Beginner Track

Are you or someone you know just getting started on the Uke? Begin your ukulele journey at the Allegheny Ukulele Soirée! Our Beginner Track/Ukulele Jumpstart pass includes the five workshops below, the open mic sessions on Saturday, the Jam sessions on Saturday, AND the Saturday evening concert!

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Saturday, April 25 2026 @ 03:30 PM


Title	Description	Instructor	Level
Beginners Ukulele	Discover the joy of playing the ukulele in a welcoming and supportive environment. This workshop is designed for those just starting out, with no prior experience required.	Boxcar Baer	Novice, Beginner

Saturday, April 25 2026 @ 05:00 PM


Title	Description	Instructor	Level
Singing the Strings: Vocal Harmony at Your Fingertips	Ever wondered how to construct a harmony part? Ever run into a song that was easy to play in uke group, but completely out of your vocal range? If you're ready to go beyond the basics of "hum & strum", this class is for you!	Amber Rozel	Novice, Beginner, Advanced Beginner

Saturday, April 25 2026 @ 07:30 PM


Title	Description	Instructor	Level
Afternoon Jam	Our Saturday Afternoon jam is a great way to unwind after lunch before workshops start again!	Ed Smith	All Levels

Saturday, April 25 2026 @ 09:00 PM


Title	Description	Instructor	Level
Proper Care & Feeding of your Ukulele	Hey! What exactly is a set-up, anyway? Why does my ukulele buzz? How do I fix it? What does my ukulele want from me? Mim will be breaking down the mysterious “set-up” everyone talks about!	Mim	All Levels

Saturday, April 25 2026 @ 10:30 PM


Title	Description	Instructor	Level
Intro to Strumming	Learn some basic strumming patterns to get you started and how to match them to the songs you want to play. Workshop will cover basic rhythm techniques, what finger(s) you should use to play, picks or no picks, and good foundational right handed strumming techniques.	Melissa Nannen	Beginner

Novice: A student who perhaps has never picked up a ukulele before.
Beginner: A student at this level is brand-new to the ukulele. He/she has perhaps learned one to three chords but stops in-between chord changes to move the fingers to the next location.
Advanced/Confident Beginner: A student at this level knows a handful of chords and can move from one chord to another without pausing. Student may have trouble with, say, the B-flat chord shape. Student has learned a strum or two and/or a finger pattern for picking.
Intermediate: A student can hold a steady rhythm and is competent with a variety of basic chords. Understands simple chord progressions, can sing and strum at the same time, and learns chords to simple tunes fairly quickly.
Advanced: A student at this level can hear I, IV, and V chords, has mastered some chord inversions, knows there is life above the fifth fret, and has been there with barre or 4-fingered closed chords. Plays lead and backup easily with others and keeps steady rhythm.

Highly recommended. This year was my first, I will be back and I will bring more people with me next year!
Hannah from Guelph, Ontario
Everyone was friendly and encouraging. The level of the entertainment and instruction was top notch! I am looking forward to returning!
Carol from Sharon, MA
Great people, great fun, great workshops, Great jams and amazing organizers.
Gail from Kansas City, MO
Always a great gathering of the ukulele community…a lot to learn and a lot of fun doing it!
Susanne from Cincinnati, OH
An outstanding festival for ukulele players, both beginners and experienced. The ability to interact face-to-face with the amazing guest performers, other uke players, and vendors was invaluable.
John from Norwich, NY
The Soirée should win an award for the best organized ukulele festival!
Bonnie from Philadelphia Area
The Soiree is a great program to attend. It is well organized, with a great deal of expertise, thoughtful planning and reasonable fees. Well seasoned presenters make the sessions productive and organized!
Deb from Verona, NY
Top notch! Fantastic instructors! Very enthusiastic, informative and knowledgeable. Superb presentations. I learned so much this weekend
The Allegheny [Ukulele] Soirée is a ukulele smorgasbord...something for every age, talent level, social class...my friends are there
This festival is well run, feels intimate, and really helped grow my skills and push me to be a better player. I love the teaching artists, and the jams were fun!

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Beginner Track

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Proud Supporters of the Allegheny Ukulele Soirée