Monday, May 30, 2016


Here it is - this year's Schedule of Events!  All Ages - All Fun - All Free!


THE SECOND ANNUAL CASCOBAY UKEFEST

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

OPEN MIC IN THE NAVE

 2:00 to 6:00 

You can sign up for a time slot at cascobayukefest@gmail.com or at the Welcome Desk at the UkeFest.  This is a time to jam with old friends and new friends in a very informal setting.

WORKSHOPS
2:00 to 5:00

Thanks go to Ukulele Magazine for coming up with the following handy way to describe what your level of playing might be. Use these Levels to help you figure out which workshop might be the best for you.

Level 1: Beginner  Welcome!  You are in this most exciting phase of the learning curve until you can move between chord changes and keep a beat.  Get fluent with (at least your C, F, and G7 and then head to the next level.
Level 2: Early Intermediate  Now you’re a player, but chord diagrams over the words are still a must.  Your job here is to master B flat, get some strums under your belt and grow into your instrument - this is when you truly learn how to practice.
Level 3: Experienced Intermediate Look at you, singing and strumming at the same time!  You know a bunch of chords and are ready to use them.  Time to dig in and learn some exciting techniques and maybe venture further up the neck.  Be proud of yourself, this is a fine plateau to reach.
Level 4: Advanced You can hear changes, you know some barre and closed chords, and have toured the real estate above the fifth fret.  You are unafraid of the tricky stuff, ready to sit with the big kids.  When things go over your head, watch and listen closely, then take your new ideas home to practice.
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2:00 - 2:50  ”I WANT TO PLAY THE UKE!”, Nina Miller
Level 1: Beginner/Emmanuel Chapel
This is a workshop designed for adults who are interested in learning to play the uke. You'll be playing songs and whistling Dixie within 50 minutes!
Nina Miller founded and directs the FLUKES (Falmouth Library Ukulele Society) and has been blissfully plucking, strumming and singing along with 35 of her new best friends who make up the FLUKES.  When not parading around with ukulele in hand, Nina can be found tooting her own French horn in the Portland Symphony Orchestra.  
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2:00 - 2:50 TABS for Ukulele, Rick Gammon

Level 2: Early Intermediate/Upper Parish Hall
This session will be a basic introduction to the concept of Tablatures (TABs) and how to use them.  This workshop is right for you if you’re not an advanced player (yet) and you may not read music or know where the notes are on the fretboard, but you want to figure out how to pluck simple melodies on your uke.  By the end of the workshop, you should be able to play the first few bars of “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue” and know how to work through the rest of the song.

Rick Gammon, a member of the FLUKES, started teaching himself to play the ukulele four years ago and learns something new about it every day.

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3:00 - 3:50 Enhance Strumming Skills, Duncan Perry

Level 3: Experienced Intermediate/Upper Parish Hall
Ratchet up your strumming skills and add some ornamentation to your playing. In this workshop, we’ll explore the Swing Shuffle, Half Bar, Calypso, Cowboy, and Folk strums. Fanning, chunking and basic hammering-on will round out the session. To get the most out of this workshop you need to be able to sing, strum, keep the beat and make seamless chord transitions.

Duncan Perry, a recovering banjo and guitar player, was smitten by the ukulele nine years ago. He teaches ukulele in the Greater Portland area, entertains both old and young, and is a member of the FLUKES.

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3:00 - 3:50 Music Therapy and the Ukulele 

Level 0: No Musical Experience Necessary/Emmanuel Chapel
Learn about the field of music therapy and how the many aspects of music - including playing the ukulele! - can help people reach their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional goals. Learn theories through hands-on practice in songwriting, improvisation, and relaxation.

Kate Beever is a Board Certified Neurologic Music Therapist with a Master’s degree in Music Psychotherapy from New York University. While in New York, she interned at Beth Israel Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Kate returned to the fresh air of Maine to open Maine Music & Health. She works with clients of all ages with cancer, autism, cerebral palsy, brain injury, depression, developmental disabilities, dementia, and respiratory diseases.


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4:00 - 4:50  Parents and Children: Uke Can Do it!, Alex Adams

Level 1:  Beginner/Emmanuel Chapel
A beginning Ukulele lesson for all ages, particularly for parents and their children who want to learn to play together.  Parents and children will learn to play two songs on the ukulele. We will cover Holding the Ukulele, Chording, Strumming and more! A great way to dive into playing the uke
songs “Clementine”, and “The More We Get Together”.

Alex Adams is a musician and educator from Brunswick and teaches Ukulele, Guitar,  Bass and Clawhammer Banjo at Midtown Music in Biddeford.  He also provides music classes free-of-charge at the afterschool R.A.D. Music  program at Mayo Street Arts in Portland for students age 7-12. Alex has been a private teacher of fretted strings for more than 10 years. 

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4:00 - 4:50 Understanding Chord Progressions on the Ukulele, Steve Roy

Level 4: Advanced/Upper Parish Hall
In this workshop we will examine various chord progressions that are commonly encountered.  We'll talk about how those chords relate to the key, and learn how to transpose songs into other keys.   We'll also learn how to find the melody notes within the chords. 

Steve Roy is a multi-instrumentalist from Portland and is fluent in a vast array of musical styles, including jazz, bluegrass, folk, rock, jam, funk, classical, country, old time, rockabilly, heavy metal, and much more. Steve is most well known as an upright bassist, but also performs and teaches ukulele, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle. In 2013, Steve traveled to Hawaii to immerse himself in the rich ukulele tradition of the region. He currently teaches at 317 Main St. Community Music Center in Yarmouth.

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EVENING IN THE NAVE

6:00 to 8:00 

6:00 - 6:20 - Amanda Panda of Music & Magic Magic 

6:25 - 6:45 - The Peaks Island Ukes

6:50 - 7:10 - The FLUKES

7:15 - 7:35 - The Urban Ukuleles


7:40 - 8:00 - The Public Grand Finale.   For everyone who wants to sing and strum together three songs  - “What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor”, “Sloop John B”, and “Portland Farewell” (using just our favorite chords - Am, C, F, G, and G7).  Bring your ukulele and join in the fun!