Ukulele Group One

Ukulele Interest Group Relaunch

Are you still managing to keep occupied during the various lock downs and restrictions, or are you fed up with gardening, decorating or cleaning the house/car/shed/garage, and wondering what else you could do?

As we are forced to spend more time at home, now is an ideal opportunity to learn to play a(nother) musical instrument – the ukulele. The ukulele was popular in the 1930’s and 40’s, interest waned in the 60’s and is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The instrument is cheap, compact and relatively easy to start to play. Do you think you might like to learn to play the ukulele?

The very successful ukulele group, founded by Heather Barrett, has now restructured outside the U3A to follow its performance ambitions. This leaves the West Wolds U3A ukulele group the opportunity to rethink how it might move forward.

Having agreed to lead the West Wolds ukulele group, my thoughts are that we could focus on giving more individual support than was previously possible. This would mean directing group activity more towards developing technique, proficiency and knowledge and less towards fine tuning songs for public performance. Ultimately the direction and activities of the group will be determined by its membership.

Learning a musical instrument requires a lot of regular, individual practice, preferably with periodic support from a tutor. My simple plan is to provide that support directly to individuals or small groups when safe to meet, and via zoom, email and telephone whilst we are unable to meet.

Opportunities to learn, laugh and live, with the common interest of playing the ukulele will continue to be available, just not perhaps in the manner or on the regular basis we might prefer. We will have to adjust our life expectations and adapt to take advantage of, say a spell of good weather, to meet and play outdoors, using the time when we are locked up in our homes for individual practice or meeting via zoom.

If you are at all interested in participating with a relaunched ukulele group please do make contact with me.

You may wish to add a ukulele to your Christmas present list!

Contact: Tim Hirst, 01673 849571, mothyhirst@gmail.com