For the third year in a row, Cutie Circle volunteers (aka Cuties) will once again be offering aspiring ukulele players a free ukulele workshop series on Saturday afternoons.

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 from April 8 to June 10.

It was a fantastic experience for attendees and volunteers alike and we can hardly wait to meet everyone and spread the joy of ukulele this spring. Many of our students have gone on to share music by volunteering their time to perform at municipal and regional events and/or to teach ukulele to other seniors and children in the community.

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

Date: Saturdays, April 8 to June 10, 2017
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.

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.)

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.

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 Lending, 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.

Ukulele Rental

• Long & McQuade (Port Coquitlam) has a couple of soprano ukuleles in stock for rent at $10/month. Please confirm with the store regarding availability if interested. (Information current as of March 14, 2017.)

Ukulele Sales

• Empire Music has a selection of ukuleles available via its website. For pick-up orders only (with a 24-hour advance notice because the company is a warehouse not a store-front), our students qualify for a 5% discount. (Information current as of March 14, 2017.)
  Empire Music has generously 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. The store also offers special discounts on ukuleles for all Cuties. The discounts can range from 9% to 15% depending on the make and model of the ukulele. Mention Cutie Circle at time of purchase to receive the discount. Ask for Brandon Smith for further assistance. (Information current as of March 24, 2017.)
• 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 14, 2017.)

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

Ukulele Lending Collection at the Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL)

• Cutie Circle and Terry Fox Library collaborated in the Fall of 2016 to create the Uke ‘n Play ukulele public lending collection. The Cutie Circle, Empire Music, King’s Music, Ohana Music and our good friend, Linda Thiessen, collectively donated 50 ukulele kits (including ukuleles, gig bags and tuners) and the FVRL rounded out the collection with ukulele instruction books and plastic containers for each kit. Library patrons of the 25 FVRL branches (from Port Coquitlam to Boston Bar) can now borrow ukuleles for free. In fact, InterLink Library network cardholders in the surrounding region (e.g., Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley) can borrow ukuleles in person at FVRL locations as well.

Scheduling Notes and Supplementary Materials

The Workshop Series will start on April 8.

There will be no workshop on April 15 due to the Easter long weekend.

There will be no workshop on May 13 due to the May Day Parade.

There will be no workshop on May 20 due to the Victoria Day long weekend.

Registration

Online registration began on March 15, 2017 and is now closed.

Thank you for your support. All seats have been filled.

Registration confirmation has been sent to email addresses supplied via the form below. We look forward to meeting you at the workshop.

The workshop series is geared towards adult learners and is unsuitable for young children and unaccompanied minors due to the length of each 2-hour session and the pedagogy employed. Adult participants who would like to bring along minors must supervise and assist their children at all times during the workshop.

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. Registration is required for all participants.

If you would like to be put on the waiting list, please complete the form below. 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.