Wamic Pianist Began Teaching Others Before Taking Lessons Herself
By Andrew Cutler
Growing up on the Oregon coast in Birkenfeld, Laurel Herlocker was immersed in music. Her mother, Teresa Shetler, played flute and piano, and Laurel was captivated by her skill. But instead of learning from her mother or a music teacher, Laurel taught herself to play piano.
“I was born with a really good ear,” she says. “I could hear a melody or a tune and find it on the piano, just by figuring it out.”
At 16, Laurel started taking formal lessons and entering competitions, but not before beginning her teaching career.
“I actually started teaching students when I was 15 before I started taking lessons,” she says. “I was quite advanced as a self-taught pianist.”
Through her business, Lessons with Laurel, she teaches music to students in the Wamic, Maupin, and Dufur areas.
Educational Journey
After being homeschooled through high school, Laurel went to Lower Columbia College in Longview, Washington, where she earned her associate degree. She moved on to Eugene and studied at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance.
“I studied for several years under some great professors,” she says. “I might finish that up at some point, but I haven’t really needed it for what I do. But I did get a lot of great experiences in Eugene.”
While classical piano was her main focus in college, her love for music went beyond the classroom.
“It’s always been the love of music that’s driven me,” Laurel says. “I could just be alone and not sharing it with anyone and be completely just immersed in it.”
Laurel has performed with symphonies and continues to play music for church services, something she’s done since age 11.
Moving to Wasco County
Family connections drew Laurel to Wasco County in the spring of 2014. Her uncle, Chip Shetler, serves as executive director at Camp Morrow in Pine Hollow, where she previously volunteered and worked.
“I came up here just to work for 2 months while I was figuring out where I wanted to end up in the world,” Laurel says. “I ended up in Wamic, of all places, and just fell in love with it.”
She and her husband, John, have settled in with their 2-year-old child, Teagan.
Laurel’s arrival coincided with changes in local music education. The year she moved to the area, the Maupin School District eliminated its music program, creating an opportunity for private instruction.
“There were a lot of parents in the area looking for music for their kids,” Laurel says. “I had been teaching for a long time before that, so I ended up staying.”
Teaching Across Communities
Laurel has taught music in Wasco County for the past 11 years and has expanded her instruction beyond piano to violin and guitar. She keeps a busy schedule by teaching 28 students in a 1-on-1 environment. Most of her students are in grade school and middle school, but her students range from 3 to nearly 80 years old.
Laurel likes to be accessible to students. That means she often travels across south Wasco County, where she teaches at local churches that furnish space for no charge. She teaches about 10 students at Dufur Christian Church. She recently began teaching 3 students at Maupin Community Church.
“I try to keep my rates low for the income level around here,” she says.
She offers discounted rates to families who have multiple children taking lessons. She is also open to unusual payment arrangements, such as bartering for services like house sitting or child care.
Building a Musical Community
Laurel organizes 2 annual recitals. 1 occurs during the holiday season, and the second is at the end of the school year in June. The 2 events highlight the progress of students and help generate community involvement and pride.
“It’s really good for the students to hear each other, and you get inspired when you hear someone that’s more advanced,” she says. “A lot of times I’ll try to put different students together on duets and have them work together.”
Laurel’s students occasionally perform at Canyon Rim Assisted Living in Maupin and take part in school talent shows. Some of her students even link up with Laurel in church musical events.
Laurel wants to enlarge her teaching focus but continue to foster the personal link that makes rural music programs unique.
“I’d love to start offering group lessons, especially with violin and guitar, but even like group piano,” she says. “That way, people who have always wanted to play could try it in a class setting. It would cost less for them because there’d be a group setting, and it’d be fun to have the interaction of the other people.”
Laurel enjoys providing something her students might not have access to otherwise.
“Especially if there is a really talented kid that wanted to go on, I feel like I can get them off to a really good start,” she says.
Student Success
Laurel’s teaching has transformed the Huntley family’s household in Wamic.
“When we moved here 11 years ago, my husband was the only musician,” says Melissa Huntley, whose 6 children have studied with Laurel. “Now all of my kids can play an instrument on some level.”
Melissa says Laurel adapts her teaching style to each child’s interests, making lessons engaging. With 1 income supporting their family of 8, Laurel’s flexible payment options helped ensure music education remained within reach.
“Laurel has been so excellent at navigating each child’s niche interests and creating lessons that follow that path,” Melissa says. “Her recitals beautifully demonstrate this approach as each student plays a unique piece of music at their own skill level.”
Melissa says that sometimes, her children show her something they are interested in playing, and she feels like it will be too far above their level.
“Laurel comes up with a plan every week, and I can hear the progress,” she says.
In Dufur, Rose Hertel’s daughters, now 11 and 14, began lessons with Laurel 7 years ago. The youngest started piano at age 4.
“Laurel would come to our house for lessons, all through COVID,” Rose says. “With young children and both of us working full time, it’s the only way we were able to continue.”
When Rose’s youngest was 9, Laurel helped her compose an original piece called “Eli’s Adventures,” named after her cat.
“This was a huge accomplishment for our extremely shy daughter and has since helped her become more confident and inspired to continue writing and playing her own songs,” Rose says. “We are so blessed to have Laurel as our music teacher."