2024 Festival Workshops

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 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.

NOTE: Jim is spreading this out over two sessions and covering a different half dozen songs in each session.

“Formby Fun” Here we will explore the various right hand techniques of the genius ukulele player from the UK that was George Formby. The terms typically associated with these strumming methods are Syncopation, also known as the “Split Stroke”. Will you play like him after 1 hour ? – most likely not. However, I will definitely point you in the right direction, sharing 3 of his most popular strumming patterns and interlacing them with some triples, not forgetting some straight beats. I will then slot these into one of his most famous songs “When I’m cleaning windows”. Is this for you? Well, if you can count from 1-8 and can generally keep time, you will do just fine. Come and have a try. Peter.

“Summer Breezes” – This workshop feature the song “The Summer Wind”. It has been sung by many people but most famously by Frank Sinatra. I have put together a Uke & Sing arrangement that has a few substitute chords from the original to add a bit of spice. To help turn it into more of a performance piece, I add vocal harmony into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, I also go up a gear and change the key, leading to a very tasteful ending. Definitely a workshop to put a smile on your face. I hope to see you there. Peter.

Da' Blues — It's a Scale, It's a Progression, It's a Feelin'. This workshop will explore expanding the blues beyond the basic I , IV , V chords. Will spice it up with cools substitutions and using harmonic connections while still retaining the essence of the I , IV , V of the da' Blues.

If you know any C7 , F7 , G7 you're good to go.

Jack will be teaching Country Line Dancing & performing Friday night.

Join the Aloha Boys — Glen Hirabayashi, Isaac Ho'opi'i and Irv Queja in a traditional Hawaiian Kanikapila.

Coming Soon • All Levels

60s Sing-Along: This will be a playful sing-and-play-along class that is open to all levels. We will play one song from each year of the 1960s. Attendees will receive a PDF of some of Laura's arrangements that have chord diagrams and strumming cues on them. Please print the PDF for class or bring a tablet/screen on which you can view it on.

Making the Song Your Own: In this class, we will review the process of arranging a song to make it your own. We will review chords that can enhance the sound of a song and help you better tell its story. We will also review some strumming and plucking patterns. All levels are welcome to attend.

Come explore the most misunderstood member of the ukulele family. Is it really a uke? Or is it a mini guitar? What do you do with it? UncleZac will take you through the Bari's unlimited flexibility to support the group or shine alone.

Using the Theory Of Four Method for chording and demonstrating some barring techniques he hopes to take some of the mystery out of playing up the neck so that you can get the most out your wonderful Baritone Ukulele.

There is something for all Bari players at any level.

What makes an ukulele sound like an ukulele?

It’s in the strum!

This workshop is for beginners and intermediates who want to make their uke playing sound more fluid and their rhythms more interesting to listen to.

UncleZac takes you back to the very beginning where you learn four basic strums and variations of each that will allow you to create a much more melodic rhythm by combining and alternating strums in a song.

Though more complex strums like fans, triplets and flamenco will be explored, the workshop will concentrate on the basic strum building blocks to make your uke sing.

Tin Pan Alley – Where a Uke really sounds like a Uke

This workshop is designed for any player who wants to have some fun playing swing and jazz styles of Tin Pan Alley. The course is designed to accommodate ukes of all sizes and tunings as well as players from beginner to intermediate.

We will explore several LEFT HAND tips, tricks & techniques to take your playing of all sorts of songs out of first gear and into the wonderful world of swing. From chord substitution to melody rhythms, putting a new set of tools in your “UkeBag” and take your playing to the next level is the ultimate goal of this course and getting you there is the ultimate goal for UncleZac.

Coming Soon • All Levels

Come and learn the folk dance from our 50th state, the hula! Simple steps and lovely hand motions combine to tell a story. Comfortable clothes and no shoes suggested.

And, if would kike you get to perform at the evening concert with the backing of the Amazing Aloha Boys. Can't get any more authentic Hawai'ian than that.

Come and make the perfect accessory to wear while playing your uke! We will make a wristlet with fresh flowers using the Wili method (winding).