2016 Ukulele Spectacular at Coquitlam Multicultural Fair

2015 Group Photo at Spirit Square, Glen Pine Pavilion

Our dear friends, Gary Cyr and Ron Usher, will be leading us and playing the bass respectively during our performance on July 16 as a part of the Multicultural Fair at Spirit Square in Coquitlam. Our presentation is coined “Ukulele Spectacular”. If you would like to participate but have not signed up yet, complete the form below to let us know as the more the merrier! If you have spare ukes to bring for the audience to try, let us know as well.

The Fair actually starts at 11 am and there will be “a variety of live entertainment, music and dance. Many cultures will be represented with performances from Chinese, South Asian, Polynesian, Korean and South American groups. There will be door prizes and activities for kids as well as adults. Visitors can try their hand at Chinese brush painting, calligraphy or learn a new dance.”

This year, we will also have a booth to give mini ukulele tutorials and/or to just hang out to meet other aspiring ukulele players. To sign up for the volunteer table, please use the same form below.

Admission to attend the event is free and there will be a concession with a barbecue lunch and other food available for purchase. There will also be door prizes and raffle draws. We are also contributing a couple of prizes for the event.

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Performance

Date: Saturday, July 16, 2016
Time: 11:30am – 12:00pm (Please arrive by 11:00am as requested by City of Coquitlam.)
Attire: Hawaiian-themed outfits (e.g., leis, grass-skirts, etc.) or Cutie t-shirts
Accessories: Bring an uke, a music stand and songbooks.
Location: Spirit Square, 3000 Burlington Drive, at Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Parking: City Hall parking lot, Glen Pine’s underground parking lot and its Burlington Drive parking lot. There is also parking at Town Centre field, but that will unlikely be necessary for you to park that far away.

A shuttle bus will run between Glen Pine Pavilion and Dogwood Pavilion during the event. See official website for current shuttle schedule and information.

Photo Credit: Terry Wilson

Outreach Booth

Our outreach booth is our home base for us to leave our stuff and/or to hang out during the performances. We will have a few colour ukes to show visitors how to play (or for us to have a jam)!

Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm (We’ll be setting up our table around 10:00am.)
Location: Spirit Square, 3000 Burlington Drive, at Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Wi-Fi: Wireless devices should be able to pick up wi-fi signal from the Glen Pine Freenet.

Map:

Informal Practice Jams

Note: Everyone is welcome to participate at the Fair without coming to the informal practice jams. However, please do register so that we can let the organizer know how many chairs to put on stage, etc.

Date: Monday, June 27, 2016
Time: 12 noon
Location: Noons Creek Park, 2500 Panorama Drive, Coquitlam
Accessories: Bring a lunch, an uke, a chair, a music stand, and songbooks.

Date: Friday, July 1, 2016
Time: 5:00pm
Location: Coquitlam Town Centre Park, 1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Accessories: Bring an uke, a chair, a music stand, and songbooks.

Date: Friday, July 15, 2016
Time: 12 noon
Location: Noons Creek Park, 2500 Panorama Drive, Coquitlam
Accessories: Bring a lunch, an uke, a chair, a music stand, and songbooks.

Sign Up for Performance and/or Ukulele Mini-Tutorial Assistant on July 16

(There is no need to sign up for the informal jams.)

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Canada Day Jam(boree) in Coquitlam

This Canada Day, we will have some fun activities for all Cuties and friends: a community parade with ukuleles, free mini ukulele tutorials, and a ukulele jam.

CanadaDay_2015

The march will happen at 12:15pm at the Coquitlam Celebrates Canada Day event in the Coquitlam Town Centre Park. Let’s make this the largest ukulele march on July 1 again!

1. The Community March with Ukuleles @12:15pm

Come and strum “O Canada” during the parade. Here’s the simple ukulele version.

2. Mini Ukulele Tutorials

Courtesy L Steele.

