Category Archives: course

Happy Fourth of July! Invitations to concerts

Happy Fourth of July! So many FREE concerts in the Boston area next week. My latest ukulele mail-out below includes a NOT FREE concert of a non-traditional string quartet from the Bay Area and my Boston Guitar Orchestra rehearsals and concerts.

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Ukulele Mailing List – latest e-mail

I keep a growing mailing list of ukulele students, peers, and others who are hugely interested in the instrument and everything about playing music together. However, I’m never sure that my emails actually reach those on my mailing list because … Continue reading

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Call and response workshop

One of many ways to lead a group of performers is the so-called “call and response,” which is actually a compositional technique. The leader “calls” by singing and/or playing a musical phrase. The “other” (be it students, audience, or someone … Continue reading

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The gift of a music education for yourself or Mother’s Day present

I am forever grateful to my parents for the gift of a music education. I remember my mother tirelessly driving a great distance to my piano teacher’s home off-base on Okinawa. In the hot and humid afternoon, she took a … Continue reading

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Getting the word out: website, blog, mailing list, twitter, Facebook, and ?

When you become aware that you are at the centre of those that want to know what’s going on and those who want others to know about their events, what do you do? There is a certain responsibility that comes … Continue reading

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Nine ukulele strum patterns for four beat songs

One of the most often asked questions by my ukulele students is “how do you know which strum pattern to use?” There are many possibilities which I show in my video. Deciding which is the most appropriate depends on the … Continue reading

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Do Wah Diddy for ukulele – video tutorial

At the request of my ukulele students, I recorded my first video tutorial. The song “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” is ideal for beginners as it gets them to practise frequent switching between the easy chords of C and F. It … Continue reading

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Business models: my grandfather the entrepreneur

Over the years, I subconsciously collected stories of successful business models with a view to writing and publishing an e-book to share with like-minded individuals. Here’s the story of my late grandfather who built a successful English school in Taiwan.

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Nontraditional students and their struggles: the pursuit of degrees

In the UK, older students are called “mature students.” In the US, anyone over 25 studying for their first degree falls into the category of “nontraditional students”. In the Netherlands, it is uncommon to see a mature, nontraditional student at … Continue reading

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Seated marathon of words

“Support my fundraiser! Come to my soiree on the 22nd!” He invited me to play the grand piano or bring my ukulele group for a singalong to fundraise for his half-marathon in Jordan. I can do neither. I am already … Continue reading

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