Strathmore UkeFest (8/13-8/27, 2022)

Larry U

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Is anyone here going to the Strathmore UkeFest in Bethesda, MD (Aug. 13-17, 2022)? I registered this week and I'm really looking forward to it. Have you previously attended? If so, I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips you might be able to offer!
 
I can't tell if I'd get anything out of it, as I am primarily a tabs/fingerpicker style and can't read sheet music. However do want to improve at technique and the like. Hoping folks on the forum that have gone before can shed light on it.
 
I can't tell if I'd get anything out of it, as I am primarily a tabs/fingerpicker style and can't read sheet music. However do want to improve at technique and the like. Hoping folks on the forum that have gone before can shed light on it.
I'm the same...mostly tablature and fingerpicking or chord melody playing. I can follow standard notation for note duration, etc. but I don't use it for string & finger positions. My experience with other workshops and classes is that most instructors assume you don't read music and teach from tablature or chord diagrams, so I don't expect anything different. I'm also not a singer, but the class descriptions seem to show plenty of instrumental-only options.
 
Hi. I'm attending and have done so in ~4 previous years. (I live nearby.)

Strathmore's ukulele festivals are fun while also being nicely focused on learning the instrument. The directors, Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink, are terrific. In terms of tips, I'd recommend bringing a notepad and pen. My recollection is each class covered a lot of material -- too much to memorize real time -- and they generated useful nuggets of information that are worth jotting down for later study or practice.

Hope to see you there. I've got some videos posted here on UU, in case you'd like to see what I look like. -Kevin
 
Cool, Kevin! Now that it's so close, I'm really getting excited. I'll look for you. You can see my mug right here, so keep an eye out for me. :giggle:

(I just checked out a couple of your videos...you'll be easy to find. Us bald-headed seniors all look pretty much the same! ;))
 
I got home yesterday from the Strathmore Uke Fest. As a first-timer, I didn't know exactly what to expect but it definitely exceeded my expectations! On top of the music, I got to meet some fine people, including "good-uke-boy" (Kevin) and "lizbrinker" from this forum. A shout out to the organizers and leaders, Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink, for the best-run, most well-organized festival I have attended. The instructors were all amazing. I particularly enjoyed Herb Ohta, Jr. for his instrumental Hawaiian tunes and Daniel Ward, who has me itching to start working on Flamenco arrangements!

I'm definitely considering returning next year, particularly since I heard the names of a couple of the teachers already scheduled. (It's not formally announced yet, but it includes some of ukulele royalty!) :p
 
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