At our tent (located on the east side of Trevor Wingrove Way) from 1:00pm onwards, Cutie volunteers will be giving free mini ukulele tutorials to visitors. Send your aspiring ukulele friends along for some fun. We can always use more volunteers.

Free Public Parking Map:

3. Ukulele Jam (and Practice)

At 5pm, we’ll have our ukulele jam (and practice). Everyone is welcome to join us.

Join us and RSVP below to participate in the march, volunteer at the booth and/or join us at the jam!

See you all and Happy Canada Day!

Schedule

11:00am Set-up at the Cutie Booth on the “Community Drive” (see attached map)

12:15pm @the Meadow Stage

We will all meet at the Meadow Stage at 12:15pm, each group has been assigned a position and we will arrange ourselves in that order. The parade will be led by the performers on the Meadow Stage, Ache Brazil at the end of their set at 12:30. Please be ready to go by 12:15pm so that it is a seamless procession once they leave the stage at 12:30pm to start the Procession. We will be walking towards the Meadow Stage, first circling the Meadow area and then heading down the right side path around the front of the stage. The Mayor and Council, RCMP and MPs and MLAs will have chairs on the stage. See attached map. Please fill out the area in front of the stage getting ready for the singing of O Canada Day.

After the singing of O Canada we will have the formal speeches ending with a ribbon cutting and cake give away.

The order that we will go in is:

Ache Brazil
RCMP
Mayor and Council
Dignitaries
777Roayal Canadian Air Cadets
Coquitlam Martial Arts
Coquitlam Ukulele Tine Instrument Enthusiasts Circle
Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Coquitlam Express with Mascot
City of Coquitlam Environmental Mascot
Tri City Iranian Cultural Society
Immigrant Service Society of BC
Society Francophone de Maillardville
Tri-City Chinese Community Society

1:00pm Cutie Circle Ukulele Tutorials

5:00pm Ukulele Jam

6:00pm Wrap-Up and Take-down of Booth

10:00pm Fireworks

Sign-up Form

Let us know how many are attending the Ukulele March by signing up here. We’ll have flower leis to loan to add to the summer feel. If you need to borrow a uke for the march, just let us know when you sign up!

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Jim D’Ville Gives Play By Ear Workshops

We are so pleased to announce that Jim D’Ville will be in town on August 14, 2016 to give Cuties two popular ukulele workshops: Picking Ukulele by Ear and Play Ukulele by Ear: Chord Progressions and the Circle of Fifths . Jim is known for his Play By Ear approach to ukulele pedagogy all around the world. This is a rare opportunity to learn from Jim in person! Sign up early to guarantee your spot in the workshops! There is a $10 discount for attending both workshops.

Biography

Jim D’Ville is a music educator and facilitator who is on a mission to get ukulele players off the paper and playing music by ear. Over the last six years he has taught his Play Ukulele By Ear workshops to thousands of players in the United States, Australia, Canada and the Caribbean. Jim is the author of the Play Ukulele By Ear DVD series and hosts the popular Play Ukulele By Ear website. Jim is sponsored by Kala Brand Ukuleles.

Workshop 1 (4:10pm)

Picking Ukulele by Ear

Learn to pick the melodies to your favourite songs without tab! This ground-breaking workshop is the first of its kind to use the solfege syllables to organically train your ears to hear and play the scale patterns where all the melodies live. Topics will include playing scales, arpeggios, rolls and fills, and of course songs! This workshop is the first step to being able to play anything that comes into your head!

Workshop 2 (5:25pm)

Play Ukulele By Ear: Chord Progressions and the Circle of Fifths

Being able to hear and identify chord progressions will go a long way toward demystifying music. Before you know it you’ll be hearing and recognizing dominant seven and diatonic chord progressions. This exciting workshop will open your ears to the way all songs work around the Circle of 5ths and see how we can use it to understand the underlying structure of how all songs work. Knowledge of chords C F G7 A7 D7 E7 Am Dm Em is helpful.

