Workshops

Join us for a lively and hands-on Jug Band Workshop where we’ll explore the joy of making music with everyday objects and traditional instruments.

Navigating the fingerboard in a logical sense using the chromatic scale. Using the “Grip” system as opposed to the grid system. This is a helpful lead-in to my "Intro to Nashville Numbering" workshop, but not necessary. 

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.

This class outlines the process that I use as an arranger to build exciting works that are both fun to play and exciting to listen to. We’ll cover vocal harmonies, using the ear to find lead parts and harmony parts, basic soloing skills, and strumming. A low G is highly recommended for this class.

The Ensemble Track is a special masterclass workshop series taught by Peter Luongo. It consists of 4 workshops during the festival weekend culminating in a performance at the Performer Showcase on Sunday afternoon. This track is geared to advanced-beginner to advanced players looking to learn about playing as part of an ensemble.

Performance, ether with or without a group, demands creativity in putting your distinctive, and differentiating, personal stamp on each song. Like every creative discipline, there are specific steps that enable you to understand how to arrange and present songs with your own interpretative flair. 

This is a repertoire class of the songs written and performed by the great Slim Gailliard. In addition to writing the massive hit Flat Foot Floogie With the Floy Floy, Slim wrote dozens of fun and relatively easy tunes that sound great played with Ukulele.  We will play Palm Springs Jump, Atomic Cocktail, Dunkin’ Bagel, and Potato Chips. I’m getting hungry!

Reference Tunes:

In this workshop , we will learn about common effect pedals, the best ones for ukulele , how they work, and how to properly use them. The end of the class will include an open mic where the students can play a song of their choice while experimenting with various effect pedals to tastefully enhance the song.

Want to have a blast singing and sounding your best? Lisa has studied and taught voice for years and has a lot of good stuff to share. Join her as she takes your through some easy exercises and fun techniques to improve your vocals, and customize your uke playing to show off your best voice!

Baritone Friendly!

Is it a guitar? Is it a ukulele? What is this strange hybrid creature? In this workshop, we will go over what the Baritone ukulele has in common with the guitar and what it shares with the ukulele and how you can easily use chord shapes you already know to play it.

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.

Learn how to turn any song into a solo ukulele piece! Matt will guide you step by step through finding the melody, adding chords, and connecting it all together - no music theory required, although a bit can be helpful! Perfect for players looking to let their ukulele do the singing.

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.

In this workshop, we will expand our ukulele skills by focusing on various strumming techniques, song intros and riffs from fun, popular songs throughout the decades.

Are you fed up with the news cycle? Do you feel driven to “kill someone softly with your song”? In this workshop, we will talk about the basics of songwriting, using the basic format of the murder ballad to write our very own.

Ukulele bass players are ALWAYS in demand... well, at least the good ones. So, what makes a good bassist? How do I get better, in playing (the frustrations of bass practice are addressed directly); and (more importantly), we demonstrate by playing with trax and metronomes, how to understand what to play... and what NOT to!

The Ensemble Track is a special masterclass workshop series taught by Peter Luongo. It consists of 4 workshops during the festival weekend culminating in a performance at the Performer Showcase on Sunday afternoon. This track is geared to advanced-beginner to advanced players looking to learn about playing as part of an ensemble.

Jazz up your playing for the Great American Songbook! Oh those great songs of the 20’s, 30’s & 40’s! What made them so fabulous and enduring? What made them so jazzy? Have fun with Lisa as she takes you cool cats through some chord extensions, intros & outros and strumming techniques to put a little Jazz in your style!

Baritone Friendly!

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! Using the simple technique presented in this class, you'll be able to create one, two, and three-part harmonies quickly and with confidence.

Chord substitution. Pure chord embellishments, no theory involved. Weʻll add new “vocabulary” to familiar songs. 

Players will learn a popular chord progression and elevate it with new strumming and fingerpicking patterns, as well as incorporate some “not so basic” chords you won’t find in a traditional chord book.

This class consists of the three strums I use the most: a swing strum, a shuffle strum, and a rumba strum. After demonstrating each strum, we will practice it together on tunes that are available as handouts. 

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! 

Barre chords can feel intimidating, but they don’t have to! In this workshop, we’ll break down the concept of barre chords step by step, making them approachable and fun.

The Ensemble Track is a special masterclass workshop series taught by Peter Luongo. It consists of 4 workshops during the festival weekend culminating in a performance at the Performer Showcase on Sunday afternoon. This track is geared to advanced-beginner to advanced players looking to learn about playing as part of an ensemble.

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!

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. 

This workshop is perfect for beginner players who are struggling with getting a good sound out of their ukulele.

The Ensemble Track is a special masterclass workshop series taught by Peter Luongo. It consists of 4 workshops during the festival weekend culminating in a performance at the Performer Showcase on Sunday afternoon. This track is geared to advanced-beginner to advanced players looking to learn about playing as part of an ensemble.

Intro to the Nashville numbering system. 1 - 4 - 5. We'll learn to play 1 - 4 - 5 in any key. You should have a solid understanding of the notes on the fretboard before taking this workshop. Taking my "Navigating the Fingerboard" workshop is helpful, but not necessary. 

"Plays Well With Others" coordinates Preparation, Practice and Performance for group players, band leaders or even solo musicians. We discuss (and demonstrate!) a logical and linked series of ideas that are integral to working with others in a musical context.

OK, you've just learned a new tune. The first question that pops up is "How do I start it?" soon after, the next question arrives, "How do I end it?" This class is all about answering those important questions. We will discuss the reasons for vamps, turnarounds, and intros/ outros. 

In this workshop,  we will work on the various aspects of rockabilly and the multi styles that this early form of Rock and Roll incorporated. Country, blues, boogie patterns, riffs, strums, etc!

Interested in some basic fingerstyle ukulele? Like that old-time sound? Join us to create an amazing arrangement that uses chords, melody-playing, and singing. You will leave with 2-3 tunes for you ukulele group to play.

Learn how to build a simple, effective ukulele practice routine that actually leads to progress without killing the fun. We’ll explore how to stay motivated, work efficiently on challenging material, and gently tackle the habits we tend to avoid, all in a way that fits real life and real schedules.

TIRED OF ENDLESS STRUMMING? STRUM STRUM STRUM! Lets get excited about progressing your ukulele performance - reading tablature is one door to knowing more about the ukulele. From classical chord melody, pop songs and even small instrumental segments for introductions, solo sections and endings - learning how to read tabs is a window to a whole new world!

Join us for a lively and hands-on Jug Band Workshop where we’ll explore the joy of making music with everyday objects and traditional instruments.