Ben Abrahamson’s Ukulele Ensemble
Have you ever thought you wanted to try playing the ukulele? No? Well neither had I, but all that changed when I met and talked with Ben Abrahamson. Ben is the guitar and ukulele instructor at the Mount Calvary Academy of Music, and his enthusiasm for the ukulele is so contagious that now I am thinking I have to try it.
Ben has been devoted to the arts since he was an elementary student at Bancroft in Minneapolis. He continued his studies at St. Paul Academy, and then Macalester College, where he earned his BA in Music. From an early age, he was especially drawn to jazz and flamenco guitar stylings. In fact, his love for flamenco led him to study at theTaller de Musics school of music in Barcelona.
Ben is offering two ukulele ensemble classes at The Mount Calvary Academy of Music this summer – one for kids, one for adults. I asked Ben about the typical student. “Usually the kids are starting from scratch” he told me, “but adults can range anywhere from beginner to advanced.” Students might be retirees that want to learn a new skill, or people who maybe once played the instrument, but haven’t picked it up in a long time.
The ukulele is fun, and not as serious as guitar, Ben told me. You can count on ukulele players to have a good time. “All you need are three or four chords, and you can jam with friends,” he says.
What can be really cool, Ben says, is when a young person takes the youth ensemble class and a parent or grandparent takes the adult class at the same time. Playing in a group teaches people to listen to one another and interact with one another. These ensembles provide a great opportunity for players of varying ages and abilities to have fun learning to play together.
Ukulele Classes
Youth Ensemble
For Ages 9-12
When: Monday-Friday, July 16-20, 2018 10:00am—11:30am
Tuition: $125 plus $5 registration fee
Adult Ensemble
Monday-Friday, July 16-20, 2018 12:00pm—1:30pm
Tuition: $125 plus $5 registration fee
If you would like to know more about ukulele ensembles, guitar lessons, or any of the other Mount Calvary Academy of Music offerings, please visit our Web site, www.mcaom.org, or email Mary Lechelt at mary.lechelt@mountcalvary.org.
