4-Part Ukulele Class with Gene Nichols

By request of many interested students who participated in the Day of the Ukulele last month, Eastport Arts Center will offer a 4-part Ukulele Class with instructor Gene Nichols in November.

The sessions will be appropriate for beginning students, providing an overview of the instrument in its various sizes and tunings, and the role of each hand in playing. Individual notes and chords in first position will be introduced, along with fingering and strumming techniques. Melodies and songs will be taught, using string/fret notation and lyric lead sheets; standard musical notation will be provided as well.

Classes will be held Sundays, November 3, 10, 17 and 24, from 2-3:30 pm. Students age 12 and up are welcome to participate, and are asked to come ready to play with short fingernails (on at least one hand), and a pencil and eraser. Instruments are available for students to borrow by arrangement with the instructor; a deposit will be requested, to be returned on the final day of class when the ukulele is handed in.

Space is limited and reservations are required, via our site or by email to workshops@eastportartscenter.org. A standard registration for the 4-week course is $80. For those who are able, a ‘support EAC’ registration is $120; your extra contribution will help support our accessible year-round programming. A sliding fee scale is available by request.

Nichols has been playing the ukulele for more than 55 years, and has played it in medicine shows, uke clubs, rock bands, parades, festivals, and untold concerts. He revived a 20’s era University of Maine Ukulele Group in 2006, teaching countless students and community members to play, and led the entourage for 14 years. Recently, he has convened a group of alumni from that era, bringing the new band to the International Ukulele Ceilidh in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, with plans to return in 2025.

He is Director of EAC’s community chorus, Quoddy Voices, and taught music at the University of Maine at Machias for 35.5 years. He currently teaches music at Machias Memorial High School.

Eastport Arts Center is at 36 Washington Street, Eastport, and at www.eastportartscenter.org, and is handicapped-accessible.