Tomorrow @ THE UKULELE SESSIONS – a couple of sea-farin’ tunes :  Rod Stewart’s “Sailing” and a #1 hit song from 1959, “Sea of Love”.  These are easy peasy tunes, uncomplicated, straightforward. Maybe I can even get you guys to sing!

THE UKULELE SESSIONS take place in Newmarket every
TUESDAY night from 7:30 – 8:30, an hour of hands-on learning in a
relaxed, fun atmosphere, each themed week offering 2 songs from every
imaginable era, artist or genre, with something for every skill level, from Ultra Newbies to Intermediate.

Chord lineups are displayed so students can review them in advance, and Youtube clips are posted for listening. The ‘Chords to Review‘ will give you an idea of the level of that week’s songs – if there are 12 chords, they might not be for a true Newbie, but if there are only 7 chords, you know that might be something a Newbie can handle! Even if you think you’re not ready, you’d be amazed at how much you’ll learn in one hour just by listening, trying, and absorbing in a friendly group environment.

Attendance is strictly ‘drop-in’, based on whether you like that week’s tunes, no commitment necessary. All that’s needed is an “I’ll be there!” email confirmation before 4pm on the nights that you DO choose to attend. This reserves your seat and allows me to know how many printouts to prepare. Maximum class size is 12.

COST: $20 at the door for Pay-as-you-go
——–$85 for package of 5 classes
——–$160 for package of 10 classes

Packages can be used in any order, at your convenience, and will not expire.

LOCATION: 157 Queen St., Newmarket, ON
TIME: 7:30 – 8:30
EMAIL: judemarshak@gmail.com
PHONE: 905 717 8696
www.ukeology.net

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS!

This Wed.’s theme –  “That Ol’ Mr. Moon!”

We’ll be doing (by popular request) Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon‘ and ‘Moon River’, a brilliant song by the one and only Henry Mancini, from one of my all time favourite films, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’.

Tomorrow @ THE UKULELE SESSIONS in Newmarket, we’re doing a couple favourite Beatles tunes – “I Will” and “Imagine”. Because most of you will probably recognize them, familiarity will be your friend.
Chords to review:
G G6 Am Dm D7 Bm7 Cm7 G7 F E7
We’ll go slow, but no worries, these are not too tough for you guys. Feel-good stuff! See you tomorrow!

Check the CLASSES page for more info about THE UKULELE SESSIONS.

Tomorrow, it’s Achey Breaky Country Gals night! Two great soulful tunes sung by two great country women – Bonnie Raitt and Dolly Parton – “Angel from Montgomery” and “Jolene”.

This will be an easy peasy night for chords, only standard ‘cowboy’ chords:
C G D F Am
Not worrying about chords will give you the freedom to enjoy the rhythm, the strumming, the lyrics and melody (maybe even let loose and sing!). These tunes are straight from the heart.

Welcome back Everyone!
Tomorrow will be our first Wednesday night of THE UKULELE SESSIONS this summer.

We’re starting with two cool Hawaiian Hits – ‘Drop Baby Drop’ and ‘Honey Baby’.
Although these tunes include bar chords, they are surprisingly Beginner-Friendly as they both use the same 4 chords & repetitive patterns. –
A Bm7 Cm7 E7
Very catchy. Grass skirts not included.
**And remember, please let me know if you’re coming so I can be prepared. Hope to see you tomorrow, from 7:30 – 8:30, and every Wednesday.

THE UKULELE SESSIONS return this summer!
Every Wednesday night in NEWMARKET starting June 29

The Ukulele Sessions is a series of themed, one-hour evenings, each focusing on a specific artist or genre or era……everything from Fleetwood Mac to Cole Porter to Adele to ..…the list is endless. This is a super opportunity to get some hands-on learning in an intimate, fun atmosphere, and meet some fellow players.

Generally geared to the Advanced Beginner, many sessions will suit you Newbies, with cool, easy to nab 2, 3 and 4 chord tunes from every era. Skill levels will be mixed, so come with an open mind and an adventurous spirit! Song line-ups will be posted here on the website each month, through weekly email notices, or on both of my Facebook pages:  ‘Ukeology: The Art of Ukulele” and my regular personal page.
Then you have the option to choose which nights you’d like to attend, based on the songs being offered that week. Your repertoire will grow in leaps and bounds, as will your skills and your ‘ukulele social circle’!

Purchase a pack of 10 classes & attend ANY you wish, no special order.
OR – Attend single classes. Drop-Ins are welcome, you pay at the door.
Pre-purchased classes can be attended on ANY DATE your choose.

****PLEASE CONFIRM ATTENDANCE VIA TEXT, EMAIL OR PHONE, BY 3PM OF EACH CLASS DAY. THIS RESERVES YOUR SPOT AND ALLOWS ME TO PREPARE.
**MORE IMPORTANT, THIS ALSO ALERTS YOU TO ANY POSSIBILITY OF CLASS CANCELLATION.

