Hooray! We have a new section on our site. Each week we will publish an outstanding ukulele video.
This week we recommend listening to the talented Hannah Emerson, singer-songwriter and actor from Dallas, Texas, playing her Ukulele cover for Miley Cyrus’ “Malibu”. Emerson mentions that she got engaged in Malibu, so it has an extra meaning to her. Enjoy!
Before Howie Mandel pushed the “golden buzzer” for Grace VanderWaal to advance straight to the America’s Got Talent live performance rounds after singing her original song I Don’t Know My Name he said, “You’re original that people not knowing your name is so right and so wrong because I think the world is gonna know your name.” With over 63 million views on her audition video in YouTube and close to a million YouTube subscribers, the world certainly did.
Today, if you ask somebody if they know Grace, three things are likely to be associated with her: her blonde bangs, AGT, and her memorable ukulele playing. But did you know that she actually saved up the money she got for her 11th birthday to buy her first uke? In an interview with her by David Sikorski of The Daily Beast after her infamous golden buzzer performance, she revealed that she got interested in playing the uke after being introduced by her sister to Twenty One Pilots. After learning to play the ukulele, she started performing in open-mic events near her home.
For Grace, her AGT journey has been a great confidence booster. Before it, her friends didn’t even know she could sing, let alone she could write incredible songs. But Simon Cowell branded her as the next Taylor Swift, she managed to get an amazing standing ovation streak in all of her performances in AGT and she was adored by the live and home audiences. Having captivated the masses’ hearts with her quavering soulful voice, her relatable and insightful songwriting, and her masterful playing of the ukulele, she was hailed the winner of America’s Got Talent 2016. Aside from headlining her own show in Vegas, she also took home a million dollars. Being the 12-year old kid she was back then, her simple wish was to get a tree-house! And also donate some of her winnings to music charities.
Grace and her family live in Suffern, New York. Her mom and dad are Tina and David VanderWaal respectively. She has an older brother, Jakob; and an older sister, Olivia, whom she considers her best friend. Her song Beautiful Thing which she performed during the quarterfinals of AGT was written for her sister. Later last year, she also brought home a new pug puppy she named Franky, short for Frankenstein. The internet has fallen in love with Franky and his irresistible photos posted on Grace’s Instagram account.
In a video made by TeenVogue, Grace shared that people usually say she sounds like Sia, Halsey, or Melanie Martinez, which I personally agree with. She has the Sia-hoarseness in her voice, the raw and folk sound of Halsey, and Melanie Martinez’ playful style. A combination that marks her vocal style. Most of Grace’s songs, as she revealed in an interview with USA Today, are products of imagining what would it be like if she were a movie or book character and wrote a song. At a young age she explores emotions by trying to connect, understand and empathize with fictional characters. With so much sass, she continued, “I’m twelve, that is not my past experiences,” referring to the love songs she has written.
Well she might be. At the age of 13, her songwriting is comparable with Taylor’s in terms of relatability and catchiness. And she’s charming and loved by the younger (and older) audiences. After all, Taylor Swift’s biggest market when she was starting out were teenage girls. This might be a big of a compliment, coming from Simon Cowell, but Grace VanderWaal is her own superstar in the making.
VanderWaal has been listed by Billboard magazine in its 21 Under 21 List of Music’s Hottest Young Star. She was also nominated for the Best Female Artist category at the International Acoustic Music Awards in 2017, the youngest finalist in the awards’ history. And for this year, she was recognized as the Best New Artist in the 2017 Radio Disney Music Award.
Her AGT experience made her more confident to post videos of her singing covers of her favorite songs. She has over 960 thousand subscribers on YouTube. Some of her lesser known original songs are uploaded in her channel Oh Never mind it’s just me / Grace VanderWaal. If you want to bless your ears with Grace’s awesomeness, go check her channel out.
After her AGT win, she signed a record deal with Columbia Records and got to work with producer Greg Wells for her Perfectly Imperfect EP. The EP contained studio versions of the songs she performed during the AGT 2016.
Her new single, Moonlight, dropped on YouTube, iTunes and Spotify yesterday. Slightly deviating from her usual acoustic and calm but soulful formula, this song climaxes to an energetic chorus with beats that will make you dance; going perfectly to her reminiscing lyrics We were dancing in the moonlight. Little Grace VanderWaal has been experimenting new sounds inside the recording studio. Here is a taste of her upcoming debut album she is planning on releasing by September this year.
The world better watch out. Grace VanderWaal is bound to dominate pop music with her ukulele!
Ukuleles, like every instrument, need to be cared for. Assuming they don’t, is a mistake. Just because they are small, does not mean less effort should be invested for upkeep. From the oil on your fingers to the heat of the sun, the notorious air humidity, and accidents that may arise, your ukulele is prone to hazards you could not imagine.
If you want your uke’s life prolonged, whether it is laminated or made from solid wood, make sure to follow these ukulele care and maintenance tips.
1. Maintain a proper grip when playing
The main concern here is the prevention of dropping your ukulele. Several damages may happen to your uke when you drop it: irreparable scratches and dents, neck and body breakage, tuning problems, bridge or saddle detachment and other grave scenarios you will not be happy about. This is why we advise treating your ukulele with the best care possible – dropping it is one of the worst things that can happen.
2. Be mindful and subtle when using picks and capos
When you are using a pick, make sure that it does not directly touch your uke’s body, specially when strumming a little harder, for that may cause ugly scratches. On the other hand, improper placement and removal of a capo, can cause neck dents. When placing a capo (especially those without rubber coatings), widen its clamp enough to prevent rough contact with the neck. When removing a capo, be sure it is fully unclamped before pulling it off.
3. Say no to having a dirty, claggy uke
Ukuleles are prone to grease buildup from natural dirt and the oil from your hands. The result is a sticky instrument that is unpleasant to play. To prevent this from happening, make cleaning your uke after every playing sessions a habit.
