Author Archives: Anne Ku

About Anne Ku

Anne Ku is a composer who teaches the ukulele and piano.

Safely dance the safety dance: riffs and meaning in music

Posted on June 10, 2018 by Anne Ku

Still reeling from the high energy ukulele jam of the “Eighties Extravaganza,” I can’t stop exploring the songs we didn’t get to sing. One of these is the one hit wonder by the group “Men Without Hats.”

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Selecting songs for a select audience: eighties extravaganza

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Anne Ku

In music, the formal or official term for song selection is “repertoire development.” It sounds sophisticated and significant, and it should be, for it is not trivial at all. Repertoire development refers to creating a balanced portfolio for performers. In … Continue reading →

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Ukulele Crash Course for Complete Beginners

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Anne Ku

After giving different kinds of ukulele workshops in Massachusetts, I’ve decided to offer a crash course for those beginners eager to participate in the ukulele scene that’s spreading across the world like wild fire. For time-challenged adults, it’s about making … Continue reading →

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Cold beer for cool blues

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Anne Ku

“Will there be cold beer?” the guitarist asked. “Not sure, why?” “I’ll come if there is.” What is an evening of twelve-bar blues without beer? It doesn’t go with herbal tea, which is what I have been brewing each Wednesday … Continue reading →

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ABBA GOLD JAM

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Anne Ku

Our first ABBA GOLD ukulele jam will take place on Tuesday 1st May 2018 at 7 pm EDT in the common room of the Walter Baker building in Historic Lower Mills. We will celebrate ABBA’s announcement of new songs, first … Continue reading →

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Easy Beatles Jam Session

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Anne Ku

As I explore music for ukulele jam sessions, I keep discovering Beatles songs I’ve never heard of before. In London, I chuckled at the politically incorrect “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and the funny “Octopus’s Garden.” George Harrison’s “I’ll Follow the Sun” … Continue reading →

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The freedom and friction of fiction writing

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Anne Ku

“Pick up a postcard on your table and write your address on it. Take what you’ve learned in this conference and write to your future self. Which words of encouragement would you impart?” Among the postcards of city scenes and … Continue reading →

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Anita Shreve, I never got to meet her

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Anne Ku

A pop-up window flashed “Anita Shreve dies at 71″ while I was on FaceTime. Suddenly, I felt a pang of regret. I’m attending a major writing conference in Boston next week. I’ve moved to New England, where Shreve had set … Continue reading →

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This time last year in California

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Anne Ku

We think in cycles, every full moon, every birthday, every St Patrick’s Day, every Valentine’s Day. This time last year, I was clearing the home of an 84-year old woman named Maureen. A sudden fall on 4th of July 2016 … Continue reading →

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April 15: ex’s of evil in Texas

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Anne Ku

In my quest for songs to fit thematic jam sessions and repertoire for thematic concerts, I came across two things that perplex me. Axes of Evil and Exes of Evil. Maybe it’s a play on words, but it made me … Continue reading →

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