Sun Lakes Ukulele Group kicks off new season

The Sun Lakes Ukulele Group, led by Cottonwood Palo Verde resident Nancy Harrison, will kick off its fourth season on Sunday, October 21. We meet on the first and third Sundays of the month in the Cottonwood Phoenix Room to learn songs, chords, strums, fun licks and tricks on the ukulele. Many of our members are just getting started, so come to the Beginner group and join the fun!

The fee for each session is $3, and the group is open to everyone. The Beginner Session runs from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. The Jam Session from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. is for all levels. Beginners (with standard GCEA tuning ukuleles) will need to purchase the beginner book for $10 (available at the first session). The Jam Session (standard and baritone ukes are welcome in this group) will use a combination of handouts, the Sun Lakes Ukulele Songbook ($12) and The Daily Ukulele, 365 Songs for Better Living, compiled by Liz and Jim Beloff and available at many local music stores or through Amazon.com for $25 to $30.

If you have a ukulele in playable condition (which means that the tuning pegs work, don’t slip, and the strings are relatively new), please come and join us. Bring your music stand, too! If you’re just curious, we’d love to have you drop in, share the fun and see if the ukulele is the instrument for you.

Upcoming sessions:

2018 Fall Schedule: October 21, November 4, November 18, December 2 and December 16

2019 Winter Schedule: January 6, January 20, February 3, February 17, March 3, March 17 and April 7 – 1:30-3:30 p.m. – Jam Session and Snack Potluck – All players

Go to the Sun Lakes Ukulele Group website at www.sunlakesukes.com for more information, or call 503-702-7021 and leave a message and callback number.

Nancy Harrison moved to Cottonwood from Portland, Oregon, as a full-time resident in October, 2013. She studied music education at the University of Iowa and recently completed a Ukulele Teacher Certification program with James Hill in Vancouver, BC. She taught public school music for several years in Iowa and is a recent retiree from Intel Corporation. She is a member of the Luongo Ukulele Ensemble, based in Reno, NV. In July, the group performed 11 concerts in Waikiki, HI, including the 48th Annual Hawaii Ukulele Festival.