For the body, thoroughly wipe it with a microfiber cleaning cloth to remove dirt and dust before storing it. When removing built-up grime or dried oil and sweat, clean it with a slightly damp cleaning cloth and make sure to remove all smudgy marks on your uke’s body. Dry it with another clean cloth after. If your uke is painted or has a shiny finish, you can use polish products to keep its gloss.
The fingerboard is slightly harder to clean. If you can get your hands on a super fine grade wire wool, the better, but a microfiber cleaning cloth would suffice. Very carefully rub the fingerboard with the cleaning cloth to remove dirt and oil. You can also slip the cloth underneath the strings to clean the board meticulously.
Ukulele strings do not deteriorate as fast as guitar steel strings. However,they pick up oils from your hands. Make it a habit to wipe them after playing to remove the picked up oils. Doing so will prevent dirt from sticking to your strings.
4. Be mindful of where you store your uke
Never leave your uke by a fireplace, heater, oven, radiator, in a car or in a place with direct sunlight. The heat can crisp you uke’s wood and make it brittle and prone to cracking and breaking. Avoid placing your uke (even in its case or bag) in a place where it might drop. Keep your uke away from places where it might get wet from spilled liquids.
5. Watch out for restringing red flags
The truth is, there is no one rule stating when or how frequent you should change your strings. It is really up to you. But there are red flags to watch out for signaling the need for a new set of strings.
From time to time, run your fingers across the strings in search for nicks or grooves cut into them. These notches or cuts are caused by the pressure from the frets or the natural stretching of the strings. These can affect your uke’s tuning and intonation and is a sign of imminent breaking.
Brand new strings tend to go out of tune often because of they are still stretching. This problem gets solved when they are finally stretched to their prime. If you find your seasoned strings constantly out of tune, you might consider restringing.
Lastly, if your uke started producing dull, ugly sounds, it might be time for you to restring.
6. Humidity is tricky
This last tip is for solid wood ukulele users. Humidity is simply the amount of water vapor in the air. The wood used in ukuleles, although processed and cured, still absorbs and bleeds moisture. After all, wood is an organic material. Too high and too low humidity can both harm your ukulele. Keeping the right amount of moisture in your ukulele’s wood in relation to the humidity is a dire requirement to keep it in its top condition.
Your ukulele should be stored in a place with 40% – 60% relative humidity. When there is too much humidity in the air, the wood tends to swell, the tuning pegs and frets corrode quickly, glued joints get undone, the neck might bend and in extreme cases, the bridge and braces loosen. Heightened fret action and neck bending are the usual signs of swelling in ukuleles. When there is too little humidity in the air on the other hand, the wood gets dry. This leads to the shrinking of top and back of the uke, loosening the braces and causing fret buzzing due to the lowered fret action. When wood is deprived of moisture, it easily cracks and breaks.
Your job is to “control the weather” wherever your instrument is stored. Keep a hygrometer in your storing room to monitor the humidity level and take suitable actions to keep the ideal 45%-60% humidity. You can choose from an analog or digital model, and some cases come with one built in. To control room humidity you can use the following:
Just like any other instruments, ukuleles, despite their size, require a considerable amount of upkeep and maintenance. If you want to keep your ukulele in its best condition and rid yourself of possible repair costs, you should start taking good care of your aloha-buddy.
If you are a ukulele enthusiast, as with any other skills, you need to start learning somewhere, right? We have listed 11 useful tips that will keep your learning momentum going.
Credit: musicgroupies.com
Whether you want to initially start with a cheap model to decide if playing the uke is the right thing for you, or you have already put your mind to being good at it and you opted to go with a higher-end model, you need to do some research on what makes a quality ukulele. Our ultimate ukulele buying guide can help you with your ukulele search.
First off, spend time learning about the Ukulele parts and how to tune it. Form a habit of tuning it before playing. You need to practice on holding your ukulele properly. This is important to make it comfortable for you to play the uke and to produce finer sounds. When sitting, you can use one of your legs to hold the uke’s weight and when standing you can let the body of your uke rest on your chest or belly while strumming. Let your strumming hand rest on the top of the uke’s body to play with more ease. Learn and memorize the most basic chord shapes. Doing so will increase your chord repository. This will be very useful when trying to learn new songs.
You fingernails contribute to the sound your Ukulele can make. Keep your fretting hands’ fingernails neat and short to allow clean fretting for a more distinctive sound. Letting your strumming fingernails grow a little can help produce a great sound. For picking and strumming, you might want to grow your nails on the thumb, first, middle and ring fingers.
Starting off, you might get overwhelmed with the plethora of songs you can learn to play with the uke. You might want to learn one of your favorite songs which is likely to have a complicated chord in it or a trickier time signature. Practicing with a complicated song isn’t gonna help. As a beginner, your focus should be improving your familiarity of moving from a chord to another, keeping steady, on-beat strumming, and producing great sound. You can enhance all this by starting with easy ukulele songs that use 3-4 basic chords in their progression.
Practice can feel repetitive and tedious. And that might be a good sign! If it feels easy, you are starting to get better. Repetition is often linked to effective learning. Malcolm Gladwell wrote about reaching success in his book Outliers, where he coined the 10,000 hours rule. Successful artists and athletes he said, have an accumulated 10,000 hours of practice before they become very great at what they do. This, we can easily say, is also true with getting better at playing the uke. With persistent practice, you can surely be great at playing the uke.
Before playing the uke, it is important you set your expectations high. Chances are you are going to play badly at first. But by setting realistic expectations, you can manage your frustrations and avoid getting your spirits crushed.
Effective practice can improve your uke playing. From time to time assess where you are and decide if it’s time to crank it up a notch. If you feel your normal uke routine is getting easier and easier, it might be time to learn some trickier songs.
To pinpoint what areas of your playing need improvement you can record yourself.
Listening or watching other ukulelists play, can give you an idea on how to improve your playing. You can consider this as a chance for you to learn other techniques that you can incorporate into your own style. There are many online resources you can learn from. Artists like Kimo Hussey offer uke lessons online.
