Ithaca Ukes

About Us

Ithaca Ukes is a club of ukulele enthusiasts in Ithaca, NY and beyond. Started by Robbert van Renesse and Emoretta Yang from a ukulele workshop during Ithaca's first Porchfest in 2008, Ithaca Ukes have marched in the Ithaca Festival parade, played for the Cayuga Waterfront Trail's Water Music and the Holiday Fair at the former Neighborhood Pride. We try to meet at least monthly to jam on the last Saturday of each month, at Hickey's Music Center. Other events, such as classes, workshops, house concerts, uke flash mobs, etc., will be announced via the group's e-mail Yahoo group, as well as on the Ithaca Ukes Facebook page. Strum some!

Upcoming Events

Last Saturday of the month @ Noon: Uke'n Do It - a free ukulele jam usually at or near Hickey's Music Center. Sponsored by Hickey's. No charge, no obligation.

Hickey's Music Center is at 104 Adams Street, between Dey and Auburn Streets.

Charts for the monthly uke jams can be found here.

Saturday, September 28th @ Noon, School of Rock room @ Hickey's Music Center:

Join us at Hickey's Music Center, 104 Adams Street, Ithaca, for the monthly UKE CIRCLE Saturday, September 28. Meet in the School of Rock room -- enter by the back door from the parking lot in back of Hickey's on the Dey Street side.

SPECIAL EARLY HOUR for BEGINNERS (and those who identify as beginners): 11am–noon REGULAR HOUR: noon-1. If you want to borrow a uke to try out, come a little before 11am and inquire at Hickey's front counter in the main store area.

The beginner's hour will start by introducing you to the instrument and going over a few easy songs aimed at children and the kid-in-us. We want to develop a playlist for a flash mob performance next April for the Annual 4H & Cooperative Extension Duck Races along Cascadilla Creek. During the regular hour from noon-1, we'll go over "Rubber Ducky" and a few other pieces.

Please bring a copy, if you have it, of the chart for "Rubber Ducky" in the key of F. This was included in song packets available from the Ithaca Ukes website for this year's Ithaca Festival, Watermusic, and Porchfest. Check the pages and downloads at ithacaukes.org.

Also, please bring pages 311-333 (easily disassembled from the comb binding) of The Daily Ukulele, edited by Jim and Liz Beloff, if you have them.

Hickey's Music Center carries the book. If you don't have the book in any of its many formats -- sheet music or trade book size, large print, e-book etc.-- we can find ways for you to get compatible charts.

In addition, we would be interested in suggestions of song titles and/or charts for songs fun, familiar and familial, on topics like birds, waterfowl, dogs, cats, fish, creeks, splishy splashy, speed races, insects, reptiles, and other fellow creatures, etc.

I'm attaching a quick draft of suggested song titles, and if time permits, will send out a coupla more charts.

Songs for children, suggested titles

And MAHALO again to everyone who played at Porchfest!

As you prep for some love song jams...
Don't forget that on Uke Saturday everything is 20% off!

No charge, no obligation - come prepared to have fun! We'd love to see you.

Need an instrument? We'll lend you one for the session.

Questions? Call the store at 607.272.8262.

Contact Us

To join our mailing list, sign up for our Yahoo Group.

Group Leaders:
Emoretta Yang
Robbert van Renesse

Facebook Page:
Tom Hirasuna

Hosts For Uke Jam:
David Zimet, Hickey's Music Center

Please send comments, suggestions, links, etc. to Webmaster.

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