Teaching has been an unexpected gift in Beth’s life. In 2007, she was invited to lead songwriting workshops at the Sisters Folk Festival Americana Song Academy, and that invitation opened her eyes to the joy of learning and sharing in community. Since then, she has created, led and co-led her own retreats, workshops, and classes, and she has had a blast teaching at workshops/retreats around the country. She has also worked with kids of all ages in schools, after school programs, and summer camps to create songs and poems together and encourage creative expression. And she enjoys working one-on-one with people who are curious about songwriting, guitar, singing, and dynamics in performance.

“I LOVE sharing what I have learned and what works for me in songwriting. I love supporting other songwriters in their creative process and in sharing their work. I love what happens when people who love songs gather to geek out about songs! I love learning and writing in community.”

As Beth’s poetry practice has grown, she has delighted in leading workshops and creative writing experiences centered around poetry.

“Songs and poems are tiny miracles! And they are uniquely powerful tools for connection. I believe that we are all creative beings if we just allow ourselves to be.”

Beth has also been a teaching artist with The Oregon Symphony Lullaby Project since 2019, The Lullaby Project – conceived by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute – uses the creative process of songwriting to improve well-being and child bonds with parents experiencing housing insecurity and other challenging life situations.

Beth’s journey with teaching is coming full circle as she has accepted the invitation to be the director of the Americana Song Academy in 2025. She is excited to continue and build on this wonderful tradition!

Director

• Sisters Folk Festival Americana Song Academy

Director/Facilitator

• Sisters Songworks Intimate Writing Retreats
• Women, Nature and Song Virtual Songwriting Retreat

Co-founder/Co-leader

• Harris Bridge Song Camp (Philomath, OR)
• Songsmith Gathering Song School (Brevard, NC)

Co-Facilitator/Instructor

• Hidden River Songwriting Camp (Long Beach, WA)
• Threads of Light: A Virtual Winter Solstice Retreat
• Paddling in the Dark: A Virtual Winter Solstice Retreat
• Sisters Folk Festival Creativity Camp (grades 5-8) – Sisters, OR

Instructor

• Teaching Artist – The Oregon Symphony Lullaby Project
• Songs In The City (Voice/Songwriting/Lyrics)
• NW Songwriter Soiree Autumn Retreat (Poetry/Songwriting/Voice)
• Moab Folk Camp (Poetry/Songwriting)
• Sisters Song Academy (Voice, Songwriting, Dynamics in Performance)
• Rivertunes Music Camp (Songwriting)
• Fishtrap Writing and The West (Songwriting/Poetry)
• The Wood and Stone Retreat (Songwriting/Voice)
  
• Sisters Song Academy For Youth (Grades 9-12)
• Songwriting for Poets – Oregon Poetry Association
• Songwriting in Community – 6 week class
• Writing the Songs Only You Can Write – 6 week class
• Songs Forever! – 6 week class
• Dynamics in Performance – 6 week class

Songwriting/Poetry Residency

• Black Butte School (K-8) – Camp Sherman, OR
• Sisters Middle School (Grade 5) – Sisters, OR
• Guest Artist – Sisters High School Americana Project – Sisters, OR
• Guest Artist – Redmond Proficiency Academy – Redmond, OR