If you feel like getting serious on your uke playing, it will be really helpful to learn about music theory. Music theory is the language of music. Forming enough foundation in music theory can make you a better musician. By learning the building blocks of music, you can experiment more with your ukulele playing. And if by chance you wanted to start composing songs with your uke, music theory will be your best friend. See our list of recommended sites for learning ukulele online.
Last, but not least, do not put too much pressure on yourself. Playing the uke should be a fun experience. The very sound of it is meant to make people dance with joy. Go have fun, play, and make people happy with your newfound smile-inducing skill.
| Rank | Site | Teacher | Type | Rating | Promo Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ukulele Buddy | JP Allen | Course | 9.7/10 | Visit Site |
| 2nd | Uke Like the Pros | Terry Carter | Course | 9.6/10 | FREE TRIAL! |
| 3nd | ArtistWorks | Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel | Course | 9.5/10 | -- |
| 4rd | Ukulele Tricks | Brett McQueen | Course | 9.4/10 | -- |
| 5th | Learning Ukulele | Curt Sheller | Subscription | 9.1/10 | -- |
| 6th | Uke School | N/A | Lessons | 9.0/10 | -- |
| 7th | Rock Class 101 | Andrew Hardel | Course | 8.8/10 | -- |
| 8th | Ukulele Underground University | Aldrine, Ryan, & Aaron | Subscription | 8.6/10 | -- |
| 9th | The Ukulele Way | James Hill | Subscription | 8.6/10 | -- |
| 10th | Rocket Ukulele | N/A | Subscription | 8.5/10 | -- |
The Folk Project is continuing the fun, education and the showcase of talents in this year’s 5th New Jersey Uke Fest to be held at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Whippany, NJ on Friday, August 25, and Saturday, August 26, with an outdoor Jam on the Green in Morristown on Sunday, August 27.
August 25 (Friday) – Concert at 8 pm featuring Danielle Ate the Sandwich and The Lords of Liechtenstein
August 26 (Saturday) – Workshops during the day, Concert at 7:30 pm featuring Kimo Hussey, Rachel Manke, and The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio
August 27 (Sunday) – Outdoor Jam
The $90 early bird tickets are still available until June 21. By June 22 until August 24, tickets will cost as follows:
| Day/s and Activity/ies | Ticket Price |
| Full Fest (Friday Concert and Saturday Workshops and Concert) | $100 |
| Saturday (Saturday Workshops and Concert) | $85 |
| Friday (Concert Only) | $20 |
| Saturday (Concert Only) | $20 |
| Saturday (Workshops Only) | $70 |
And by August 25 and 26, if tickets haven’t sold out yet, ticket prices will be:
| Day/s and Activity/ies | Ticket Price |
| Full Fest (Friday Concert and Saturday Workshops and Concert) | $115 |
| Saturday (Saturday Workshops and Concert) | $95 |
| Friday (Concert Only) | $20 |
| Saturday (Concert Only) | $20 |
| Saturday (Workshops Only) | $80 |
The concert lineup for this year is a roster of amazing ukulele artists. Kimo Hussey, Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Rachel Manke, The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio, and The Lords of Liechtenstein will be rocking the 2017 NJ Uke Fest stage with their individual artistries and a right amount of aloha spirit.
Kimo Hussey is one of the best Hawaiian ukulelists and one of the most respected jazz ukulele players in the world. As an artist, he is recognized for his distinctive ukulele solos he masterfully fuses with melody, rhythm and dynamic overtones. As a ukulele teacher, his love for the uke emanates from his enthusiasm to impart knowledge relevant to technique and style and his encouragement to his students that they have fun playing the uke.
Danielle Ate the Sandwich swears not to throw cupcakes at you as she did “the socially adept kids” in her The Terrible Dinner Guest music video. But she swears on giving her audience a good show during the 2017 NJ Uke Fest. The 31-year old ukulelist-singer-songwriter has over 47,000 YouTube followers. The music video for her song The Terrible Dinner Guest has more than 90,000 views and still counting. Her strong vocals in The Terrible Dinner Guest and the ebb and flow of the song’s lyrics reminds me of Sara Bareilles’ She Used to be Mine. “Dinner Guest” has a jollier sound brought by the ukulele track albeit the meaning of the song is quite sad.
Rachel Manke is one of the most talented emerging ukulele artists today. Having been appearing on various stages that range from the Ashokan Uke Fest and Funky Frets Uke Fest, to Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, she’s been called one of the brightest stars in the ukulele realm. Her album Other Duties as Assigned is available online and as what she sings in one of her songs, she can’t give you anything but love. And of course a worthwhile show during the 2017 NJ Ukulele Fest.
How do you think a classic song will sound when played on a ukulele? That is the very question The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio answers in their reworks of timeless classics on How About More Uke? replacing the standard guitar backing of these songs with the higher-pitched sound of a ukulele. The trio consists of Curt Sheller himself, who plays the ukulele; Ed Rick, who plays the drums; and Eric Schreiber, who plays the electric bass. Get ready for eargasmic jazz improvisations, this trio will take you to places!
The Lords of Liechtenstein are often compared to The Everly Brothers for their exquisite harmonic taste and to The Smothers Brothers for their impish acts on stage. Well, that was before. From a two-brother duo act consisting Dan and Noah Rauchwerk, they have transitioned into a full five-piece band adding guitarist Ned Steves, bassist Matt Fernicola, and drummer Arjun Dube. They have opened for various talented musicians such as Brett Dennen, Elephant Revival, and Buckwheat Zydeco, and have been featured on NPR’s syndicated Mountain Stage program. Their newest record Downhill Ride to Joyland, which The Lords describe as a “raucous fifteen-song romp through the ups and downs of human existence” is available for purchase online.
For the second day of the festival, over a dozen of ukulele workshops will be conducted by the performing artists together with the following additional instructors; Christine DeLeon, Mark Dutton, and Makalina. There will be classes for all: from beginners to experienced uke players.