Date: Sunday, August 14, 2016

Time: 4:10pm — 5:10pm; 5:25pm — 6:25pm

Location: Coquitlam

Cost: $30 for one workshop; $50 for both workshops

Please complete the registration form below. A confirmation email will be sent to all registered participants.

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Local Accommodations

Poco Inn & Suites (closest to the venue)
Executive Plaza Hotel Coquitlam
Best Western Plus Coquitlam Inn Convention Centre
Coquitlam Sleepy Lodge (economy motel; some units have kitchenettes)

Directions and Parking

Visit Evergreen Cultural Centre’s Find Us page.

A Mid-Summer Eve’s Delight of Romantic Favourites by Ukulele Jazz Masters Kimo Hussey and Zanuck Lindsey

Once again we are bringing Kimo Hussey and Zanuck Lindsey to Coquitlam this July. We are pleased that they will be offering the new Chord-Melody Secrets for Ukesters workshop (July 9), a jazz ukulele concert, A Mid-Summer Eve’s Delight of Romantic Favourites (July 10), and the MasterClass for Ukulele Mentors (July 11). Attend both the workshop and concert for a discounted value package. Get your tickets now for best seat selection!

Delight your senses and enjoy the mastery of jazz played with a Hawaiian flair by two world-renowned musicians. This fine summer evening promises to be filled with sweet sounds of romantic ballads. Expect an evening of extraordinary music featuring talents that are rarely found in both instrumentalists and vocalists. Kimo’s latest album is a nominee for the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts’ 2016 Ukulele Album of the Year distinction.

Biography

Kimo Hussey is a much sought after performer and teacher, traveling extensively to ukulele festivals and workshops worldwide. He has recorded two solo CDs, “Eminent Ukulele” and “Low G” (from iTunes), and has participated in several composite CDs. He is an author of the multiple award-winning Hawaiian songbook,”He Mele Aloha” which has sold millions of copies and has been translated into other languages. Kimo is the president of the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii and his love for the instrument has made him a natural bridge between players and luthiers.

Zanuck Lindsey has been a professional musician, bandleader, teacher, composer, and producer for 30+ years. He has traveled extensively, performing internationally. A few highlights include performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Irvine Meadows, Shoreline Amphitheater, Aloha Stadium, Royal Hawaiian and the Oneness Center in Golden City, India to mention a few.

Concert

Title: A Mid-Summer Eve’s Delight of Romantic Favourites

Date: Sunday, July 10, 2016

Time: 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)

Location: Evergreen Cultural Centre, Studio Theatre, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam

Parking: Free

Cost: $25 (inclusive of GST and Capital Improvement Fee) Reserved Seating

Tickets are also available through the Box Office by phone at 604.927.6555 or in person at the Evergreen Cultural Centre.

Workshop

If you are looking to move to the next level of your ukulele pursuit and would like to venture into chord melody, this workshop is for you! Learn from ukulele masters, Kimo and Zanuck, the techniques that can bring more joy and pleasure to your playing! This is the first time we are offering a workshop on chord-melody and we have been looking forward to it for sometime now! Be sure to take advantage of this rare opportunity!

Title: Chord-Melody Secrets for Ukesters

Date: Saturday, July 9, 2016

Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Location: Evergreen Cultural Centre, Rehearsal Hall, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam

Parking: $0.75 per hour.

Cost: $30

Buy tickets for both the concert and workshop for only $50.

For tickets to the workshop only, please call the Evergreen Cultural Centre’s Box Office at 604.927.6552, complete the registration form, or visit the Evergreen Cultural Centre in person.

Map:

MasterClass

Intended for practising and/or aspiring ukulele teachers, Kimo Hussey will be providing a small MasterClass focused on techniques and insights on becoming ukulele mentors. This MasterClass is limited to a total of ten (10) participants to allow for exchange of ideas in an intimate setting. SOLD OUT.

Thank you for the tremendous enthusiasm and support!

Title: MasterClass for Ukulele Mentors

Date: Monday, July 11, 2016

Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Location: Coquitlam

Cost: $50

Please complete the registration form below. A confirmation email will be sent to all registered participants.

