Ukulele Festival Hawaii’s mission is to spread laughter, love, and hope to children and adults of Hawai’i and the world through the music of the ‘ukulele, and what better way to spread this message than hosting a free Workshop! Join us from anywhere in the world and enjoy four mini workshops with Roy Sakuma, Herb Ohta Jr., Kama Hopkins, and Lauren Baba. Throughout the day we’ll also showcase the history of Ukulele Festival Hawaii. Download the free digital packets!

Enjoy the replay of our Workshop and free workshop materials!

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Ukulele Concerto - Roy will teach his classic song, “Ukulele Concerto”. He will discuss his inspiration and the techniques used within the piece.

Roy Sakuma

Since 1974 Roy & Kathy Sakuma have brought the joy of the ‘ukulele to thousands of students in Hawai’i with the Roy Sakuma Ukulele Studios. Roy’s teaching methodology is unique and revolutionary, allowing anyone to learn and play music with the ‘ukulele. 

In 2004 Roy & Kathy established Ukulele Festival Hawaii, a nonprofit organization, to continue their life’s work of preserving interest in the ‘ukulele and spreading the joy of the instrument. Ukulele Festival Hawaii produces free ukulele festivals and provides scholarships for Hawai’i’s youth. 

As a producer of award winning albums, Roy & Kathy have brought the versatility of the ‘ukulele to a much wider audience. The Roy Sakuma Productions record label is home to an eclectic, refreshing collection of musical styles. Award-winning artists include Ka’au Crater Boys, Ohta-San, Herb Ohta Jr., Noel Okimoto, and Holunape.

Roy continues to dedicate his life to helping children heal by speaking about his struggles, saying that it is easier to strengthen children than it is to fix a broken adult. He uses music, including songs he has written, to help children accept themselves and find their inner strength.

Chord Melody - Herb is known for his Chord Melody style, and he will take you through his arrangement of “Hawai’i Aloha.”

Herb Ohta Jr.

International recording artist Herb Ohta Jr. is considered one of today’s most prolific ‘ukulele masters. Influenced by Jazz, R&B, Latin, and Brazilian music, he puts his stamp on Hawaiian music by pushing the limits of tone and technique on this beautiful instrument. The son of ukulele legend Ohta-San, Herb started playing at the age of 3. He now shares the music of Hawai‘i and the beauty of the ‘ukulele with people around the world, performing and conducting instructional workshops.

His debut was in 1990 on his father’s recording. Since then, Herb has over 50 recordings with 13 solo and 13 duet recordings to his credit. With 16 nominations, he has won Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards for "ʻUkulele Nahenahe” in 2011, “Pure ʻUkulele” in 2013, Instrumental Song of the Year in 2013, “ʻUkulele Friends” in 2015, “ʻUkulele Friends The Sequel” in 2018, and “ʻUkulele Hula” in 2019. Herb is also a four-time Hawai‘i Music Award winner. In addition, Herb has three national releases in Japan, one in Taiwan, co-authored two ‘ukulele instructional books with Grammy Award artist Daniel Ho that was released in Japan and the United States, and published a songbook of his arrangements in Korea.

Now in his 30th year in the music business, Herb is well on his way to matching his father’s legacy

Hawaiian Mele - Kama Hopkins comes from a long line of Hawaiian musicians and is a songwriter himself. He will teach his song “Ukulele Player” and, if there is time, the classic “The Hukilau Song.”

Kama Hopkins

Kama Hopkins grew up in a family filled with Hawaiian music and hula. He represents an extraordinary mix of Hawaiian songs performed in the styles of Hawai'i of the 1940s and ‘50s as well as contemporary Hawaiian music. As a member of the former group Holunape, Kama received Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards in 2006 for Group of the Year and Hawaiian Language Album of the Year and again in 2009 for Group of the Year and Hawaiian Album of the Year. This year, Kama joins Bryan Tolentino and Halehaku Seabury as NUE showcases their ‘ukulele artistry at the 52nd Annual ‘Ukulele Festival Hawaiʻi.

Pop Songs Versatility - Pop songs have a warm and welcoming nature to them; and if lucky, some of them become timeless. Join me in learning a couple of these songs and finding ways to make them your own.

Lauren Baba

Lauren Baba grew up on Oahu and started playing the ukulele at the age of 7. At 14, she was hired as an instructor for Roy Sakuma Ukulele Studios. Through teaching, she discovered a passion for singing and used that to help her students connect to the music they were learning. Since then, Lauren has started playing music around town as well as for private events and weddings. She has an established YouTube channel and opened for renowned musical artist Willie K at`Iolani School's 2017 Summer Concert.