To improve the workshop experience of this year’s participants, The Folk Project has improved their system of giving out handouts. All the materials for the workshops are ready for download and you can get them printed for a fee of $10.
As in the previous NJ Uke Fests, there will be vendors selling different ukuleles, tuners, song books, accessories, artworks, and food.
During the festival, a lunch open mic contest will be held. Attendees will be able to put their names in the hat upon registrations. By the end of the first workshop, a list containing 12 randomly chosen names will be posted by the registration desk. The twelve chosen attendees will each play one song during the lunch break, competing for a chance to perform a song at Saturday night’s concert.
Attendees of the NJ Uke Fest 2017 will also have plenty of chances for spontaneous jam sessions because let’s face it, it’s a festival full of ukulele players!
It’s amazing how the love for an instrument as small as a ukulele can instigate a gathering of people for good music, celebration, and sheer fun. From ukulele virtuosos to people who just love to hear the mood-elevating sound of a uke to people who simply happen to be curious spectators, this festival will leave people with smiles on their faces once it’s done.
Maybe it’s in its magnitude, maybe it’s in its distinctive sound or maybe it’s just magic; we can’t tell for sure, but the ukulele has something special in it that draws people in. If you want to feel that inexplicable magic, the 2017 New Jersey Ukulele Festival is one event you need be a part of.
Let’s put that summer energy to good use! Ukulele Music Info presents the 2017 summer ukulele festivals and camps you can take part in.
Ukulele Festival of Great Britain
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK
June 16-18
Aiming to have its eight “uke-tastic” year this 2017, the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain is one of the biggest ukulele festivals in the world. A three-day ukulele-action-packed celebration featuring the talents of Abe Lagrimas Jr., Ooks of Hazard, Ukulele Uff Trio, Kyas, Strumpdiddlyumptious, Poor Boys of Worcester, Katy Vernon, and Cue; with ukulele workshops for all levels, auctions, and raffle draws.
Kamloops Summer Ukulele Festival
Sorrento, British Columbia, CA
June 16-18
The Kamloops Summer Ukulele Festival is a whole weekend filled with ukulele fun and learning. This year’s venue is the Sorrento Centre which has a view of the beautiful Shuswap Lake. Instructors and performers include Manitoba Hal, Jim D’Ville, Tina Hebner, Jane Jelbart & Mark Jackson.
HUGE 2017
Haworth, Yorkshire, UK
June 17-18
Be sure your ukes are in good shape for this year’s Haworth Ukulele Group Extravaganza, it is going to be a wild ukulele festival. Expect plenty of mass uke strumming, tombola and raffle, HUGE Ale, and an awesome evening of entertainment. On Saturday, June 17th there will be a flash mob, an afternoon of ukulele groups playing sets including songs from musicals and loads of chances to join in and play. The festival mission is to not go any longer than 20 minutes without picking up a uke and playing songs from the 2017 songbook. In the evening there will be a concert by No Fluke. On Sunday there will be a Ukulele Steam Train Special from Haworth station on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway as well as a small flea market for folks to shop at. This year’s theme is Songs From the Musicals, wouldn’t it be great to hear I Dreamed a Dream played and sang with a ukulele?
Ukestock Festival
Leermens, Groningen, Netherlands
June 23-24
Described as a “small festival for a small instrument”, this is a weekend of workshops and concerts with the ukulele as the centerpiece. The artists performing at the very first Ukestock Festival are De Habachos, Professor Peter, The Kokosnackers, and Bad Mouth Orchestra.
6th Original Utah Uke Fest Concert
Highland, Utah, USA
June 24
The 6th Utah Uke Fest invites you to bring your ukulele and your friends for a whole day of free workshops, open mic picnic, ukulele jams and a free concert featuring The Naked Waiters, Cathy Cash, West Side Pride and UFO HUM.
SHNUGFEST
Dover, New Hampshire
June 24
An initiative of the Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group, the SHNUGFEST is gathering for “ukesters” of all levels to have fun and enjoy the summer weather to the tune of their beloved ukuleles. For this year, the Upper Valley Uke Group, Andrea Shirbik, The Flukes, So. ME Strumers, SNHUG, Bob’s Your Uncle and the Concord Group are performing.
Mandorah, Northern Territories, Australia
June 24-25
Savor the summer heat, this is two days of ukuleles, country, and folk by the beach. The Mandorah Ukulele and Folk Festival is a free two-day uke fest by the Wagait Beach organised by the Cox Country Club Inc. This is a weekend of good music, summer shirts, and leis. Performing artists are Ben Hur Helwend, Ali Mills, Mirrabooka, Tracy Bunn, Ben Evolent and Johnny McIntyre.
Midwest Uke & Harmonica Camp
Olivet, MI, USA
June 23-25
Last year’s Midwest Uke & Harmonica Camp received many favorable reviews. Praised for its well-organized flow, effective instructors and enriching classes, the camp is bound to continue what it has started with this roster of artists/instructors; Sarah Masiel, Craig Chee, Gerald Ross, Lil Rev, Jim Beloff, Rachel Manke, Stuart Fuchs, Cathy Fink, Steven Espaniola, Ben Hassenger, Marcy Marxer, Gerald Ross, Andy Wilson, Frank Youngman and Sandy Weltman.
Geraldine Ukefest 2017
Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand
July 6-9
A little bit of Hawaii is coming to New Zealand! This year’s Geraldine Ukefest features Hawaii’s very own award-winning ukulele virtuoso Bryan Tolentino and Halehaku Seabury. These amazing ukulelist and 100+ more performances from different talented artist will make of you wanna dance and sing to the tune of their ukuleles’ “aloha-ness.”
Rocky Mountain Uke Fest
Durango, Colorado, USA
July 7-9
Rocky Mountain Uke Fest brings Kevin Carroll, Jack-n-Jel, and Devin Scott as instructors and performers for this year 3-day long ukulele camp.
