Senior Classes in 2012

Highlights of the year 2012 at Kaunoa Senior Center included new continuing classes for ‘ukulele and leading students to perform shows in the community. A student, Andrea Kaumeheiwa, wrote the Band jingle in response to my challenge to the class to come up with an ending song for our shows.

I taught 68 classes during the year 2012:

  • 60 classes
  • 8 Band shows

Here are the details:

32 continuing ‘ukulele classes. Band class focused on performing. Advanced ‘Ukulele class focused on using the He Mele Aloha Songbook with my arrangements..

  • Band (Intermediate ‘Ukulele). 17 classes.
  • Advanced ‘Ukulele (Mele’s Alumni Club). 15 classes.

8 new Strumming 101 classes. Students received bound Xerox copies of song sheets and practice CD.

  • Strumming 101. 8 classes (July-August)

9 new Strumming 202 classes open to new students every month.

  • 2 classes (February)
  • 2 classes (March)
  • 2 classes (April)
  • 2 classes (May)
  • 1 class (June)

9 new Strumming 202 continuing class.

  • 9 classes (July-December)

1 Lunch and Learn class. I used a PowerPoint format.

  • Maui’s Historical Places (February)

1 new Hawaiian history class for the special program. I used a PowerPoint format and presented the program in Ahahui Ka’ahumanu society official regalia as a member.

  • History of the Ahahui Ka’ahumanu (October)

8 Maui Ukulele Pops Band shows accompanied by Rich on u-bass.

  • Keiki Karnival at Christ the King Church. (February)
  • Ukulele Explosion at Kalama Intermediate School (March)
  • Kaunoa nutrition program at Kahului Union Church (May)
  • Maui Matsuri at Maui Community College (May)
  • Kaunoa Showcase at Maui Mall (May)
  • Upcountry Fair at Oskie Rice Park (June)
  • Kamehameha Day at Lahaina (June)
  • 5th Annual Maui Ukulele Guild Exhibition at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center. (November)

In addition to offering the above classes and performances, my husband and I held an extra Band practice at Hinano and Andrea’s followed by the Band close out party. I decided to stop pursuing gigs for the Band and instead perform as requested.

The Maui Ukulele Jazz Trio also performed 7 shows with Hinano as our third member:

  • Keiki Karnival at Christ the King Church. (February)
  • Ukulele Explosion at Kalama Intermediate School (March)
  • Queen’s Festival at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center (March)
  • Upcountry Fair at Oskie Rice Park (June)
  • Maui County Special Fair at War Memorial fairgrounds (September)
  • National Museum Day at Bailey House Museum (September)
  • 5th Annual Maui Ukulele Guild Exhibition at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center. (November)

Aloha, Mele Fong aka Ukulele Mele

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Mele Fong is a professional singer, song arranger, and master of multiple strumming styles for the 'ukulele. She is an experienced educator with over 50+ years experience playing the 'ukulele and entertaining worldwide. Mele performs with her husband in the duo "The Hawaiian Serenaders" and leads student groups. In 1996, the duo represented the State of Hawai'i in concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Mele and her husband Richard Tom were both born and raised on Oahu and now reside in Maui.