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Local Accommodations

Poco Inn & Suites (closest to the venue)
Executive Plaza Hotel Coquitlam
Best Western Plus Coquitlam Inn Convention Centre
Coquitlam Sleepy Lodge (economy motel; some units have kitchenettes)

Directions and Parking

Visit Evergreen Cultural Centre’s Find Us page.

Free Community Screening of “The Ukes Down Under”

Come and join us for the Tri-City Premiere of “The Ukes Down Under,” a documentary about the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s first tour of Australia, produced by the independent filmmaker Robert Stern at Litmus Films.

This community screening is being held as part of the second half of the first session of the Cutie Circle’s 2016 Ukulele Workshop Series. Please arrive at 2:30pm and not earlier.

We thank Litmus Films for letting us purchase a community screening license for this film and the City of Port Coquitlam for the use of their facility to hold this event. Seats are limited.

Synopsis

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain played their first gig in 1985, and the world has been catching up with them ever since. Riding the global ukulele boom they did so much to inspire, in February 2012 the band embarked on their first World Tour, starting in Australia. Litmus Films filmed The Ukes throughout their two-week trip, capturing backstage mishaps, road trip adventures, jam sessions with local fans, guerilla gigs at unlikely venues and standing ovations across the country including Sydney Opera House. This intimate, uplifting and entertaining film shows the band as they’ve never been seen before.

Date: Saturday, April 16, 2016

Time: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (immediately after the Cutie Circle’s Cutie Circle’s 2016 Ukulele Workshop Series in the Michael Wright Art Gallery, the Gathering Place at Leigh Square.

Location: 2253 Leigh Square, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 3B8, Canada

Cost: Free Admission

Cutie Circle’s 2016 Ukulele Workshop Series for Absolute Beginners

group_2015

Cutie Circle volunteers (aka Cuties) will once again be offering aspiring ukulele players a free ukulele workshop series on Saturday afternoons from April 16 to June 11. Intended for absolute beginners with little to no background in music, this workshop will give participants some basic knowledge to begin a journey into music using the happiest instrument on earth!

It was a fantastic experience for attendees and volunteers alike last fall and we can hardly wait to meet everyone and share the joy of ukulele this spring.

Photo Credit: Helena M.

We thank the City of Port Coquitlam for offering the beautiful Michael Wright Art Gallery at Leigh Square for this workshop free of charge.

Gathering Place, Leigh Square Community Arts Village

Date: Saturdays, April 16 to June 11, 2016 (*note the start date has moved to April 16)
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Location: Michael Wright Art Gallery, Gathering Place, 2253 Leigh Square Place, Port Coquitlam
Admission: Free
Pre-registration is required. Registration form is located on the bottom of this page.

Courtesy of City of Port Coquitlam

Workshop Requirements

Participants are encouraged to bring their own ukulele, music stand, digital tuner and copy of the textbook, Ukulele for Dummies, 2nd Edition. (Please do not be offended by the title of this rather good publication.)

volunteers

Ukulele Kits Loaning Program

We have acquired a few sets of ukuleles, music stands, digital tuners and textbooks (with our personal funds) for loaning to participants who do not own any equipment, upon receipt of a refundable deposit of $60. Please do not mark in (and/or damage) the loaner textbooks (otherwise the deposit will be forfeited). Participants can reserve a set when they register using the form below. [The new deposit amount reflects the increased costs of textbooks and music stands.]

Ukulele Scholarship Initiative

We are in the process of establishing a small scholarship for a few keen students who might otherwise not be able to afford to buy their own ukuleles to continue their music journey upon conclusion of our ukulele workshop series. Those who would like to donate any ukulele in good condition (new or used) to this scholarship program are welcome to contact us. We will put you and the recipient in touch.

Ukulele Rental and Sales in the Region

As some of you have asked about the availability of ukuleles in the region, we have made some inquiries at local stores.