Summer Strum 2017
Wirral, United Kingdom
July 7-9
Beat the heat of the summer and dance with the frolic sound of the ukulele at this year’s Summer Strum, hosted by the Wirral Ukulele Orchestra. Get entertained by the Wild Pear, Ian Campbell, Kiki Fox, Two of Us, El D’uke and many more. The Splintered Ukes are giving a free concert on Friday July 7th and Trellebelle Ukulele Orchestra are travelling all the way from Sweden to play at the event!
Box Ukulele Festival
Box, Wiltshire, UK
July 8, 2017
Box Ukulele Festival is newly organized music event by The Queen’s Head that aims to showcase the variety of music genres one can play with a ukulele. Don’t mess with its size. Pop, punk, rock, indie, jazz, you just name it, you can play with the ukulele. Headlining for its first year will be The Mighty Lemon, and with them is their rock, punk and pop repertoire of songs.
Rye Ukulele Festival
Rye, East Sussex, UK
July 8
Prep your hippy outfits for this year’s Rye Ukulele Festival’s theme is a celebration of the 50th year of The Beatles’ 1967 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club album. All you need for this uke fest is love and a ukulele! The 3rd Rye Ukulele Festival featuring ukulele bands from across the South East will take place on Saturday 8th July, from 11 am at The Cinque Ports Arms, Rye. It will include food, drinks, Ukulele stalls and more. The entry is free, and families (and ukes!) are welcome.
Uke-U-6
Bend, Oregon, USA
July 14-16
Come and be part of the Uke-U-6 ‘ohana and celebrate the spirit of aloha in this three days of friendship, ukulele music, and education. The performing artists include Andy Andrews, Neal Chin, Jim D’Ville, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Arden Fujiwara, Denise Hinz and Patty Sage, Cinda Johnson, Aaron and Nicole Kim of the Quiet American, Lil’ Rev, Casey MacGill, Kalae Miles, Mark Ransom, and Carl Ventis.
Nanaimo Ukulele Festival
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
July 15-16
This year’s “great little festival” features two intermediate workshops lead by James Hill and two beginner workshops lead by Nanaimo’s very own Rob Wilkinson. James Hill and Anne Janelle will be adding to the fun with their ukulele-meets-the-cello performance.
47th Annual Oahu Ukulele Festival
Waikiki, Oahu
July 16, 2017
Who wouldn’t love to take part in Hawaii’s summer Ukulele Festival at Kapiolani Park Bandstand? It’s the largest annual summer tradition spreading the aloha spirit in the Aloha State itself after all. The festival is known for the performance of a ukulele orchestra composing of 800 kids. Now that’s too much ukulele at the same time!
Fifth Czech Ukulele Festival
Unetice, Czech Republic
July 28-30
Continuing its tradition of being the a mobile ukulele festival, this year’s Czech Ukulele Festival will begin with a ukulele train ride to exhibit the beauty of the spa town of Poděbrady. Then, the next two days will take place in the picturesque village of Únětice on the Prague outskirts, in a functioning brewery. The music for the festival’s main events will range from the Hawaiian classics of Aldrine Guerrero and Kimo Hussey to rhythm ‘n´ blues from Dead Man´s Uke and many more.
Third Annual CascoBay UkeFest
Portland, ME, USA
July 29, 2017
For the third time since 2014, the CascoBay UkeFest is yet again gearing up to give ukesters of all ages a day entertainment, learning, and good ukulele music at St. Luke’s Cathedral in the beautiful seaside city of Portland Maine. In addition to local ukulele groups performing, with the audience joining in on strum and sing-along songs; also the talented Stuart Fuchs will be performing and leading two ukulele workshops.
Utah Ukulele Festival
Logan, Utah, USA
August 5
Utah’s one and only all FREE and completely outdoor ukulele festival is taking place on Aug. 5 in Logan, Utah. The Utah Ukulele Festival offers free workshops/lessons for all ages, vendors/concessions, and wonderful entertainment all day long. Headlining this year’s event is multi-Na Hoku Hanohano nominees and father-son due, Mele’uhane who hail from the Big Island of Hawaii. Bring your camp chairs/blanket, your family and friends, and come soak up some sun while listening to the beautiful sounds of the ukulele.
Parbulele
Parbold, Lancashire, UK
August 4-6
Parbold’s Ukulele Festival “promises to be an unforgettable occasion in a truly beautiful location.” Look forward to a whole weekend of ukulele workshops for kids and adult alike, series of open mics and entertaining performances for UK’s best ukulele artists. The headline acts will include Ad Cooke, Michael Adcock, Chonkinfeckle, Ukulele Uff Trio and more!
Uke-A-Bay
Colwyn Bay, Wales, UK
August 11-13
Woteva, Fagin’s Boys, Michael Adcock and Gaudy Orde are coming to bring rays of sunshine with their ukuleles to the biggest and brightest ukulele festival in Northern Wales.
New Jersey Uke Fest
Whippany and Morristown, NJ, USA
August 25-27
The Folk Project has again organized a whole weekend of fun ukulele workshops, performances, spontaneous jams, open mics, and vendors. Bringing in their ukulele prowess for the 2017 NJ Uke Fest are Kimo Hussey, Rachel Manke, Danielle Ate the Sandwich The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio and The Lords of Liechtenstein.
Vienna Ukulele Night
Vienna, Austria
August 26
Der ukulelenprediger, eidaxl combo, puschkawü, the bad mouse orchestra and more are coming to the Local bar in Vienna for an exciting ukulele event.
Garfest
Garstang, Lancashire, UK
August 26
A new addition to the Garstang Music and Arts Festival, GarFest is a day of full of unforgettable ukulele fun. A perfect activity for the kids this summer.
Ukulele Hooley by the Sea
Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
August 26-27
Dig those summer shirts out, practice your dance moves and tune your precious ukulele for two days of ukulele fun and frolics by the sea.
