Ukulele boot camp helps musicians experience new instrument and sounds
Taavi Taylor plays with his ukulele during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, January 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Erika Kuta Marler, left, Katelyn Lindstrom, center and Danya Paxman, right, learn different ukulele techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, January 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Erika Kuta Marler, left, Katelyn Lindstrom, center and Danya Paxman, right, learn different ukulele techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
M. Ryan Taylor teaches a small group of students different techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
M. Ryan Taylor teaches a small group of students different techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Taavi Taylor plays with his ukulele during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
M. Ryan Taylor teaches a small group of students different techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
M. Ryan Taylor teaches a small group of students different techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan, 9, 2016 at city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
M. Ryan Taylor teaches a small group of students different techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Katelyn Lindstrom, left, and Danya Paxman, right, learn different ukulele techniques during a ukulele bootcamp held on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at the city hall in American Fork. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Island tunes
Taavi Taylor plays with his ukulele during a ukulele boot camp held on Saturday at the city hall in American Fork. Ryan Taylor, director of the American Fork Children’s Choir, started ukulele classes six years ago. See more at bit.ly/1Old3CS.
Though it has been fairly cold recently with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, American Fork City Hall had the feel of a Hawaiian paradise on Saturday morning.
It was all thanks to Ryan Taylor and his students at the Ukulele Boot Camp.
Ukulele Boot Camp is the latest installment in the various classes Taylor teaches in American Fork for those who want to learn how to play the ukulele.
Taylor has been playing the ukulele for about six years. He was inspired to play the instrument when he saw a video of Jake Shimabukuro, a world-renowned ukulele artist, play a cover of the The Beatles’ hit “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
“When I saw that, I was just like, woah, this is a real instrument. It’s not just a toy,” Taylor said.
Taylor, who also is director of the American Fork Children’s Choir, started ukulele classes through the choir six years ago. At the time he was surprised that not just kids wanted to strum the island tunes.
“We pretty quickly learned there were as many teens, adults and seniors that want to learn to play the ukulele,” he said.
There are multiple ukulele classes each week, one for beginners, one for the advanced players, and even one for “teens and tweens” offered after school on Mondays.
“It’s kind of nice to have something you can play and take with you anywhere,” Taylor said. “It’s really an instrument with no boundaries as far as you can go with it. It’s a beautiful instrument.”
Saturday’s boot camp had a smaller participation than the typical classes, but everyone there was still very eager to learn.
“I liked the boot camp,” said Danya Paxman, who teaches music at the Legacy Elementary School in American Fork. “I think ukuleles are a really nice instrument to start out on if they haven’t played another instrument.”
Paxman learned about the boot camp just Friday night and thought it would be a great way to teach her students how to play the ukulele.
“I have like 40 ukuleles sitting in the back, but I don’t know how to play,” she said. “I’ve wanted to learn, because we have kids who played a Christmas song, but, man, I really need to learn how to play.”
Paxman learned how to strum chords, pick out tunes and make music on Saturday. In fact, she is planning on taking more classes through Taylor to expand her musical talent.
“It wasn’t stressful. He’s a really good teacher, he’s really patient,” she said.
Paxman hopes her positive learning experience can transfer to her students in harmonious education.
“That’s what I’m hoping for my students, is that they can have a musical experience,” she said.
Taylor said aspiring musicians don’t need to be tied down to just one instrument and learning more musical skills helps people express their talent.
“Making music is part of the human experience and if you don’t have some sort of music in your life, you’re really missing out,” he said. “People get a real sense of accomplishment doing something with music.”
To find out more about Taylor’s ukulele classes and performances, visit ukuleleplay.com.
