THE STORY OF PHUN
Arthur Ongley
The Parramatta & Hills Ukulele Network
In 2004, my wife Denise, and I took a holiday in Hawaii, and while there I bought my first ukulele and took my first lesson. Since then, I’ve been enjoying learning and playing this wonderful instrument.
Denise and I visited Hawaii again in 2007 and enjoyed opportunities to hear ukuleles being played at Waikiki. One of the highlights of our holiday was attending the Second Annual Duke’s Ukulele Competition at the Waikiki Outrigger Hotel. We enjoyed the performances of all contestants, whose ages ranged from 6 to 84! I knew on that occasion that I wanted to do something more with ukuleles back home in Australia.
On the island if Maui, Denise and I visited a music store at Lahaina. The owner told us that he was a Californian guitarist who had moved to Maui to open a restaurant. After some time, he realized that he would rather give people the gift of music, than sell them a meal. So, he sold the restaurant, opened a music store and began offering free ukulele lessons. He smiled as he told us how much he was enjoying teaching Hawaiians to play their own instrument. His oldest student at that time was an 84 year old native Hawaiian lady. His story inspired me. I began wondering what possibilities might exist back home.
Jennifer Nutt, who founded the Hobart Ukulele Group (H.U.G) in 2007 after being inspired by a performance by the Melbourne Ukulele Kollective (M.U.K), designed the PHUN logo and helped me establish our website. Her very kind and enthusiastic assistance, along with the encouragement of Sydney Ukulele enthusiasts John Penhallow and John Chandler helped PHUN off to a good start in April 2008. Local Shopping Centres and Parramatta Baptist Church supported the venture, as did the local newspaper.
PHUN had its first meeting on April 18, 2008. It was attended by a group of enthusiastic beginning and experienced strummers from the Parramatta and Hills district as well as from the Eastern suburbs, Southern suburbs and Penrith. There were 13 of us, 8 locals and 5 encouragers from the wider ukulele community. PHUN is a community-based group that provides opportunities for people to meet together in an atmosphere of fun and friendship to learn and play the ukulele. PHUN provides beginner lessons and jam sessions at which various styles of music, representing the musical soundtrack of our lives are sung and strummed. For the more courageous, there are opportunities to share our music at churches, retirement villages and others community events.
Why Learn & Play The Ukulele?
There are several simple reasons for doing so:
The ukulele is inexpensive, very portable and easy to learn. There are only four strings and they are quite soft. Once the instrument is tuned and held correctly, some simple strumming techniques and chords can be learnt and many great songs can be strummed and sung.
Learning and playing the ukulele develops co-ordination, promotes a healthy and happy mind and relieves stress.
Learning and playing the ukulele is a happy and fulfilling experience, and when played in the company of others, a joyful experience. Community music gives rise to laughter, story-telling, friendship and fun.
Learning and playing the ukulele is great for those who are time poor but would love to explore and experience the joy of music. Music self-played is happiness self-made.
Having said that the ukulele is easy to learn, it should also be said that the ukulele is difficult to master. For those who love the ukulele, and have the desire to develop there are many pathways they can take to become more proficient.
A study of people over 95 was conducted and consisted of one question only: “If you had your life to do over again, what would you do differently?”
The top 3 answers given were:
1. We would risk more.
2. We would reflect more.
3. We would do more things that would live on after we die.
If you are one of those people who would like to learn a musical instrument before you die, take the risk and do it! Go after the new experience, express your creative self, give the inner child permission to play, make new friends and find a new level of joy and fulfillment.
Learn and play the “Oo-Koo-Lay-Lay”
PHUN currently meets four times each month for Back Porch Sessions, Friendship and Refreshments.
1. The FIRST THURSDAY of the month in school terms - 10:30am - 12:30pm
2. The SECOND MONDAY of the month in school terms - 10:30am - 12:30pm
3. The THIRD SATURDAY of the month in school terms - 10:30am - 12:30pm
4. The FOURTH FRIDAY of the month in school terms - 7pm - 8:30pm for "Aloha Friday" Hawaiian Style Music.
Registration is essential.
You can contact Arthur & Denise by email at: phunforall@gmail.com for details.