Master instructor Avery Hill invites people to kick off 2026 with music. Join her for one of her classes, offered at Artichoke Music Thursday evenings beginning January 22. ‘Ukulele for Beginners (5:30 pm) is an eight-week class that will cover and review all the basics for early success in ‘ukulele playing—how to hold the instrument and strum, a variety of songs to build up a strong repertoire and other essential skills and good habits for a strong start to playing. Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele (6:30 pm) takes ‘ukulele playing to the next level with popular and accessible songs to build a repertoire of chords, keys, strum patterns and basic ear training.
Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 pm, January 22-March 12 (also at Artichoke Music), Hill presents Women in Music: From Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog” to Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter. Music enthusiasts and players are invited to take part in this powerful new class that reframes American music history through voices too often left out. The class digs into Black women’s genre-birthing, genre-bending and genre-defying contributions to the lineage of American country, blues and rock’n’roll. Learn to play, sing and appreciate music made by the foremothers from Hill and historian, author and social justice activist Lois Levenn.
January is rounded out with the workshop Change Your ‘Ukulele Strings, Saturday, January 31, 10 am-12 pm. Demonstration and materials will be provided, including strings, followed by guided workshop time for participants to work on their own.
Visit averyhill.studio to register and for additional information.
Photo by Angela Holm.