Michael Wright Art Gallery, Gathering Place

Ukulele Rental

Long & McQuade (Port Coquitlam) has a couple of ukuleles in stock for rent at $8/month. Please confirm with the store regarding availability if interested.

Ukulele Sales

Empire Music has a selection of ukuleles available via its website and has offered us a discount on the ukuleles we purchased for this workshop.
Long & McQuade (Port Coquitlam) has ukuleles for sale and can offer a payment plan. Please ask for Girard Knox for more information.
Tom Lee Music (Coquitlam) has offered participants of this workshop a 10% discount on regular-priced ukuleles and music books. Please contact Dallas Todd or Adam Dean at the store and mention you are a participant of this workshop to receive a discount. (Information current as of March 3, 2016.)

Disclosure: We do not receive commission from any of these merchants. They are mentioned here as a service to the participants only.

Scheduling Note and Supplementary Materials

The Workshop Series will start on April 16.

There will be no workshop on May 7 due to the May Day Parade.

There will be no workshop on May 21 for the Victoria Day long weekend.

Registration

Online registration began on March 15, 2016.

Registration confirmation will be sent to email addresses supplied via the form below. We look forward to hearing from you.

As seats are limited, we kindly ask that all who register for this workshop commit to attending all sessions. Participants with full attendance will receive a Certificate of Completion for the workshop. Due to the length of each afternoon session, the workshop is unsuitable for young children. To assist us in our lesson planning, please let us know briefly your music background.

Volunteers who are registering to help with the workshop, please indicate availability in the “Music Background / Comments” box.

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What Have the Cuties Been Up To Lately?

Photo Credit: Lillian B.

What do Cuties do when they have their ukes in hand and songs in their hearts? They go all over town to spread ukulele joy, that’s what!

2015 Ukulele Workshop for Absolute Beginners at Leigh Square

The fall of 2015 started off with a group of Cuties volunteering at Leigh Square giving free ukulele tutorials to anyone who showed an interest in learning to play the uke. A fabulous turn-out of 60+ participants strummed and sang over the 7-week workshop series.

LS1

Hula Workshop by Kalaya Nilson

Kalaya Nilson, a hula diva and patient teacher with more than six decades of experience, gave a workshop that brought out the Hawaiian aloha in all the participants. The Cuties were amazed by how much one could shake the hips and in how many ways the hips could move! It was quite hilarious what we managed to do and how much we laughed when we did it together to ukulele music!

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Ukulele Magic at December Meeting

Time and time again we were delighted by simple miracles that happened when ukuleles were involved!

An hour or so before our Christmas Strum-and-Singalong was to start, Christmas miracles happened. The ukes that were destined to be put into Santa’s sac arrived by Canada Post, on a SUNDAY! We are especially thankful to Ken, our miracle postal worker who made the delivery in the nick of time, because he worked on Sundays even without overtime pay!

At the Circle, when Santa and the Elf were handing out the final ukulele, the lucky recipient, Helena, exclaimed she had already told her family that if it were meant for her and her grandchildren to be strumming together during the holiday season, she would get to bring home a uke that afternoon! She was so right!

winner_s

We are especially grateful to Empire Music for supplying our uke prizes at a discount!

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The December Circle was especially memorable because of the record number of Cuties! By the way, if you are new to the Cutie Circle, you need to know that anyone who comes to the Circle automatically becomes an official Cutie!

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At the meeting, Cuties all pitched in to help. Thanks to Laurie for getting the coffee ready. Marjorie was marvelous for tuning the ukes! Charmaine and Juliana made sure the tables were all set up. Harvey ferried the supplies and food to the venue. An honourable mention went to Santa for making a special appearance. We were grateful to Paul for leading the songs! We had the Cuties to thank for a festive spread of goodies on the refreshment tables!

We also had the honour to unveil some magnificent ukulele creations, a first in ukulele history. The innovative ukulele straps that Ilona and Leanne produced were extremely popular and garnered lots of compliments.