Uking Under the Tuscan Sun
Sovicille, Sienna, Italy
September 9-16
A complete Tuscan Ukulele retreat in an idyllic Tuscan villa with a view of the Senese Mountains with workshops from renowned experts Peter Moss and Francesco Albertazzi.
Ukus in Fabula, the entertaining trio from Rome, will also be joining at the villa for a house concert, jam and morning workshop. Wine tastings, cooking classes, a Tuscan spa visit and excursions to Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Castellina in Chianti and more are on the itinerary. Daily workshops and jams are planned. Also, the festival offers private chef-catered meals at a century old Italian villa.
Alabama Uke Fest
Lake Guntersville, Alabama, USA
September 9
The Alabama Uke Fest is a nice way to spend a Saturday with the family. The itinerary includes uke lessons, group strummings, open mics and performances.
Tune in Dunes VII
Lincoln, Oregon
September 15-17
James Hill & Anne Janelle, Steven Espaniola, Aaron and Nicole Keim, Jim D’Ville, Andy Andrews, Bryan Holley, and Hood River Trio are bringing joy and entertainment for this year’s Tune in Dunes VII.
Dock Street Uke Camp
Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada
September 15-17
Held in conjunction with the Whirlygig and Weathervane Festival, The Dock Street Uke Camp aims to provide a unique ukulele learning experience near the port of the beautiful Shelburne City.
OUC.5 Ohio Ukulele Campout
Loudonville, Ohio
September 22-24
Last year’s Ohio Ukulele Campout ended with an exuberant summer strumming. The ultimate ukulele camping experience is coming back this year at the Mohican Adventures Campground.
The Central Coast Uke Festival
Central Coast, NSW, Australia
September 23-24, 2017
Two days of ukulele bonding, dancing, market stalls, food stalls and rides for the kids, and performances at The Entrance Memorial Park.
Port Townsend Uke Fest 2017
Port Townsend, Washington
September 27 – October 1
Port Townsend Uke Fest is a 4-day limited uke fest and workshop to be held at Fort Worden State Park. Workshops include different style choices such as jazz, blues, swing, Hawaiian, pop, novelty, and jug band ukulele.
SPRUKE Brisbane Ukulele Festival
South Brisbane, Australia
September 29 – October 1, 2017
The SPRUKE is an initiative of the Brisbane Ukulele Musicians Society Inc. that brings together people for the love of the ukulele. The finalized list of artists to perform during the SPRUKE includes Kyas Ryo, Ukulele Russ, Tyrone and Lesley and The Pockets.
Royal City Uke Fest
Dublin Street United Church, Guelph, Ontario
September 30, 2017
The very first Royal City Uke Fest is set to give you dynamic uke workshops, fun group strums and a performance from James Hill and Anne Janelle.
2017 Los Angeles International Ukulele Festival
Torrance, California, USA
September 30, 2017
The 2017 Los Angeles International Ukulele Festival is a celebration of the 4-stringed bundle of sunshine that has been making people smile, and sing and dance happily for over 100 years. This is a festival for everybody; whether you are an experienced ukulelist, a newbie, an occasional strummer or just a curious spectator.
2017 Albuquerque Ukekopeli Festival
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
September 29 – October 1
Play the uke with Albuquerque ukesters! You can be part of a live studio audience at the Friday night concert starring Ralph Shaw from England, Dani Joy from California, Mark Baker from Arizona and Gracie Terzian from New York. The next days will be filled with ukulele jams and workshops for all skill levels. What a great way to end the summer!
Hi Folks, Ryan Choi is one of the most innovative and talented Ukulele players in the US today. We were lucky enough to get the opportunity to catch up with Ryan to hear more about his journey playing the Uke and about his plans for the future.
My name is Ryan Choi. I live in Honolulu, Hawai’i, where I was born and raised. I compose and record music. I released three albums in 2016, Three Dancers (Accretions), Whenmill (Off), and Company / Arbors (Der Schöne Hjuler-Memorial-Fond), the first two of which featured original pieces for the baritone ukulele, an instrument that my name is now bound up with, somewhat to my chagrin, since I see myself principally as a composer and an arranger, as someone who makes recordings. My interests in music—and sound—extend beyond any one instrument.
One day my discography may or may not reflect this. I hope that it does.
A blend of the formal and the self-experimental, more the latter. I didn’t take up the ukulele until a relatively late age. Before this, I was trained in western classical music on the double bass and spent many years studying scores at the piano, reading books on theory, thinking about music and improvising, trying on mask after musical mask—I was very much in hiding during this time; then, in my early twenties, I quit music for a number of years; I never earned a music degree. My musical perspective is predicated on this peripatetic sort of background. The analogue to consider is comparing the outlook of a person who spent their childhood living in one place to that of another who grew up moving around—each would have a unique sense of what “home” is.
A windmill mills wind, a whenmill mills time.
Odi et amo: what I love lives at amicable odds with what I loathe. As a minority instrument, the ukulele is quaintly mistreated, its practitioners lightheartedly imposed upon to address its “exoticness” with questions that wouldn’t be asked of a guitarist or a pianist; one is all too frequently taken gently by the hand, sat in a box, made to be a spokesman for a whole that doesn’t exist in reality as primly as it does in the questioner’s mind. My experience of being a player of a so-called minority instrument is, at different times, mired in self-questioning political tension, willed contentment, and slavish pugnacity—it’s quite fascinating, and maddening. I marshal the phrase “minority instrument” with the utmost intent; the standard discourse in music parallels nontrivially the standard discourse in matters of culture and ethnicity, and not only in the ways in which rank and merit are meted out—both are expressions of the same preponderant pattern, one of many naturally occurring (like geological formations), current in our collective reason.
No tours and no plans to. I have a few things now in post-production that are coming out this year and I’m already preoccupied with the releases that will follow—some of it ukulele, some of it not—and I’m very fortunate to be so, because I’m not always so busy, and I never assume that my music won’t up and leave me again, as it has in the past; yet, even when I am in the depths of one of these miserable fallow periods—not at all touching or looking at my instruments—I still secretly shoulder the assumption that afflatus will come knocking again, even though I know this is a baseless fiction that I use to console myself in the face of sheer future uncertainty: the death of a piece (so key to its being) remains for this author a harbinger of short-lived relief and longer- lasting unease.
