Workshops

◊ - Workshop is part of the Beginner Track
Saturday, 4/22
9:30 AM
Title Description Instructor Level
Getting Started with MuseScore

An introduction to the free notation software MuseScore.

Amber Rozel All Levels
Adding Sparkle in Your Playing with One-hand Artificial Harmonics

To get the most out of this workshop, players should be comfortable using at least your thumb and pointer in fingerstyle playing. Want to add that extra sparkle of sound to your intros and endings? Or maybe you just want to add a little something special in that song you’re playing.

Mika Kane Advanced
The Magic of Moveable Chords

Using the chromatic scale and chord shapes you already know, you will learn how to play open position chords as chord inversions all over the neck of the ukulele using the CAGFD method.

Melissa Nannen Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Music School Dropout - Beginning Ukulele Class

This class is a great place for beginners without previous knowledge of music or the ukulele, who would like to keep it simple and focus on strumming and singing.

Danielle Ate the Sandwich Beginner
10:45 AM
Title Description Instructor Level
Getting Started with ChordPro Songsheets

Have you ever wanted to make your own nicely formatted songsheets for use with your club, your church, or just in your personal songbook?

ChordPro is a free software available for Windows, Mac, and Linux that will allow you to take song lyrics, add in chord notation and generate great looking PDFs to use while strumming.

Ed Smith All Levels
Ukulele Orchestra–Beginner+ Part 1

This 2 session class for beginners will cover basic ensemble playing using traditional and pop tunes.

We’ll cover the chords, picking a melody, and singing in parts.

Amber Rozel Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Advanced Beginner Ukulele workshop

For those who know a handful of chords and a basic up/down strum, here’s a chance to take your skills to a new level.

A half dozen or so well-known songs will be played while learning more chords, new fingerings, new strums, transposing on the fly and performance tips and techniques along the way.

Jim Beloff Beginner
Hawaiian Strumming Part 1

Steven teaches 3 of the most widely used strumming patterns in traditional Hawaiian music:

Steven Espaniola Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
1:30 PM
Title Description Instructor Level
The Practice of Practicing

Are you stuck in a rut? Looking for a new way to practice? This class invites participants to try something new to shake up the status quo of your singing, playing and practice.

Danielle Ate the Sandwich All Levels, Beginner
Ukulele Orchestra–Beginner+ Part 2

This 2 session class for beginners will cover basic ensemble playing using traditional and pop tunes.

We’ll cover the chords, picking a melody, and singing in parts.

Amber Rozel Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Introduction to Home Recording

Learn some basic methods of home recording using GarageBand.

We will go over types of recording mics, pre-amps, methods of mic-ing, how to multi-track, how to overdub, and how to share your recorded music online.

Melissa Nannen All Levels
Jazzing Up The Ukulele

How to use chord substitutions to “jazz up” a simple 4 or 5 chord song. Based on the 2015 Flea Market Music book. We’ll also play through several Lyle Ritz classic jazz arrangements.

Jim Beloff Intermediate, Advanced
3:00 PM
Title Description Instructor Level
Lei Making

Students will complete a wristlet made with fresh flowers using the “wili” (winding) method.

Instructor Debi Velasco will supply all materials and tools needed. The technique taught is simple and can be replicated at home.

Debi Velasco All Levels
ʻUkulele & Leo Kiʻe Kiʻe (Hawaiian Falsetto)

Steven will teach a comprehensive ʻukulele and leo kiʻe kiʻe workshop in a fun, yet informative kani ka pila style format!

Steven Espaniola Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Very Bari Jam

An hour of strumming the very mellowest of the uke family. We’ll sing and play through a selection of easy to more challenging arrangements in DGBE tuning with stops along the way to discuss the special challenges and opportunities that the bari uke player encounters. Bring your bari and be prepared to get down!

Jim Beloff Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Fretboard Techniques for Picking

This workshop will teach you my foundational fretboard techniques acquired from my classical guitar + ukulele university studies for your left-hand (or right-hand) with picking on the ukulele.

Mika Kane Beginner
4:30 PM
Title Description Instructor Level
How to Play Lead

Learn how to jam along with your ukulele friends to create more variation in your strum sessions!

Melissa Nannen Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Hula Workshop

Students will learn the folk dance of our 50th state, the Hula.  Simple steps and hand motions will combine to tell a story.

Instructor Debi Velasco will supply written instructions to each dancer.  Students will perform the song they have learned at the Saturday evening concert!

Debi Velasco All Levels
Proper Care and 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! She will lead you in an informative workshop that will cover everything from changing your strings and daily ukulele maintenance to diagnosing ukulele problems and even fixing them yourself!

Mim All Levels
Songwriting Basics

In this class we will explore how to use your ukulele as a songwriting tool. We will focus on the basics of chords, melody and writing lyrics, and write a song together.

Danielle Ate the Sandwich All Levels
Sunday, 4/23
10:00 AM
Title Description Instructor Level
Jazz Harmonies

A Singing Workshop Take your harmony singing skills to the next level as we create an arrangement of some classic tunes using more complex harmony.

Amber Rozel Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Chord Efficiency

To get the most out of this workshop, being comfortable holding most of the basic chords found in the first three (3) frets will greatly help. Players that can hold chords beyond the 3rd fret will also benefit from this workshop.

Mika Kane Advanced Beginner
Hawaiian Strumming Part 2

Learn three more of the most widely used strumming patterns in traditional Hawaiian music:

Steven Espaniola Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
11:30 AM
Title Description Instructor Level
Intro to Slide Ukulele

Who says you can’t play slide on a ukulele?

Learn best practices for playing slide on your uke, what slides work best and what tunings work well. We will learn a simple 12 bar blues song on our ukuleles, as well as a few simple licks.

Melissa Nannen Advanced Beginner, Intermediate
Performance Tricks from Unexpected Sources

Feel a little stuck inside the ukulele box? Want to bring some unique flair to your performance? Want to know how performers get their confidence? Mim has had the opportunity to perform with unique artists from around the world.

Mim All Levels
The Art of the Triplet

Curious about how to get that sound? What the heck is a “triplet” anyway?!?

Come find out!

We’ll break down the basic strum and practice it over a variety of styles, and songs. 45 minutes Beginner+ to Intermediate ( should be able to play a song using a more complex strumming pattern, like island strum)

Amber Rozel Advanced Beginner, Intermediate