The Christmas magic continued as the Cuties together donated more than 70 food items that Sunday! When the items were brought to the SHARE Food Bank, the total weight came to 135 pounds! Imagine what can be accomplished if we all donate just a little bit every week!

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Ukulele Concert at Christmas Community Outreach Dinner

The lead-up to the Christmas concert at the Port Moody Pacific Grace MB Church was a marvelous event on its own. The City of Port Coquitlam generously let us rehearse in one of our favourite homes, Leigh Square, for the upcoming concert.

Our Cutie comrade, Jerry, came all the way from White Rock with all his percussive instruments to make us like pros! In fact, our “band members” represented many municipalities including Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, the North Shore, and beyond!

Photo Credit: Leone S.

On the evening of the performance, we were wildly rewarded with an audience of neighbours from our community and a scrumptious Christmas dinner. One Cutie remarked that it was the fastest 30 minutes of her life.

Graceland3

We were truly impressed when hands just popped up in response to our ukulele trivia questions! The most memorable moment came when a young girl came up right after the concert to wish us all a very Merry Christmas. She remembered us from the ukulele tutorial we offered on Canada Day at Lafarge Lake so many months ago. We had so much fun and could not be happier.

Performances for Burnett Fellowship Church and S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Seniors’ Multicultural Day

January proved to be a month of ukulele concerts for Cuties who were eager to perform as we received two invitations. There’s no time for winter slumber! All decked out in aloha attire, some of us performed on the uke, some of us followed Kalaya’s able guidance and did our hula dance! We rehearsed, performed, and met so many kind people that we otherwise would not have got to know. The ukulele really brought us closer to each other.

Leigh

Photo Credit: Laura Thomas

Photo Credit: Todd G.

Photo Credit: Lillian B.

January and February Meetings

Our recent meetings have been one star-studded affair after another. Our ukulele friends from far and near (e.g., Abbotsford, Agassiz, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Dewdney, Deep Cove, Mission, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Surrey, West Vancouver, Vancouver, White Rock, etc.) entertained us with funny and lighthearted musical numbers that left us in stitches (and sometimes feeling compelled to supply accompanying horsey-sounds).

mission

Last January, we saw our numbers soar to about 70. It was quite a turn-out and we thanked everyone for being there with us. We were overjoyed to see all the new faces that greeted us with smiles.

Jake’s February Concert

The biggest ukulele event in town had to be Jake Shimabukuro’s sold-out concert at Rio Theatre. Loyal Cutie fans braved the rain and cold with tiny stools and a heated jacket to secure seats for their family and friends hours before the concert. Some came as far as Kelowna and Nanaimo to witness ukulele greatness in action! As it turned out, the time spent outside the theatre with other ukesters was actually tremendously enjoyable!

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The reward was even sweeter — these same ukesters got front-row seats and found out that Jake liked to eat chestnuts! How cool is that!

Photo Credit: Marianna V.

Photo Credit: Marianna V.

As we enter the month of March, the Cuties are busy getting ready for their free 2016 Ukulele Workshop Series in April and organizing the upcoming visit by ukulele masters, Kimo Hussey and Zanuck Lindsey, in July. Stay tuned for more exciting events!

Until then, keep on strumming to bring sunshine for everyone!

Cutie Circle’s Christmas Strum-and-Sing-Along

Cutie_2015_xmas_poster

It’s the Cuties’ 2015 year-end event to celebrate Christmas and to wish everyone a healthy, joyous and prosperous 2016.

Bring your friends, family and ukuleles to join us at the Cutie Circle. Come sing and strum along with other Cuties on Sunday, December 6, from 2 to 4pm in the Rehearsal Hall at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam.

Get into the community spirit and start practising songs for the holiday season. Bring a non-perishable food item for the Share Food Bank and get a chance to receive some fabulous Christmas presents. Among them, there will be a free ukulele and other ukulele-related gifts and gadgets!

