A little about us
Nice to meet you
Welcome to Harmony Grove where singing is believing. We created this place with your kiddos in mind. We believe your family is noteworthy, so we hope you’ll visit often and sing along with us. Together, we can grow a PAWsitively strong mindset that’s worth singing about!
Mission
We believe what you sing about, you bring about. That’s why we turn timeless tunes into fun, values-driven songs that help kids build empathy, resilience, and a growth mindset. Set to familiar tunes that help children build core values like empathy, kindness, gratitude, resilience, and positivity.
Vision
We envision a world where every child grows up with a strong sense of self, compassion for others, and the tools to thrive—because they learned to sing about it first. Through joyful, values-based music and the playful guidance of Riff, we aim to create homes and classrooms where positivity, resilience, and kindness are second nature. A world where children sing their way to kindness, resilience, and success—growing into their best selves, one joyful tune at a time. Our vision is simple: help children grow into their best selves, one song at a time.
Purpose
We exist to spark growth, joy, and meaningful learning through music. Our purpose is to give parents and teachers simple, powerful tools—songs set to beloved tunes—that help children develop essential values like kindness, gratitude, resilience, and a growth mindset. By making these lessons easy to sing and fun to remember, we aim to shape confident, compassionate kids who are ready to thrive.
Teacher Statement
We empower educators by providing ready-to-use, music-based resources that make teaching social-emotional learning (SEL) easy, engaging, and effective. Through our YouTube channel, we offer catchy, curriculum-aligned songs and videos that support classroom management, foster a positive learning environment, and reinforce essential character skills like kindness, empathy, resilience, and self-regulation.
Our goal is to save teachers time, spark student participation, and help create classrooms where emotional intelligence and joyful learning grow hand-in-hand—all with the help of Riff, our lovable, music-shaped pup.
The Music
Our songs support parents and teachers in teaching big life lessons in a way that’s fun, memorable, and easy to share. Whether you’re at home, in the classroom, or on the go, Riff’s Notes brings energy, joy, and meaning to everyday moments. Bonus, your kids will just be having fun!
Beliefs
• THINK POSITIVE
• BE KIND TO OTHERS
• BE HELPFUL
• BE HONEST
• DON’T STOP TRYING
• KEEP GOING & GROWING
• DREAM BIG & THINK YOU CAN
• DON’T BE AFRAID OF MISTAKES
Values
• POSITIVITY
• KINDNESS
• HELPFULNESS
• EMPATHY
• HONESTY
• PURPOSE
• EFFORT
• GROWTH
• GRIT
• CONSISTENCY
• COURAGE
• PEOPLE
Founder
Meet Julie Coburn, the founder of Riff’s Notes and the heart behind the harmony. A former elementary school teacher with a lifelong passion for learning, she knows that songs make learning fun and memorable. That’s why she created songs to help kids develop the skills they need for a healthy relationship with themselves and others.
Julie and her husband married in 1991 and are the proud parents of two adult sons. She’s now “Granny” to twin grandsons who keep her inspired and tired-haha.
Through the many seasons of life, she’s gathered experiences that have tested and proven her commitment to growth: completing a century bike ride, beekeeping, hiking to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite, and even competing as a Toastmasters speech winner. Add in her love for growth-minded books and podcasts, and you’ll see how these adventures give her a well of wisdom, creativity, and resilience to share through music.
These days, she’s swapped her bee boxes for “buzz-worthy” songs with Riff—and opened her first social media account to spread her message. Through it all, Julie’s mission stays the same: to help kids—and the grown-ups who love them—discover the joy of music, the power of kindness, and the strength of a growth mindset… one song at a time.
The Voice
Meet the guitarist and voice behind Riff….. Shae Kirk! Shae is a devoted husband and father of three young girls.With his unique voice and light-hearted spirit, he brings Riff to life.
The Science Behind the Music
Being a parent or teacher in the age of social media is tough—there’s no denying it. We’re navigating a world where technology, which we once thought would bring us closer together and pave the way for success, has instead led to an epidemic of loneliness, bullying, and negative thinking. Our society is in crisis, and our children are the most vulnerable. But here’s the thing—we’re not powerless. We have the ability to equip them with the tools they need to not just survive but to thrive in this ever-changing world.
We all know how crucial academics are, but here’s the truth: without a growth mindset, our kids won’t reach their full potential—academically or socially. Their happiness, their success, their future, hinges on what we do now to intervene.
And here’s where Riff’s Notes comes in. It’s been said that the biggest problems often have the simplest solutions. Riff’s Notes is exactly that—a simple, powerful solution.
We’re talking about research-backed strategies that help your kids build a positive mindset and develop social and emotional intelligence—all while having fun. We use simple, catchy songs to teach kids how to:
Understand and manage emotions
Set and crush goals
Feel and show empathy
Build and maintain strong relationships
Make smart, responsible decisions
Flip negative thinking into positive
Swap out a victim mentality for a winning mindset
We all know how effective music is for memory, but did you know that music also has the power to:
Boost concentration
Elevate your mood
Release serotonin and endorphins—those feel-good chemicals
Knock out stress and lower cortisol
Prime the brain for learning
Supercharge focus
Even help with healing
Riff’s Notes uses the power of music to empower you. Every expert out there will tell you—the one thing that sets highly successful people apart is a growth mindset. It’s what gives us the resilience to push through challenges and is crucial for building strong, meaningful relationships. A growth mindset sees the unique strengths in every person and fuels the drive to reach your full potential.
Here’s the thing—it doesn’t matter where you or your child are starting from. It’s never too late to change direction, and it’s never too early to start. While Riff’s Notes is designed with kids in mind, it’s powerful enough to help anyone break free from negative thought patterns. Anyone can learn to embrace a growth mindset, and everyone benefits from it.
Science backs this up: with the right input, our brains can create new pathways that serve us instead of holding us back. Consistent, positive input rewires the brain, helping to override negativity. Your child won’t be stuck in a limited mindset anymore. With every song, they’ll build more hope, courage, and positivity.
Now, take a lesson from Admiral William H. McRaven, author of the number one New York Times Bestseller Make Your Bed. In his SEAL Team training, during Hell Week, when everyone’s morale was in the tank and hope was fading fast, the instructors seduced them with hot meals and warm fires, trying to get them to quit. But one student started singing. Then, another and another joined in. And just like that, their will to keep going became unbreakable. McRaven’s advice? “If you want to change the world…start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.”
And let’s be real—we’re in some deep mud right now. So, this is our moment. Start singing. Let Riff’s Notes lift your spirits and help you rise. Singing positive melodies can shift your heart and mind, giving you the courage to take on whatever life throws at you.
Our motto is simple: “What You Sing About, You Bring About.” We’ve got an incredible collection of simple songs that provide a fun, family-friendly way to strengthen your mind and relationships, offering a soundtrack to success. Feel the positive energy that can transform your home or classroom from the inside out. Winning in life has never been easier—one simple song at a time.
So, join Riff’s Notes on this mission to build positive mindsets. Sing along because you are noteworthy!