Upon my return to Maui, I got introduced to “kanikapila” — a Hawaiian term describing a spontaneous, impromptu music making with others, usually outdoors.
The pandemic made us cautious about indoor activity. Portable instruments such as the ukulele and guitar made it possible to go outside. Most of all, the tropical weather during winter and beautiful locations on Oahu and Maui lured us to kanikapila.
Continue readingAs this term comes to a close, I reflect on what worked well. In early August 2021, I sent out a request to indicate music class interest in a Google form. The responses helped me plan and schedule classes starting in October. When there wasn’t sufficient enrolment to offer Hum & Strum, Stand Up Ukulele, and Performance Series, I combined them into one class on Tuesday mornings.
For 2022, I plan to offer a Chinese songs for ukulele class, two Beatles classes, classical ukulele ensemble, music theory, and piano classes in Zoom. Below are what was offered in Autumn 2021.
Continue readingThe music that enters my head sometimes takes over my life. Today it’s the Shaker tune, Simple Gifts, perfect for Thanksgiving each November. The way to get rid of the ear worm is to write it down. Put it in Sibelius notation. Export as PDF. Upload it. Give it away.
Continue readingOn Thursday 27th January 2022, we invite you to share songs about cat or cats or other feline creatures. We celebrate Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, which falls on 1st February. It’s Year of the Tiger!
DRESS CODE: if you love cats and other feline creates, wear and show it. Otherwise, STRIPES.
Continue readingTo open and welcome the new year in Hawaii on Thursday 6th January 2022, we invite you to share Hawaiian songs or songs about Hawaii. Wear your aloha shirts, mumus, leis, and other colorful, flowery clothes that you’d wear in Hawaii.
Continue readingEvery year I try to select songs to fit the annual occasions, such as love songs for Valentine’s, Irish songs for St Patrick’s, nature songs for Earth Day, etc. In my deep dive Beatles songs for my ukulele classes in Zoom, it makes sense to select love songs for the second course in this series of pluck, strum, and riffs, a.k.a. authentic replication.
Continue readingIt’s that time of the year when ukulele players play songs from the Halloween set list. Although Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” is purely instrumental, it works well for the ukulele. It can be played as a solo, duet, and ensemble, in different keys, for low G and high G ukuleles. Let’s take a look at the music.
Continue readingTo conclude the year 2021 on Thursday 30th December, we will celebrate with a Ukulele Jeopardy Game with five categories including Beatles and chords. Promptly at 3 pm EST we will warm up with a short tutorial on how to play the Jeopardy Game theme tune “Think!” Note: You don’t have to participate in a team. If you choose not to participate, stay in the MAIN ROOM while everyone else gets assigned into a breakout room for team formation.
Continue readingThursday 16th December 2021 is reserved for classical music on the ukulele, in line to conclude the two 7-week classes that have taken place in Zoom. The sheet music that have been uploaded will have chord names so that everyone else can play along with the performer while muted. We WILL NOT be sharing screen or scrolling. It will be concert-format, with all eyes on the performer. No screen share.
Continue readingIn line with our Beatles pluck, strum, and riff (7-week) class in Zoom, we share songs of the Beatles over two consecutive sessions of 3 Chord Thursday. On Thursday 9th December, 2021 we explore their lesser known songs. Because of the overwhelming interest in the Beatles we will have two halves, with a break at 4 pm EST. No warm-up.
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