We’ll have a few extra ukuleles on hand for all curious visitors who would like to participate in the festivities. As usual, we’ll have some light refreshments. Please feel free to bring Christmas goodies to share with your fellow ukulele friends!

There is a suggested donation of $3.50 to help defray the cost of venue rental.

See you all on Sunday!

Hula Workshop with Kalaya Nilson

Courtesy of Kalaya Nilson

We are pleased to announce that Kalaya Nilson, founder of Kalaya Dancers, is offering a special hula workshop just for the Cuties. Learn to hula and complement your ukulele experience! If you were at Kimo and Zanuck’s concert, you would have seen Kalaya in action! Warm up with a Tahitian routine and then learn a couple of different hulas from Kalaya!

The workshop is limited to 12 attendees. SOLD OUT.

Date: Sunday, November 22, 2015
Time: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Attire: Wear comfortable clothing (e.g., no tight skinny jeans)
Cost: $10 (cash only)
Location: 1767 Heather Avenue, Port Coquitlam

Registration

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Cutie Circle Offers Free 10-Week Ukulele Workshop for Absolute Beginners

Free Workshop

Cutie Circle volunteers (aka Cuties) will be offering aspiring ukulele players a free ukulele workshop on Saturday afternoons from October 3 to December 5. Intended for absolute beginners with little to no background in music, this workshop will give participants some basic knowledge to begin a journey into music using the happiest instrument on earth!

We thank the City of Port Coquitlam for offering the beautiful Michael Wright Art Gallery at Leigh Square for this workshop free of charge.

Gathering Place, Leigh Square Community Arts Village

Date: Saturdays, October 3 to December 5, 2015
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Location: Michael Wright Art Gallery, Gathering Place, 2253 Leigh Square Place, Port Coquitlam
Admission: Free
Pre-registration is strongly advised.

Courtesy of City of Port Coquitlam

Workshop Requirements

Participants are encouraged to bring their own ukulele, music stand, digital tuner and copy of the textbook, Ukulele for Dummies. (Please do not be offended by the title of this rather good publication.)

We have also acquired a few sets of ukuleles, music stands, digital tuners and textbooks (with our personal funds) for loaning to participants who do not own any equipment, upon receipt of a refundable deposit of $55. Please do not mark in (and/or damage) the loaner textbooks (otherwise the deposit will be forfeited). Participants can reserve a set when they register using the form below.

As some of you have asked about the availability of ukuleles in the region, we have made some inquiries at local stores.

Michael Wright Art Gallery, Gathering Place

Ukulele Rental

Long & McQuade (Port Coquitlam) has a couple of ukuleles in stock for rent at $8/month. Please confirm with the store regarding availability if interested.

Ukulele Sales

Empire Music has a selection of ukuleles available via its website and has offered us a discount on the ukuleles we purchased for this workshop.
Long & McQuade (Port Coquitlam) has ukuleles for sale and can offer a payment plan. Please ask for Girard Knox for more information.
Tom Lee Music (Coquitlam) has offered participants of this workshop a 15% discount on ukuleles and music books. Please contact Dallas Todd at the store and mention you are a participant of this workshop to receive a discount.

Disclosure: We do not receive commission from any of these merchants. They are mentioned here as a service to the participants only.

Scheduling Note and Supplementary Materials

There will be no workshop on October 10 for the Thanksgiving long weekend. Workshop materials will be condensed to accommodate for this closure.

On October 24, the workshop will end early as we will be heading to a concert in Bellingham by one of the ukulele superstars, Jake Shimabukuro, from Hawaii. If you would like to take part, tickets can be obtained from Mount Baker Theatre while they are still available.

On October 29 at 9pm or on October 30 at 12am, please watch the documentary, Mighty Uke, on BC’s Knowledge Network if you have not watched it already.

On October 31, we will have a special Halloween-themed session.

On November 28, there will be no workshop as we have just been notified on October 2 that the Gathering Place will be used to host another function.

Registration

The workshop is currently full and registration is now closed.

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