Holiday Songs for Everyone

It’s that time of the year when Christmas and Hannukah songs appear on radio. As soon as Thanksgiving ends, holiday songs surface on the sonic horizon. Wouldn’t you like to learn how to play these timeless festive songs? BONUS! Download the free holiday songs crossword puzzle and table of useful chords. (More about ukulele crossword puzzles).

These one-hour workshops start at 4:30 PM EST, after 3 Chord Thursday sessions in Boston, Massachusetts. Held both in-person and in Zoom, i.e. hybrid, these workshops are free for owners of Fun with Uke Book (which can be ordered in advance as a PDF or print copy, or purchased on site at the workshop).

If you plan to attend in-person, you can watch the video for the map location and read about it below. If you plan to Zoom into the session, please know that we will not be sharing screen and you’ll need your own copy of the book and other instructional materials. It’s best to have one device for Zoom and another to view the songbook.

We will begin with a warm-up exercise which you can use in your daily practice. The exercise comes from the Fun with Uke Book. Thereafter we will start with the easiest songs, with the fewest number of chords.

Learn the best techniques and strategies for

• fingering and switching chords on time and in time
• choosing the best accompaniment for strumming and fingerpicking

Do you know how to find the first note of the melody? How to start and end a song? How to give an introduction to a song? How to make a song interesting?

In the process, you will discover your blind spots, weak areas, and strengths to build on.

Schedule of Workshops

• 30th November 2023 Download the songbook (PDF) which will be used at the Annual Ukulele Union of Boston Holiday Party.
• 7th December 2023 Selections from the 2019 Chocolele Holiday Song Book
• 21st December 2023 To Be Announced

Register your spot

If you’re already on the mailing list, you can respond and indicate your attendance in-person or in Zoom. Order the latest edition of the Fun with Uke Book to participate and you’ll be contacted. You will get an e-mail with Zoom information, links to song sheets and other instructional material. Owning this book also gives you entry to the remaining 3 Chord Thursdays in 2023 in-person sessions. Visit this part of Boston — arrive early and stay for 3 Chord Thursday session and the workshop.

What to bring

Your own ukulele, music stand, and refreshment. You can also borrow or rent a high-end ukulele. There are folding chairs you can use.

About the location

The Walter Baker Lofts, a.k.a. Walter Baker Building is the only building with a big sign on top. “WALTER BAKER” is a unique monument to the community in Historic Lower Mills which is a part of Boston that borders Milton, Mattapan, and Quincy. This section of Dorchester is famous for the birthplace of the oldest successful chocolate factory in the country. The red brick buildings have been converted to apartments and condominiums, amid small businesses and restaurants and the famous Neponset River Trail within walking distance.

Address: 1231 Adams Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02124 USA

There are two ways to enter this building: the double-door front entrance with steps and the side door with a ramp and step-free access. There is a public restroom in the main hall, on the same ground floor as the Common Room where the workshop takes place. The Common Room has high ceilings, like the rest of the building, and big windows. It’s possible to get high speed wifi access with password.

About the instructor

After publishing her MA in Music dissertation on ukulele song sheets in 2018, Anne Ku taught ukulele courses for the Boston Public Library and adult education establishments in Arlington, Cambridge, and Milton. Since March 2020, she has been teaching almost exclusively online in Zoom and arranging music for the ukulele. She hosts 3 Chord Thursday, the thematic recorded online song session series, and the monthly meetups for Ukulele Instructors International for professional development.

Feedback from participants

I attended the 11/30/2023 workshop in person and enjoyed singing  simple, yet beautiful songs in the round with fellow players! I appreciated the strumming and finger positioning pointers and hints on playing alternate chords. The zoom option was helpful for those far away to join in! I was able to pick up a couple of copies of Anne’s books to share some techniques with my grandkids living abroad. Such a fun afternoon! 
B. from Marlborough, MA

It was delightful to take part in this workshop which not only covered holiday songs, but also some  fundamentals of music theory and proper hand positioning. This workshop is not just a strumalong (which I love) but also a true music class. And such fun to share with fellow enthusiasts in person and remotely.
S. from Quincy, MA

I thoroughly enjoyed Anne’s holiday-ukulele class.  Anne fielded my entry-level questions with kindness, creating a great learning environment.  I picked up some basics that I hadn’t even realized I‘d been missing!  Thank you, Anne!
N. from Arlington, MA

An in-person workshop with Anne Ku: such a skillful teacher. She interwove our singing and playing with pointers and practice with strumming, plucking, and alternative fingering for chords.  Zoom permitted participation from, well, Hawaii or anywhere.  We had a wonderful time sharing my love of uke with new folks, with no regard for our different skills levels.  Anne’s workshop invites that kind of community.
J. from South Boston

The workshop gave good tips on how to navigate familiar songs by skipping hard chords and just having fun with strumming. Good practice for accompanying family and friends at the holidays. 

I especially like your idea to create these songs in easier to sing ranges.  Many people love to sing at the holidays but are intimidated by difficult keys.
C. from Holliston