PULLING STRINGS

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:

Friday Evening:

7pm – 8:30 pm “Ukulele Enthusiast Workshop” – Jim Major

Jim Major Bio: Jim Major was the original owner of “Acoustic Music” in Salt Lake City, and is well known for his work as an instructor of Ukulele at the University of Utah and has done creative work and organizing for Utah Blues Festivals. He is hands-on in his instruction, can demonstrate any technique, and provides resources no player should be without.

Workshop #1 Description “Ukulele Enthusiast Workshop”:
Each student will receive a folder with instructions and tabs. It's yours to keep. Learn chords, fingering, and strumming techniques then we'll dive right into playing tunes. The uke tuning for this class will be (GCEA). Transcriptions are provided. Jim advises you to come 15 minutes early to get your ukulele in tune so you'll be ready for the class. Some knowledge of music or musical experience is recommended; workshop is limited to ten participants.

Saturday Day:

9:00 am - Ukulele Essentials, Greg Gent

10:00 am - Singing Strings, Bird Watchers Band Members

11:00 am - Play Along – Greg Gent

12:00 pm - Lunch on Own

1:00 pm - Song Writing - Bird Watchers

2:00 pm - Strumming – Greg Gent and Jim Major

3:00 pm - Play Along – Greg Gent

4:00 pm - Dinner on Own / Stage Sound Check

6:00 pm – Uke Gent

6:30 pm - A Pair of Old Jeans

7:00 pm - BirdWatchers

Greg Gent Bio: At 10 years old, Greg’s parents gave him the choice between two things he really wanted: guitar lessons or an aquarium. Guitar required work, so he chose the aquarium. 40 years later, he decided to learn a musical instrument, this time the ukulele. Now he’s involved with local play-alongs, uke festivals and even hosts a weekly online play-along with viewers from across the country and world. Greg is an Ambassador for KLOS brand ukuleles.

Workshop #2 Description: “Ukulele Essentials”

Ok, so you’ve learned a few chords... maybe more. And you dream DDUUDU. You’re more than a beginner... you’re a player!! Greg Gent’s Ukulele Essentials workshop covers adding essential ukulele skills to your ukulele toolkit. Think picking is beyond you? Think again. Ever hear someone add that cool percussive sound to their strum? Greg will explain it. You’ll do it! Having trouble with tempo? Let’s talk about all these things and more. Ukulele Essentials teaches techniques you can practice and provides useful information to help you move beyond beginner. We invite you to join Greg live on Facebook at Ukulele Gent on Wednesday evenings at 7 PM Eastern time. It’s always fun, everyone is welcome; the workshop is limited to 30 participants.

Workshop #3 Description: “Singing Strings”

Got friends to jam with but need vocal parts for everyone? In this workshop, The Birdwatchers will show you how to create harmonies out of thin air using nothing but your ukulele.

Workshop #4 Description: “Play Along”

Workshop #5 Description: “Song Writing” (send asap)

The Birdwatchers will share their methods of creating songs, including how to make your own chord progressions, use song keys, think up melodies, and most importantly…just doing it!

Workshop #6 Description: “Right Hand Essentials”

In the ‘Ukulele Essentials’ class, we covered two basic right hand techniques: chucking and Travis picking. In, ‘Right Hand Essentials’, we’ll further our use of right hand techniques to add exciting and interesting additions to your ukulele sound. We’ll discuss adding chucking to more complex strums, introduce more complex picking patterns, and more. We’ll then practice these skills, then put them to work a a few songs. You will leave with skills to practice, perfect, and improve your overall range of playing.

Workshop #7 Description: “Play Along”

A Pair Of Old Jeans Bio: Mary Jean and Carol Jean are a PAIR OF OLD JEANS. Carol is mostly guitar with a little ukulele occasionally. Jeannie is all ukulele. Jeannie played the trumpet in elementary and Jr. high, but it wasn’t cool for high school. She took piano lessons long enough to learn Fur Elise, then quit. Carol has played guitar most of her life, except when her mother insisted she learn violin, because a piano was too big for the house. The ‘PAIR’ discovered, 10 years ago, that guitar and ukulele sound pretty good together. They developed a nice vocal harmony and just tried to have fun with music. The ‘JEANS’ have performed for various venues in northern Utah. They are the force that is behind the magic of Ogden’s O TOWN UKESTERS.

Birdwatchers Bio: The Birdwatchers are a unique acoustic trio who specialize in an equally particular instrument: the ukulele. Kim Bjerga, Clark Holmes, and Andy Nufer have carved out a niche for themselves in their local music scene, and for good reason. Their tight, three-part harmonies, combined with interestingly composed arrangements are refreshingly diverse, both in musicianship and content. With various ukulele ranges (tenor, baritone, and bass ukulele, as well as guitar), the three have managed to produce a wide, varied sound, and with an equally varied set list, The Birdwatchers are bridging musical gaps for all ages and ears.

Kim and Andy have been friends for years, beginning with their high school years in southern Utah, and later living together as roommates while attending a university in the same small town of Cedar City. Having previous musical experience together in a rock band called Apollo's Army, they were pleasantly surprised when they met Clark at a crepe party hosted at their apartment, where Clark found Kim’s ukulele and began to jam. Kim and Andy decided to learn a few songs with Clark for fun. The three came together when a mutual friend, Ben, asked them to serve dinner to him and a date wearing nothing but Speedos. They decided to take it one step further; the trio stripped, and instead of Speedos, wore only aprons and bowties. Dinner was served! To conclude the meal they had the idea to sing love songs to Ben and his shocked date. That night the trio inadvertently become a band. Later, while filming a simple video to put on Youtube for fun, the question arose - what to call themselves? The Naked Waiters was the obvious choice. A few years later the name evolved to The Birdwatchers.

Word got out, and people started hiring the threesome for weddings, festivals, galas, parties, corporate events, resorts, etc. They have also won music competitions and headline their own concerts. They will always remember and attribute their start to Cedar City when a local farm would hire them for organic farm-to-fork dinner events and farmer's markets. In 2015 they found an adventurous music scene in northern Utah in a town called Provo, where they currently reside. The Birdwatchers’ original tunes stray from the typical love song trend, and broach more authentic topics like the town where they met, childhood nostalgia, beautiful locations filled with memories, and even something as simple as a relationship with a pet cat. In 2020 they were flown out to LA to be taped auditioning for the celebrity judges. They received all 4 yeses, and though their audition didn't end up being shown and they did not get to compete, they had a worthwhile experience. They have performed and taught uke workshops all over Utah and other states, as well as Scotland, Australia, and Canada. They completed recording a full-length album while spending the majority of 2019 living on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, which is available on major streaming and purchasing platforms. Though the band's name changed to The Birdwatchers, their first album is called The Naked Waiters.

If a step away from the monotonous and mundane sounds like what’s missing, then perhaps it’s time for a little R&R. The Birdwatchers provide that and more, with a refreshing, unique sound that revolves around ukulele instrumentation and three-part harmonies, and caters to ears and hearts of all ages. Far from a gimmick, this talented trio consistently delivers wholesome, authentic, and genuine music, blending classics from a bygone era with modern, charming numbers and unique original tunes. Grab a drink, sit back, relax, and prepare to get served.

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