If you ever experience workshops at ukulele festivals, then a live event will immediately deliver that electric, fast-paced energy. Furthermore, autumn brings breathtaking fall foliage, making New England a truly special destination right now. As a result, to help you master every chord and strum, I am preparing comprehensive handouts ahead of time. Therefore, bookmark this page and check back often, because I will share exclusive sneak peeks here before the festivals begin.
Ukulele festivals in New England 2026
So far, the festival organizers have booked me to teach and perform at three fantastic ukulele festivals in New England, the northeastern part of the United States that stretches from Connecticut to Maine. Naturally, autumn brings the most breathtaking fall foliage, making this region a prime destination right now.
Consequently, to make your planning easier, I include the official posters below—simply click any image to visit that festival’s website.
In November, the Nutmeg Ukulele Festival returns for the 5th consecutive year in the historic town of Simsbury, Connecticut. Specifically, register in advance to get your lunch and four workshops the entire day. Arrive the previous evening of a pre-festival jam session with festival instructors and members of the resident ukulele club. [Ukulele Clubs in New England.]
5th Nutmeg Ukulele Festival, Saturday 7th November, Simsbury, Connecticut
Spice Up a Few Chord Song with Harmonic Coloring and Musicality
What transforms a plain song into one that sparkles? A few musical tricks can make all the difference. Learn where to add color chords, when to use accents, and how to vary dynamics. Ideas such as “word painting” work on everything from beginner songs to favorite standards, opening the door to new musical possibilities for players of all levels. Beginners.
The last page of handout is extracted from The 80/20 Guide to Ukulele by Anne Ku
Open Strings, Endless Possibilities
Discover beautiful chords that use two or three open strings, creating rich resonance while keeping your fretting hand free to move up and down the neck. Learn how these easy-to-play chords can inspire original tunes and explore examples from the Pick Pluck Play! Series.
Beginners or All skill levels.
Handout:
- “1 and p = 1p” from Book 3 Advanced Beginner Fingerstyle Ukulele by Anne Ku
- “The Pim Pulse” from Step by Step to Chord Melody by Anne Ku
Unleash Your Left Hand: Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs, Slides & Bends
Tired of plucking every single note? It is time to let your fretting fingers do the talking! Enlist your left hand to create effortless flow, gorgeous expression, and professional polish using slurs and extended fretting techniques. Learn to play faster with less effort. Unlock fluid phrasing.
Intermediate.
Handout:
“Travis Picking with Slurs” from Book 4 Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Ukulele by Anne Ku
After a six-year hiatus, the Ukulele Melee returns with its traditional door prizes and a suggested donation format. This year marks its exciting debut in Salem, Massachusetts, bringing the gathering back to the North Shore after its pre-pandemic run in Hamilton.
Ukulele Melee, Saturday 14th November, Salem State College, Massachusetts
45 minute workshops
Chord Choreography: Exercises to Switch Chords with Ease (all skill levels)
Train your fingers through creative chord exercises that build coordination, confidence, and fluency. Learn to switch chords with less effort, rely less on looking at the fretboard, and develop smoother, more accurate playing. Many of these exercises come from the bonus sections of the Pick Pluck Play! Series.
More information: https://www.anneku.com/2023/01/02/chord-choreography/
Handout:
Strategies and Selective exercises from Pick Pluck Play! Series Chord Choreography sections
- C Major Scale with Harmony
- The 80/20 Guide to Ukulele – Common Chord Progressions, Essential Accompaniment Patterns
- Book 3 Advanced Beginner Fingerstyle Ukulele
- Book 4 Early Intermediate Fingerstyle Ukulele
Hawaiian Vamps & Strums (advanced topic)
Discover the chord sequence that gives Hawaiian music its distinctive sound. Learn how to play, memorize, strum, and fingerpick traditional Hawaiian vamps in any key, and use them for introductions, endings, and transitions in your songs.
[optional learning objectives below]
You’ll learn:
- What the Roman numerals mean
- How vamps work in different keys
- Easy ways to remember the chords
- Whether low G or high G makes a difference
- Traditional strumming and fingerpicking approaches
- How to combine strumming and fingerpicking for a richer sound
More information: https://www.anneku.com/2024/01/13/workshop-the-hawaiian-vamp/
Handout:
Extract from Hawaii vamp section in The 80/20 Guide to Ukulele: Common Chord Progressions
2nd Annual Coast Uke Festival, Cohasset, Massachusetts (Sunday 4th October)
The Coastal Ukulele Festival offers free admission in the scenic coastal town of Cohasset, Massachusetts, right on the South Shore.
Level 1 (75 min) Accompaniment Patterns for Songs: with Anne Ku
Students are always asking “which strum pattern? which picking pattern?” — workshop – this will help all those interested in joining jam sessions
- basic strum, picking, and combination patterns – and how to tell when to play what
- next level – make the basic patterns more interesting with accents, dynamics, riffs, etc.
- apply the above to songs defined by genre, meter, tempo, era
Examples of Happy Birthday extracted and adapted from Take on Bach (Bonus Material)
Level (1.5 – 75 min) Shortcuts to Sight reading: with Anne Ku
Why is it easier and faster to read (and play from) chord diagrams than standard music notation and ukulele tablature? You can improve through practice and understanding the shortcuts. Aimed at those who want to get better at reading and playing fingerstyle ukulele.
SPECIAL OFFER
These self-explanatory workshop handouts are available upon request at no fixed price. A suggested donation of $10 to the 3 Chord Thursday tip jar is appreciated and helps support the free monthly sessions in Zoom.
