In junior high school, I remember music had started to become a serious interest and I got involved in band, glee clubs and organizing musical combos. This continued through high school and college, eventually resulting in a Bachelor of Arts degree in music (choral conducting). This degree plus my relevant experience in music has taught me there is no substitute for organized, effective practice. Combining this with my love of ukulele brought fun to those many practice sessions, so I continue today . . . . having the knowledge, experience and confidence to know how to impart knowledge relevant to technique, practice and having fun.
The threat of being drafted put a crimp in my budding musical career so I joined the Air Force, decided I loved it and turned aviation into an alternate career. But what I did had such a significant, relevant impact to my musical development. Flying airplanes requires a very disciplined training and operational approach. Added to decades of experience as a trainer, this provided me an outstanding facility for teaching music.
After retirement from the Air National Guard, I recorded a ukulele CD (Eminent Ukulele) and shared publication of a Hawaiian songbook (He Mele Aloha) as one of four authors. I’ve also shared inception of a non-profit organization, Pacific Music Foundation, whose mission statement is to facilitate music that SOOTHES. I’m concurrently involved in recording two more CDs, one vocal ensemble and the other instrumental ----- of course, ukulele.
Years of musical experiences teaching and playing throughout the world have consistently shown me what I most enjoy about music and ukulele is being a part of music’s creative process. That’s the fun part and I have a notion that is the fun part for you as well. The process massages the soul. I am familiar with using the ukulele and other musical outlets to facilitate this process for you and am anxious to share.
