Dance to the Music

On a typical day, the extent of my singing takes place in my car, where there is no who has the unfortunate task of protecting their eardrums from the cacophony of me trying to compete with the radio. This Tuesday, was a little different…

I slipped out of my clogs and stepped into Amy Conley’s Music Together class, where I was met with the jubilant sounds of singing, a guitar, tambourines, maracas, and drums. Adults with children ages 0-5 were sitting in a circle with big smiles on their faces and likely, we will be singing to some of their songs on the radio in a few years.

Amy Conley  has a passion for kids and for music and has been offering classes and entertainment as both a teacher and performer in New Hampshire and Massachusetts since 1986. She has done family concerts, weddings, birthday parties, and music for seniors; in addition to all that she teaches ukelele, banjo, and guitar classes as well as many other interactive musical experiences. Four years ago she opened Ukulele Revolution at her studio and now teaches five ukulele classes a week for adults and teens plus  one parent-child class for ages 7-12.  Her most advanced class is now The Kukuleles (kukuleles.com) and they will be performing at Union Coffee in Milford, March 23, 7:00-9:00 PM.

Her sound is folky, jazzy, with notes of classic rock and of course, the old time hits and show tunes. Besides ukulele, Amy plays guitar, banjo, piano, accordion, mandolin, percussion & harmonica.  Considering the one and only instrument I can play is the spoons, and that is really just if I’m eating something with a spoon and it happens to clink against the plate, I was quite impressed with this list of acoustic talent!  Now, with a drum roll and a kazoo fanfare, I bring you, Amy Conley.

What do You Like Most about Living and Doing Business in the Souhegan Valley?

Amy grew up in Needham, MA and moved to Milford in 1992. She and her husband, Michael have raised three children here and love that it has a quaint, small town feel while providing the proximity and hubbub of a more urban area. She values the vibrant local music and art community as well and participates regularly in local open mic nights, jam sessions, and other artistic events. Her hobby is photography and her love for the area comes out in her photos. There is always something beautiful to take a picture of here and there are plenty of places to get out in nature and do so.

What do You Enjoy About Being a Member of the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce and How Has it Helped Your Business? 

Amy joined the Chamber rather recently, September of 2016, and is looking forward to getting to know other businesses and artists. She and I talked a lot about all of the great resources that the Chamber has to offer and the many events to attend and I look forward to seeing her at some in the near future!

What is a Fun Fact About You that You Would Like to Share? 

Amy shared with me that she has a rescue dog named Nymeria (named from Game of Thrones)  and will have a photography exhibit at A & E Coffee Roastery (Amherst, NH) during the month of April which will be called “Spirit in Nature” (including an interactive haiku-writing activity for viewers).

If you’re tired of dancing to the beat of your own drum, and would like to learn a new instrument, or you have a child whom you want to experience the growth, learning, and enjoyment that comes with music and movement, check out all that Amy Conley has to offer!