandolin (Beginner through Advanced players)
Bass, Banjo, Ukulele, Piano (Beginner to Advanced Beginner players)
Individual or Group Lessons available for Guitar.
“You really changed the way I think about learning music. I thought I knew what I wanted and you opened so many more doors than I imagined. Thank you so much! I'm still playing."
- Former teenage student, now in his 40s
Learning with Friends: Wild Carrot Music Workshops
Songwriting
This class will help jump-start your creativity.
Discussions and demonstrations of Rhythm vs. Lyric-driven writing.
Prosody (how melody & lyric work together in a song)
Generating Ideas
Using humor and your instrument in songwriting.
Vocal Performance
Everyone can sing!
It’s finding your style, range and comfort in front of others that can be tricky. We’ll discuss and demonstrate performance techniques and how to care for and maintain a healthy voice.
For beginners to folks who are ready for a performance.
Spencer’s classes have been very popular and fill quickly. As former students can attest, the popularity of his classes is due to his ability to meet each student where they are in ability, build on those skills with individual attention and help each student move forward toward his/her individual goals.
Guitar I: Whether you have been playing for a little while or have never held the guitar, whether you want to play lead or accompaniment, Spencer’s attentive and encouraging style will help get you on your way to the next level.
Guitar II: This class is for advanced beginners and intermediate players. Experience in moveable chords and scales is helpful, but not required. Spencer’s approach includes giving each student enough one-on-one time to clearly establish goals and find the pieces, exercises and practice techniques to take your playing to the next level.
Guitar 1 / Guitar II
Spencer’s attentive, encouraging, easy-going style makes his classes very popular with young people who like to jam or can play a few licks from their favorite songs. Spencer takes that passion and expands a student’s knowledge of guitar so they are better able to sit in on jam sessions (and impress their friends.)
Guitar for Young Folks
This class is designed to take the beginning mandolin player from basic techniques to a working knowledge of the instrument and expand the knowledge of the intermediate student.
Mandolin
Arts in Education Programs
Our programs were developed through training from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Click on the titles below to learn more about each offering
GRADES K-8: An interactive performance showcasing a number of instruments, including guitar, mandolin, concertina, lap dulcimer, penny whistle and banjo. The performance allows the artists to address curriculum areas such as Language Arts, Geography, History, Social Studies and Science.
GRADES K-6: Wild carrot's unique songwriting workshops allow teachers to direct the subject matter of the song written in each class, allowing the artists to incorporate virtually any national content standard! In 55 minutes wild carrot will help each class write a song and will leave the class with a recording of their song.
GRADES 4-6, 7-9, 10-12: Pam Temple’s writing programs are designed to strengthen participants’ authentic voices, develop their abilities to speak through writing, deepen their belief in their own creative intelligence and enhance their self-esteem. Writing in a community of their peers, they learn how to give and receive honest feedback and encouragement while building skills in creative self-expression.
GRADES 4-6, 7-9, 10-12: I-AmCards is SoulCollage® for kids! It is a safe, fun and easy process during which students collage images on a card and then write an “I Am” poem about the card. With an invitation to share their poems, students practice active listening, and gain confidence speaking to their peers. This is a perfect activity to incorporate into an after-school program, as part of a self-awareness and empowerment program, or summer enrichment program. Your students will fall in love with their inner worlds through this effortless learning activity.
Our Roots Are Showing!
Interactive Performance Grades K-6
This performance features a wide variety of American Roots music; from jazz and folk songs to show tunes and original material. Spanning the last century with an interactive style that keeps all ages interested, the artists demonstrate and discuss the history and geography of the music and the people who brought it to this country.
The artists share and demonstrate a number of instruments, including guitar, mandolin, concertina, lap dulcimer, penny whistle and banjo. The nature of the performance allows the artists to address curriculum areas such as Language Arts, Geography, History, Social Studies and Science.
Duration: 50 min.
Fees: $500/$200 each additional + travel. (Also available in combination with workshop(s) at reduced rate.)
Requirements: One electrical outlet. One small table.
Learning Across the Curriculum through Songwriting
Single Workshop (Grades K-6)
Wild Carrot's unique songwriting workshops allow teachers to direct the subject matter of the song written in each class so that the artists can incorporate virtually any national content standard. In 55 minutes, Wild Carrot will help each class write a song and leave with a recording of the song.
The artists encourage and require participation of the teacher during the workshop. They can write a song about virtually any standard or curriculum benchmark.
Duration: 60 min.
Fees: $400/$150 each additional + travel. (with performance booking: $300/$100 each additional)
Requirements: One electrical outlet. Black board, dry erase board or blank flip chart. Name tags on students.
Ink Crew: Writing Your Story, Finding Your Voice
Curriculum: Language Arts
Pam Temple’s writing programs are designed to strengthen participants’ authentic voices, develop their abilities to speak through writing, deepen their belief in their own creative intelligence, and enhance their self-esteem. Writing in a community of their peers, they learn how to give and receive honest feedback and encouragement while building skills in creative self-expression.
Program offerings range from one-day workshops to multi-session classes. All programs focus on topics relevant to young people today and encourage participants to speak out through the art and power of writing.
"Today was the first time I read any of my writing in a group, but I loved it!"
"I have definitely changed as a writer because of the new techniques I learned. I developed a lot of confidence in what I write and how I feel when I read it."
Recommended Grades: 4-6, 7-9, 10-12
Maximum Audience: 20 Minimum Length: 50-60 minutes
Cost: $150 first session/$90 Max #Sessions per Day: 4
I-AmCards: Our Stories in Pictures and Poetry
Curriculum: Language Arts, Visual Arts
I-AmCards is SoulCollage® for kids! It is a safe, fun and easy process during which students collage images on a card and then write an “I Am” poem about the card (see images below). With an invitation to share their poems, students practice active listening, and gain confidence speaking to their peers. This is a perfect activity to incorporate into an after-school program, as part of a self-awareness and empowerment program, or summer enrichment program. Your students will fall in love with their inner worlds through this effortless learning activity.
All supplies and tools are provided. Teachers and/or paraprofessionals are needed to assist and scribe for pre-writing students.
Recommend Grades: 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 Maximum Audience: 20 Minimum Length: 60 minutes
Cost: $200first session / $100 each additional Max #Sessions per Day: 4
Space Requirement: Desk or table space needed for each participant.
