Ukuleles Canberra

Well, we currently have 18 expressions of interest in some sort of ukulele community in Canberra

I was thinking we should organise a meeting some time soon, while post-folk festival enthusiasm is still at healthy levels.

My thinking on a venue etc is:

1. a venue/space suitable for at least 25 people would be good, ie allow for few extras
2. a Tue, Wed or Thu night
3. a 1930 start (perhaps optional light meal beforehand for those who can make it)
4. 2 hours would suffice for a 1st mtg, even with a bit of ukulele playing time
5. venue cost
   - hopefully no more than about $50
   - we can probably get those who attend to chip in say $5 each if need be
   - some commercial clubs may consider letting us use a room for free if some of us get together for a light meal beforehand.

1. Introductions, 'show and tell', and burning ukulele questions
2. Any suggestions re the agenda
3. Activities for our group/club/society? 'Reason for being'?
4. Name by which we will be known?
5. Attracting others to join in?
6. If and when to formally establish our group/club/society?
7. Any other business?
8. Date/time/place for next meeting?

I sent the piece below to both the Canberra Times and ABC Radio after getting the opportunity to speak on-air with Ross Solly ABC Radio 666 this morning re the interest in ukulele's at the National Folk Festival.

Ukuleles may not yet have reached the heights of yoyos or hula hoops but there is a considerable wave of interest as evidenced by attendance at ukulele workshops at the National Folk Festival in Canberra over Easter.

Here are a few great websites/links.

• great songbook: www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/tabs.html
• chord chart: www.st.rim.or.jp/~kunisige/eukulele8.html
  
• find any song/artist: www.chordie.com
• other ukulele reources: www.chordie.com/resources.php
• ukulele Beatles fun: www.beatlesite.info
• Australia's ukulele inspiration - Mike Jackson: www.mikejackson.com.au

And when you've mastered all this lot, you might aspire to playing like:

• Ukey Duel Dandy (similar to Dueling Banjos): www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tutorials/Clawhammer/clawhammer.html
  
• Ukulele Gently Weeps: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=829401773913198414

Hi, my name is Steve Matheson, pictured (on the left) with the inimitable Mike Jackson. I am a 53 year old Canberra-based public administrator, married with 2 children and a grandson.

Over the last 12 months I have become a ukulele enthusiast!

And after attending Mike Jackson's Beginner Ukulele Workshop at the National Folk Festival in Canberra on 6 April 2007, along with nearly 100 other would-be ukulele players, I thought it worth checking what interest there is in developing the ukulele community in Canberra.

Now I'm not even sure that there aren't already Canberra-based ukulele interest groups. If there are, I am certainly interested in finding out and joining forces! If not, then perhaps we can get something going!

So if you are interested being part of the ukulele community in Canberra:

* to learn to play
* to pass on ukulele skills or knowledge you already have
* to participate in workshops and/or group performances
* or to just join in the fun of it all


then please let me know (stevematheson@grapevine.com.au) and/or post a message on this blogsite with a question, suggestion or details of a ukulele resource you reckon others will appreciate. As soon as 20 or so of you have surfaced, we can look at a time to meet and discuss next steps, and strum a ukulele or two while we're at it!