Support New Sounds Skool!
Support New Sounds Skool!
Are you involved with programming imaginative, hands-on workshops at SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, MUSIC STUDIOS, PARKS, and COMMUNITY CENTERS? We want to work with you!
We are currently offering pop-up classes, sound circles, and workshop one-offs or series, but our longer term plan is to establish a brick-and-mortar space in Spring 2026.
New Sounds School is Portland’s fresh answer to the question: what if children’s creativity was at the center of music education?
We are an artist-led, play-based music school that fuses the best of classical rigor with the liberating, child-led energy of experimental sound exploration. Rooted in 20+ years of educational experience and artistic practice, NSS offers families an immersive alternative to cookie-cutter programs—designed for the curious, the creative, and the unconventional.
Our philosophy is simple but transformative:
🎵 When kids are trusted to lead their own musical journeys, they not only learn faster—they love the process.
At NSS, students build their own instruments from recycled materials, compose original scores, jam in ensembles, and even score full theatrical productions. Our instrument library is wildly diverse, spanning everything from hand-made junkyard percussion to high-quality digital synthesizers.
Our program is built for real-world impact:
We serve children ages 0–18, scaling our curriculum from early sensory and motor development to full ensemble performance and recording techniques.
We integrate history, theory, and practice—introducing young learners to global musical traditions, deep listening exercises, and the foundations of sonic awareness inspired by icons like Pauline Oliveros.
We culminate in public showcases—our Grand Arkestra performance invites families and the community to experience the incredible results of our students’ collective creativity.
Why NSS is essential:
✅ We meet kids where they’re at, respecting their unique musical tastes and emotional landscapes.
✅ We engage families and the wider community in an inclusive, accessible celebration of creativity.
✅ We empower young people not just as musicians, but as cultural contributors, collaborators, and innovators.
✅ We bridge the gap between technical skill and emotional literacy, helping students build confidence, curiosity, and resilience.
In a saturated market of conventional music schools, NSS stands apart. We aren’t simply teaching children how to play notes—we are helping them compose the soundtrack of their lives, one playful, joyful experiment at a time.
Your support will help us:
Secure our studio home inside an affordable brick & mortar space, creating a cultural hub in a space ripe for creative revival.
Equip our classrooms with instruments, tools, and recording equipment that empower our students to dream big.
Provide sliding-scale tuition and scholarships to ensure equitable access for all Portland families.
Grow our program sustainably, investing in our extraordinary teaching artists and the children they inspire.
Together, let’s build a new sound for Portland—and a new generation of creative, confident, community-minded young musicians.