What a great weekend at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival in Washington State, hosted by Centrum and led by the incomparable Aaron & Nicole Keim of The Quiet American! I always enjoy teaching at these camps, and this was no exception – best students, best colleagues, best job ever.
It was great to see old friends from the Menucha Ukulele Band Camp in Oregon, and meet new folks from the Seattle region and further afield in the Pacific Northwest. Fort Worden State Park was also such a dreamy spot, and the excellent weather did not hurt!
My favorite thing about ‘ukulele festivals and camps like is the value folks place on teaching and learning and sharing the gifts of music. Of course, we teachers get up and perform, as do the campers … but the focus is really on what we get to learn together. This camp, I was invited to teach some of my favorite workshop – How to Sing and Play At the Same Time – as well as a new workshop I’ve developed, based on an 8-week class I taught last fall – The Music and Activism of Harry Belafonte. As per usual, my students were stellar and I was especially proud of those who joined me on stage for a rousing closing night performance of Belafonte’s song Turn the World Around.
I looooove teaching at special events like this – learn more about this part of my work here.