Past Performers & Instructors

Abe Deshotel, aka Ukulele Abe, amplifies the experiences of life with his ukulele. Seeing and feeling positivity in the world around him, he captures this essence in his songwriting. Defying what you think the ukulele can do, he creates a full sound to capture a wide spectrum of human emotion, from peaceful innocence to profound joy.

Aldrine Guerrero is the head instructor and co-owner of the Ukulele Underground. Moving to Hawaii at the age of 7 from the Philippines, Aldrine has taught hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world to play the ukulele.

The Allegheny Ukulele Kollective is a Ukulele enthusiast club based in the Altoona-State College, PA region. The Allegheny Ukes have existed in various incarnations since 2010 where we jammed on college campuses, the local YMCA, and in cafes. The Allegheny Ukulele Kollective is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We have a Jam nearly every Sunday of every month.

Amber Rozel has been teaching musicians of all ages for over 20 years. She has been making the magic happen on ukulele for 5 years and recently  received the coveted Level 3 Teachers Certificate from the JHUI program. She performs with regional orchestras, the Bay Chamber Players, her (new!) band Evergreen Road, and with anyone that wants to have fun.

The Arc of Altoona Ukulele Club is small but might! We play and sing together every other Tuesday, and we rejoice in finding songs that give maximum fun while using the fewest chords. 

Multi-instrumentalist Ben Carr is a Southern Vermont based musician and educator.  He approach to the 'ukulele is an unique one -- using intricate strum patterns, fingerpicking, percussive tones, looped beats/riffs, and harmonic textures.

Chrissy is an international performer and Kanile'a Ukulele endorsed artist, singer/songwriter, film composer, and educator. She has headlined festivals including the Melbourne Ukulele Festival and The Gaithersburg Ukulele Festival.

Christopher Davis-Shannon's music is the essence of honest simplicity. Bringing together influence ranging from Fats Waller to Chet Baker, he creates an atmosphere that will instantly transport you back to jazz clubs, and speakeasies of the early 20th century.

Ukulele player by heart, Photographer by trade. Co-founder of the Allegheny Ukulele Kollective.

Wanting to bring something to share on the mainland, Craig chose to focus on the ukulele before leaving Hawai’i for college. Although Craig had grown up playing the cello and piano, he wanted something that gave a little more distinction of coming from the islands.

Curt Sheller's primary focus since 2003 has been performing jazz and contemporary music using the ukulele as his principal instrument, as well as presenting workshops and performing at various ukulele festivals throughout the year. 

Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country's top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’.  He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar. 

Danielle Ate the Sandwich is the stage name of pop-folk songwriter, Danielle Anderson. Getting her start in Fort Collins, CO, now based in Kansas City, MO, Danielle has been touring nationally since 2009, after cultivating an online following from her homemade videos on Youtube.

Debi first saw Hawaiian dance (hula) in the late seventies. I loved the variety of dances that the girls did and how graceful they were. I never dreamed I would be dancing with them but one time I saw them dancing while sitting on the floor and that was it! If you can sit and dance, I want to try it!

Del Rey started playing guitar when she was four years old. At thirteen, she was immersed in the world of folk music, via the San Diego Folk Festival. She has tried to get a whole band onto her solo instrument from the beginning. This gives her music an interesting complexity, especially when applied to the ukulele.

Donna Frost is a true traveling troubadour, logging thousands of miles year round performing shows in cities all across the US. She has appeared in the UK and the Caribbean as well during her career. She performs solo with her guitars, ukuleles and mandolin most times and also plays select shows with her band.

Ed works in Human Resources Information Technology and has been playing music since he was young, He has played piano, guitar, and ukulele over the years, recently returning to music via his daughter learning ukulele.

Erin earned a bachelor degree in Cello Performance with a minor in Early Childhood Development from Temple University as well as studies toward completing her masters in Cello Performance. Erin’s musical journey started at the age of two on violin and cello at the age of 5.

Gerald Ross is one of the finest instrumentalists on the scene today. Whether he is playing the guitar, the ukulele, or the Hawaiian steel guitar, his music expresses a sense of rhythm and melody that is rare in contemporary music.

Originally from the Washington, DC area, Gracie Terzian is a singer, songwriter, ukulelist and actor living in New York City. Her first EP, Saints and Poets, debuted at #23 on the Billboard jazz charts and quickly became the #3 jazz album on iTunes.

Heidi Swedberg was born in Hawaii, the youngest in a family of of four girls where music was a regular part of family life. Singing at church, in the car or around the piano are her most treasured memories. When she was 5 years old the Easter Bunny left ukuleles for all four Swedberg girls, and she has played one ever since.

Jim Beloff is the author of The Ukulele—A Visual History (Backbeat Books) and author, arranger, and publisher of the Jumpin’ Jim’s series of ukulele songbooks with over 1,000,000 copies in print. This series is available worldwide and includes The Daily Ukulele, one of the biggest and best-selling ukulele songbooks ever published.

Jim D'Ville is a music educator and facilitator who is on a mission to get ukulele players off the paper and playing music by ear.