Alas, spring is on it’s way – PLEEEEESE!!! – ( it’s April and we have snow storms in Ontario…sigh ) And with the promise of spring, I have been inspired to make some changes here. My observations of late have suggested that I need one more category added to the basic ‘Beginner’ and ‘Level 2’ – a ‘pre-Level 2’ you might say – to accommodate those ‘in-betweeners’.

So, as of May/2016, these will be the new Ukeology Level categories. Which one do you fit into?

1) The Ultra Newbie, who has never played a stringed instrument (or ANY instrument for that matter), and may have absolutely NO musical education or experience at all – Fresh Meat!

2) The Enlightened Beginner, who has taken the Newbie class with me, or has learned a few chords and simple tunes on their own, but is still feeling like they’ve only just begun.

3) The Advanced Beginner, the more confident player who is chomping at the bit to take on more challenging material, and has at least 8-12 chords firmly under their belts.

With these changes, I must add:

My workshops and classes will always be termed as ‘Beginner’ at some level… that’s what Ukeology is all about. We will never get into intricate finger picking or highly complicated strums. I do not profess to stand beside the James Hills or the Jake Shimabokuras as a player. I think I will always consider myself a ‘highly evolved Beginner’. However, as an experienced and well respected actress/musician/recording artist/singer-songwriter with 40 years of well-reviewed performance to my credit, I can confidently say that I know what works. I know how to handle this instrument to create satisfying and exciting sounds, instinctually, not theoretically. And that is what I teach – how to use all your senses…your instincts …to hear and feel the notes and the rhythm, the heartbeat….to feel it in your very core. There is a delicious kind of freedom that comes from playing ‘by ear’, when you are not a slave to the book or the paper. That freedom equals a unique kind of joy. That’s what we’re after.

So, there may be 3 ‘levels’ , but they are all ‘Beginners’. Just so’s ya know.

Hello Everyone!
If you’ve been visiting this site at all, you may have noticed that I haven’t posted for a very long time. Alas it’s been a very busy year for Judy Marshak the actress and singer. I’ve been on stage, out-of-town,  in a variety of theatrical productions almost non-stop since last May/2015. Very gratifying as an artist, but very frustrating as a wife, mother, friend, gardener, dog-owner and ukulele teacher! Being away from my home for so many months is not easy, and although I will be leaving to do one more show this spring, I will be officially home by the end of this May and ready to start teaching again. I appreciate all those who have waited patiently after contacting me about lessons and workshops while I was away.

So for all of you ultra newbies, eager to finally figure out what to do with that ukulele you got for Christmas, I’ll be holding a 2-Hour Crash Course on Sunday, April 3, from 3:00 – 5:00 in Newmarket. Cost is $50. More details on the Classes page.

And for those who are ready to take the next steps to expand your skills with new material and techniques in a fun, weekly group setting, stay tuned for news of The Ukulele Sessions starting back again when I return. I plan to run them throughout the summer. If you’re unfamiliar with The Ukulele Sessions, check my past posts or the Classes page for more info.

*** I’d like to thank Michael del Mundo for this gorgeous sketch, which he clearly did for a workshop in 2010. I felt that it so expressed exactly the feeling when a group of players convene for learning or jamming, and it is so beautifully crafted.

(And you also may have noticed that this page has lost some of it’s background graphics. I am in the midst of doing some updating to this site, so things should start looking snazzy very soon! )

This is the last opportunity for a quickie crash course until the fall, so if you have a uke and don’t know what the heck to do with it, grab a spot in this one!

This was my last week of lessons in Toronto, until I return from PEI in late October. Bittersweet feelings of leaving mixed with joyous anticipation of Charlottetown and the ocean and my beloved island where I’ve spent many summers playing the role of ‘Marilla’. This time in the lovely sequel, “Anne and Gilbert”. Good friends and good times await, I know.

Had to post this delicious video of my favorite student. Sorry everyone ….. I love you all, and I know I shouldn’t confess to having a favorite, but Emmi is such a special girl….that smile, that red hair, and most of all, that passion and joy. No doubt when I return, she will be 6 inches taller (and 5 months smarter!)

Just click on this link for a peek:  Judy and Emmi “The Rainbow Connection”

Emmi & Judy play “The Rainbow Connection”

SO…as I am booked to work in glorious PEI from mid May to mid October, (sorry folks, but a girl’s gotta work!), our LAST CLASS will be on APRIL 30, and we’ll RESUME again on NOV.5. That’s 5 months to practice! I am off to do a beautiful little musical called “Anne and Gilbert”, a sweet sequel to “Anne of Green Gables”, and I will be playing Marilla, the very same role as I did in that original show for 4 summers. Charlottetown is a fabulous place to be in the summer, but I will sorely miss my family and dogs and garden…..and our classes!