Woodwind/Brass Workshops

Originally from New Albany, Indiana, Kaden Henderson is a double bassist with a passion for music education and outreach. Kaden began his studies while in middle school with Karl Olsen of the Louisville Orchestra and Doug Elmore. Kaden continued on to study with Bruce Bransby at Indiana University and later earned his Master of Music and Master of Musical Arts degrees from Yale University under Don Palma. As a performer, Kaden has participated as a fellow in festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival, Chelsea Music Festival under Ken-David Masur, and many others. Kaden regularly appears as a bassist with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and various other orchestras around the country.

As a teacher and educator Kaden taught undergraduate bassists at Yale University and participated in Yale’s prestigious “Music in Schools” initiative to provide string lessons to students in and around New Haven, Connecticut. Kaden also works with “Musicians for the World”, a nonprofit that provides free lessons to students without access to musical education from around the globe.

Kaden currently resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Mariya who is an Oregon Symphony bassist.

Born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Mariya-Andoniya holds degrees in double bass performance from The Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles and Yale University School of Music. She has participated in summer festivals including The Perlman Music Program, Aspen Music Festival, The Music Academy of the West, The Tanglewood Music Center, and The Verbier Festival among others. Ms. Andonova was a tenured member of the Santa Barbara Symphony for three seasons and performed with the Oregon Symphony on a one-year contract for the 2021-2022 season before joining as a full-time member in the fall of 2022. 

During the Covid pandemic, Mariya-Andoniya created a YouTube channel to promote herself as a female immigrant double bass player and as a creative outlet. Highlights of the channel include: #DropitlikeitsBach, a popular playlist made up of movements from all six Bach Cello Suites, and Per Questa by Mozart played with her husband and bassist, Kaden Henderson.

Greg Dugan joined the PYP Bass Workshop team at the beginning of 2025. He retired from a 42-year career with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2022; and is currently principal bass of
the Newport Symphony and the Oregon Coast Festival Orchestra. He is also a member of Orchestra Nova Northwest, and plays as a substitute with the Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, and Vancouver (WA) Symphony.

Greg taught at DePauw University for 30 years and was actively teaching with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Indianapolis until his move to Portland. He is a graduate of Indiana
University.

Eugene is Greg’s hometown, and he and his wife are happy to be back living in Oregon!

Students between the grades of 3rd and 10th who have beginning to intermediate skills on the double bass. Brand new players are also welcome.

Saturdays, 2:00-3:15 PM

Our fall term takes place September 20th-December 6th, 2025.

Our winter term takes place February 7th-April 25th, 2026

All classes are held at Jackson Middle School (10625 SW 35th Ave., Portland, OR 97219).

Please arrive 15 minutes early to set up your instrument and other materials.

• 30 minutes to an hour to commit to practice every day
• Bass and Bow
• Rosin

Materials/literature will be distributed in the class.  If finding a bass is a question, the shops below would be able to help you find the correct size bass to rent.

Local bass shops:

• Kennedy Violins - 800.779.0242
• Beacock Music - 360.694.7134
• Pete’s Bass Shop, Pete Lampe - 503.777.7027

More about the class, from Kaden Henderson:

“The PYP free bass class consists of three different groups to accommodate players at every level. Each class is structured as a group class run by one of our three teachers. We try our best to give general group feedback as well as provide one on one instruction when possible.

The bass recitals are very informal and are to showcase a few of the skills we have been working on together. Each groups “recital” is usually about 5 minutes long and is performed for the bass class families and maybe a couple of PYP faculty like Mr. Hatter and Mrs. Inés. We have occasionally had students who wanted to play solo and we have accommodated that as well! After our brief recital we all pack our basses and have a little party with yummy snacks and drinks for everyone.”

Click here to fill out and submit an application.

Note: Students are welcome to join throughout the term, but the best benefit will be gained by all if they join at the beginning and attend all the classes.

Below is where we will keep links for the online content created for the Free Double Bass Class. Enjoy!

Left Hand Techniques

The project began in 2018 with sectional cohorts chosen by the participating band director, working on technique, musicianship, and practice strategies that band directors do not have time to address for each individual instrument section or even individual student.

The coaches meet with the teachers individually as well, building their capacity to teach those instruments. PYP’s Community Programs Manager Lavender-Cygnet de Julia coordinates and facilitates fine tuning of the project through regular meetings and communication with teachers, coaches, and students. The school principals have also been strongly supportive. Through virtual meetings during COVID and in-person since the return to school, the program has grown and been refined over the years, based on learnings from working with teachers, students, and coaches.

MSCP outcomes are highly positive so far! Coaching is increasing student retention and technical improvement, as well as the powerful social-emotional parameter of each student identifying as a successful learner and building an ongoing relationship with an additional caring, expert adult.  On another level, the program also affords the opportunity for professional growth for the teachers themselves.

Thank you to our generous supporters!

• Portland General Electric Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency Marie Lamfrom Foundation

Celebrate our 102st season in the most memorable way possible—invite one of our esteemed conductors to visit your classroom!

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE REQUEST FORM

If you have any questions, please contact our Community Engagement Coordinator, Malu Ose at maluhia@portlandyouthphil.org

Thank you to our generous supporters!

Juan Young Trust

Apply for our 2025-2026 season!

If you are a PYP student looking to mentor a community musician, please use this link.

If you are a musician in our community looking for a mentor, please use this link.

Each term allows for 7-8 half-hour lessons, or 4 60-minute lessons per term, however the pairs decide to divide the time.

• Fall term begins October 11, 2025 and ends December 6, 2025.
• Winter term begins January 3, 2026 and ends Feb 28, 2026.
• Spring term begins March 14, 2026 and ends May 9, 2026.

Terms are able to be adjusted for school breaks. Each student and their mentor will establish a timeline together.

All orchestral string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments are taught based on PYP musician availability. Piano lessons are not offered.

Note: Continuing this year, mentoring may take place online, unless both mentor and mentee families agree to meet at the mentor’s home only. Online mentoring has worked beautifully for the vast majority of pairs over the past couple of years and is actually easier, since no one has to drive anywhere. Either method is possible; the choice is up to the mentors and the mentees.

The cost is $80 per set of seven or eight lessons.

Financial aid is available! Please contact Maluhia Ose, PYP’s Community Engagement Coordinator, with questions or for more information: maluhia@portlandyouthphil.org.

Students who participate in the Peer Mentor Program are expected to attend all lessons. Should a student find it necessary to cancel a lesson, the instructor must be notified at least 24 hours in advance. Any last minute cancellations by the mentee will not be made up and will count towards the total number of lessons received by the student. Cancellations by the mentor will be made up.