Katy Vernon is a Minneapolis / St. Paul based singer songwriter. She grew up in London, England and has been writing and singing as long as she can remember. It’s served as an outlet to write about serious personal issues, these include the loss of both her mother and father when she was a child, and also a way to tap into the natural joy that singing brings out in her.

Lil' Rev grew up in Milwaukee, WI where he still resides today. Growing up in the shadows of American Motors Corp, Briggs N Stratton, and A.O. Smith, he was inspired by the sights and sounds of an industrial powerhouse in flux.

Melissa Nannen has been creating music since the age of 5 through a variety of means and finally found her perfect instrument in the ukulele during a cold, snowy winter in 2014.  She has been writing original songs since she was 15 on her guitar, but found the ukulele took her songwriting and playing abilities into uncharted territory. 

Mika Kane is a professional 'ukulele player and Kamaka/Ko'olau artist from O'ahu, Hawai’i. Mika received a Bachelor's Degree in Music with an 'Ukulele focus and a Masters Degree in Educational Foundations from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Mentored by many of Hawai’i's finest musicians, including Dr.

With an urge to explore new and old sounds, Milo Fultz strives to work with as many styles and personalities as he can. From big bands and small jazz ensembles to pit orchestras and classical ensembles, blues, rock, funk, and soul groups to singer/songwriters, ukulele bands, and melodica duos, he finds joy in the variety and loves sharing every minute of it.

A Vaudeville inspired act, Mim combines elements of circus, novelty, and forgotten favorites! Expect the unexpected! Her show is a high-energy, smile inducing set that takes the audience along on a musical journey that will have them laughing and singing along! She always brings something new to the stage with a fresh group of songs, jokes, and tricks every season.

Award winning artist and Maui, HI native Neal Chin, has been both an ‘ukulele educator and performer over the course of his musical career of 19 years. His clear and direct enthusiasm for music has come to life in countless workshops, concerts, and private instruction.

Nicole Keim earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in music education and taught K-5 elementary school music for nine years in the public schools while living in Colorado.  She sang professionally for several years with the nationally recognized Ars Nova Singers and has taught private voice and piano lessons to students of all ages since 2002.

Viewing music through a wide-angle lens, Paul Hemmings utilizes the unassuming ukulele to fuse together elements of modern jazz, free improvisation, and American roots music into a signature sound that has been called “bold, beautiful, and full of promise.” He has released six albums on Leading Tone Records, including outings with his ukulele-fronted jazz trio and critically ac

Rachel Manke began playing the uke in 1999, in preparation of Y2K, when we were all supposed to become nomads following a complete technology meltdown. Well, alright, that was silly. Still, it turned out to be a good decision.

Ray Cygrymus has taught elementary school music for over thirty years, most recently specializing in ukulele instruction in the classroom. He has lived in the Pittsburgh area his entire life, and attended Duquesne University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, with an emphasis on voice. 

Rotem Sivan is taking the NYC scene by storm. Described by DownBeat Magazine as “a remarkable talent and a welcome new voice on the scene,” he completed his studies in both classical composition and jazz with honors in Tel Aviv & NYC.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Sarah Maisel has always had a love for music. At the age of 6, she began violin lessons and played in youth orchestras for several years. Her focus was primarily classical for the 10 years she studied.

Skye Zentz grew up in Norfolk, VA, in a house full of strange musical instruments, star wars figures, and love.

The Steel City Ukes Little Band is an ensemble made up of members of the Steel City Ukes. 

It’s rare when an artist arrives on the scene offering a refreshing new spin on a traditional genre of music. Steven Espaniola is that artist. Raised in Aliamanu, Hawai’i and now residing in the California Bay Area, Steven is a self taught multi-instrumentalist Hawaiian artist specializing in Ki Ho'alu (Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar), ‘Ukulele, Upright Bass, and Leo Ki'e Ki'e (Trad

Stu Fuchs is a heart centered, award winning musician and teaching artist.  His passion is helping others learn to play music with greater ease, freedom and joy.

The Birdwatchers (formerly the Naked Waiters) is a unique, ukulele-centric, acoustic trio. Kim Bjerga, Clark Holmes, and Andy Nufer have carved out a niche for themselves in their local music scene, and for good reason. Their tight, three-part harmonies, combined with interestingly composed arrangements are refreshingly diverse, both in musicianship and content.

The Dirty Hillers is a ukulele and cello duet comprised of members Melissa Nannen (ukulele, lead vocals) and Erin Ryan Barnes (cello, vocals).  They are based in the Philadelphia, PA area. Their music is an eclectic mix of rock and blues inspired alternative/folk originals, featuring raw, dirty vocals.

Hello, it's me...The Ukulele Teacher! 

Victoria Vox is an award-winning, ukulele-toting, performing songwriter. With a passion for writing songs since she was 10 years old, she went on to graduate with a degree in Songwriting from the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA). In 2003, she traded in her guitar for the ukulele as her main accompaniment and took the stage name Victoria Vox (Latin for voice).