I’m hesitant to give tips. It puts me in the position of teacher to an imaginary student when I have no credentials as such, and there are so many different types of ukulele players in the world—some of whom need little to no steering and others that require extensive intervention—that to give general advice is a rather hapless exercise in diminution. Advice is most effective, and least harmful, when tailored to a specific person after one has gained some personal familiarity with the advice-seeker. With this caveat, I’ll share four things (which only happen to come readily to mind at the moment): one, don’t spend too much time listening to other ukulele players; two, don’t waste time practicing, better to spend the time engaged in the real thing; three, there are times when you must look outside of music for the solution, even if it’s only to find that there is no outside; and four, be vigilant of all confectioners of advice.
Official website:
http://www.ryanckchoi.com
So we love cats and we love Ukuleles so why not have the best of both worlds. So we went out and did a whole lot of research to find the funniest Uke cat videos on YouTube and the results are well, pretty hilarious. Some of the videos here were featured in major news outlets such as the Huffington Post. According to Feline Culture We’re not the only nut jobs that love both cats and ukuleles. Further digging did show other wonderful online resources such as http://www.coolcatukes.com and catster.com. Do you have a Ukulele-cat encounter worth sharing? Let us know all about it in the comment section and we’ll add right away to our top ten PURRFECT list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4MkIN24q9k
Tyler Joseph is the lead singer of the duo band Twenty One Pilots (TOP), which he formed together with his friend Josh Dun the drummer. With their fourth album Blurryface they achieved the breakthrough and in just two years they became well known throughout as well as outside USA. Tyler is a talented musician who started playing piano during his late childhood but couldn’t get into music school. That did not stop him from pursuing a music career, so he started writing his own songs and together with few of his friends started a local band. Their early gigs were not very successful and soon his mates backed out, so he recruited Josh Dun and together they started performing on bigger stages. Tyler’s music is comprised of various styles combining in unique ways, creating a mix of rap, indie and ballads. His songs are sometimes influenced by his Christianity and full of meaningful lyrics, which bring out emotions especially in the acoustic versions with piano and ukulele. Here is a selection of Tyler Joseph’s best 10 ukulele songs:
11. Addict with a pen
The pair that is twenty-one pilot’s Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun gave a large applause for their strong live sets and a different mix of piano-driven pop and lyrical uplift. No unpopular people to the way, twenty-one pilots has created an emotional national following through their strong live performances at countless news shows and tours.
12. Heathens
Extracted from the No. 1 Suicide Squad soundtrack, “Heathens” has blurred beats and evolved into yet different huge song for Tyler. It was ranked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Top 40 while winning Hot Rock Songs
13. Doubt
Doubt is an album song from the lead 10 set Blurry face that is added up easily by the title. The song is filled with doubt with an attractive rhythm with lyrics like “Don’t forget about me album carrying it through the first half.
14. Friend, Please
Twenty one pilots individual aired out their individual-titled appearance album in 2009. The list was more moving and photographic tonally and “Friend, Please” is evocative of the previous work by Muse.
15. Screen
In 2013, twenty one pilots aired out their third studio album Vessel, the first on a bigger list. “Screen” is distinct in a view that it is thepairs changing tone fused with a Jason Mraz-like song.
There are lots of Ukulele lovers out there and you are likely one of them. If you are, then you might like to know what Ukulele events will be happening around you. Well, we are going to give you a list of the top ten Ukulele events in 2017 that would be happening in the US and we hope you make out time for any of them you might like.
Date: scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 30, 2017
Time: The exact time for this event is from 9 am to 5 pm that same day
Location: The event is going to be taking place at the Chabot College-Campus performing Arts centre, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward, CA 94545
The Ukulele-festival of Northern California is said to be the longest-running Ukulele festival on the mainland; and has been attended by Ukulele lovers from neighboring countries such as Canada, as well as locals in the United States. Information regarding the price and performers for the event can be got by reaching the organizers via ukulelefestivalnorcal@gmail.com.
Date: The Midwest Uke Camp is an exciting event that is scheduled to hold from June 23-25
Time: Camp begins at noon Friday June 24 at 1:45, ends at 2:00 pm on Sunday June 26
Location: Olivet College Campus in Olivet, Michigan
As it is a teaching event, classes are usually organized for the participants. The instructors in these classes are usually famous Ukulele players and that is what makes the program fun.
The Midwest Uke Camp usually picks top teaching artists from North America in order that the campers with rich and diverse experience of having to learn many styles and techniques. The full list of the instructors of the instructors for this event is yet to be released. Other relevant information related to this event can be found at www.midwestukecamp.com.
Date:-This year`s event will be held between July 14 and July 16
Time:-TBD
Location:-The venue for this Ukulele event is the Cascade academy, 19860, Tumalo-Reservoir Road, Bend OR 97701.
The 2017 Uke U-6 is one of the top Ukulele events that many are already looking forward to.
This year`s event is going to feature some of the most successful Ukulele musicians and instructors. Some of the performers that are expected at the event include Andy Andrews, Casey McGill, Cinda Johnson and a host of others. More information on this event can be obtained from www.ukeu.info
Date:-The event has been slated for the 30th of September
Time:-8:00-18:00
Location:-The venue is the Torrance Cultural Arts-Center located at 3330 Civic Center, Dr. Torrance, CA 90503.
Another major Ukulele event that is to hold this year is the Los Angeles Ukulele Festival. The event has been held every two years for over hundred years.
It is a festival that is meant for both professional players and amateurs alike. Novices are also welcome as spectators at the event. In addition, there will be performances by top notch Ukulele players and lots of workshops for participants. Further information on this event can be found at www.kalakoa.com
Date:-The Las Cruces UkeFest Ukulele has been scheduled to take place from May 19 to May 21 this year.
Time:-TBD
Location:New Mexico Farm and Ranch heritage museum.
The event is hosted yearly by Las Cruces Ukes, a non-profit organization that was formed by several Ukulele lovers in 2013.
Since the club was established, over 60 performances have been given and its popularity has continued to increase. The event boasts several high quality instructors such as Maker Baker and Jim D`Ville. For more details concerning this year`s workshop, visit www.lascrucesukes.blogspot.com
Date:-This year`s event is scheduled to hold between 26 and 29th of May.
Time:-TBD
Location:-Ashokan Music & Dance Camps
PO Box 49, Saugerties, NY 12477
Uke fest is a yearly event that is organized by Ashokan music and dance camp. The festival is opened to the general public and tickets are included in the camp tuition. This event is being held for the fifth time since its inception.
It is essentially retreating that is made for Ukulele players of any skill level. It promises to be fun. The event is going to include concerts jam sessions, and great foods. Some of the stars that would be featured on the Saturday night concert include James Hill & Anne Janelle. To find out more concerning this concert visit www.ashokan.org
Date:-he concert has been slated to hold on Friday, February 24
Time:-TBD
Location:– Congregational church 1009 Main St., Branford, CT.
This particular Ukulele Concert is actually a fundraising concert in which the artists Liz and Belof would perform. T at First The concert is to be a fundraiser for the annual Alice Collins Memorial scholarship. The general ticket price for the public is $15. For more information, you can reach the organizers on 203-488-3088.
Date:-The event has been scheduled to hold on Sunday, July 26
Time:– 10.30 am to 5 pm
Location:–
This year 2017 marks the 47th anniversary of the famous Ukulele festival Hawaii. The most interesting thing about this concert is that admissions are going to be free. The exact venue for the concert is at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand in Waikiki. It is one of the largest Ukulele events in the world. For more information visit www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org
Date:– Scheduled to hold from the 23rd of February to the 25th.
Time:– Starts 13:00 Fabruary 23rd, end 20:00 on February 25th.
Location:-Palm Strings
It is an expanded Ukulele festival that would attract a wide array of ukulele players in the country. The show will begin on the 23rd with plenty of unique workshops that can hardly be matched anywhere else. There is also going to be a poolside and a kickoff party depending on the weather that day. In the hot summer month fleas might be an issue so make sure you have your ultrasonic pest repeller close by.
In addition, there is going to be a Saturday night performance by notable Ukulele players such as Victoria Vox and friends. Other stars like James Hill & Anne Janelle would also perform at the event. For more information follow this link: www.ukulele.cafe/palmstrings17
Date:– This year’s Ukulele festival has been scheduled to hold on August 5th.
Time:– 10am-9pm.
Location:-Willow Park 450 W 700s in Logan, Utah
For further information on this event please visit www.utahukefest.com
The fourth album by essence was produced in a grassroots way, her first album funded solely on the support of her fans on Kickstarter. ?A Dog Named Moo? is a collection of heartfelt songs as a gift of love for her son Rhys, who has been enjoying these lighthearted, humorous tunes his mom?s been singing to him since he was born.
?I never set out to make a kid?s record,? essence explains. ?It was the furthest thing from my mind but when I had my son Rhys ? I needed to find creative ways to engage him in everyday events like taking baths, getting dressed, or wearing a seat belt. For awhile I was making up little ditties and then one day it dawned on me that these were real songs that other kids would enjoy too. At first I was horrified because I wanted to make rock ?n? roll music, but what I realized is that I am a songwriter who writes about life and becoming a mom has been the most profound experience ? it has changed me forever. I find great satisfaction in capturing the joy I was experiencing with my son in songs. Then everything became a song!?
essence proved that making a popular album does not require a record label or a huge outlay of her own money. Through Kickstarter she reached out to her community asking if they would help fund her project. With the support of her friends and fans she was able to raise twenty thousand dollars allowing this project to be realized. Most songs were co-written by Jeffrey Pease with illustrations by Alex Conn. The banjo, ukulele, guitars, upright bass and drums were played by instrumental extraordinaire and producer, Daniel Berkman. essence credits her management consultant Dick Wingate (Bruce Springsteen, Aimee Mann, Elvis Costello) and her ultimate inspiration, her son.
About essence: Billboard Magazine describes essence as ?a singer, who, like Madonna, isn?t afraid to take musical chances.? A sixth generation San Francisco native, her parents were quintessential flower children from Haight-Ashbury, hence her name spelled with a lowercase e. She traveled extensively, lived in Africa and Europe and went to 14 schools before fifth grade. Upon graduating from college, essence signed to a division of MCA Records. In 1998, she won The National Lilith Fair Talent Search (5,000 entries). essence was then signed to RCA records for three years and worked with producer Bill Bottrell (Michael Jackson, Sheryl Crow). With producer Garth May, she completed her critically acclaimed ?Mariposa? record. Subsequently she signed with Or Music (Los Lonely Boys, Matisyahu) out of Manhattan. essence produced ?Feels Like The Future? independently in 2009 which lead to winning the grand prize for the Great American Song Contest (15,000 entries), and second place in the International Song Writing Contest (2010). The title track was prominently featured on ?Access Hollywood,? and several songs played live and recorded on the nationally syndicated ?Art of the Song? (240 NPR affiliated stations).
essence has opened for Jason Mraz, Shawn Colvin, Tom Petty, Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Chrissie Hynde, Steve Miller, Linda Perry and the Indigo Girls. essence?s voice and style has been compared to Jewel, Alanis Morrisette, Tori Amos and Imogen Heap. Her key inspirations are Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell and Willie Nelson. More information about essence can be found at http://www.essencemusic.com
Celebs who play the ukulele? These videos include celebs playing the uke from around the world who are contributing to the popularity surge that’s happening in the ukulele world. We did some research to bring you the top 10 celeb uke players of all time. So without further ado here are our top 10: