MOUNT AIRY UKULELE RETREAT
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October 24-27, 2024
Aloha! Join us for the 6th annual Mount Airy Ukulele Retreat. It is a full weekend of ukulele classes, workshops and fun.
This year promises an extended experience with immersive classes, strumming and open mic sessions, and a concert by the instructors. Participants will have the opportunity to perform on the WPAQ Merry-Go-Round live radio broadcast. Join ukulele enthusiasts of all levels for a weekend filled with jams, workshops, and fun. Instructors this year include Mike “Lightnin” Wells, Ukulele Gent, and annual hosts Kent Knorr and George Smith with a diverse lineup of workshops tailored to every skill level.
The 2023 concert can be watched online.
Keep up with the latest information on the Surry Arts Council Facebook page.
Please email Marianna with any questions or for more information.
Mahalo!
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$150 Registration
Payment in full is confirmation of your registration. We are unable to offer refunds for any reason. Registration includes a t-shirt, classes, workshops, and more! Space is limited. Retreat events will take place in the Arts Center, Andy Griffith Playhouse, Andy Griffith Museum, and Historic Earle Theatre.
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Lodging
Visit the Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce website for complete information. Mount Airy lodging includes:
Comfort Inn 336.783.0008
Hampton Inn Mount Airy 336.789.5999
Holiday Inn Express 336.719.1731
Mayberry Motor Inn 336.786.4109
Quality Inn 336.789.2000
Veterans Memorial Park Campground 336.786.2236
Mayberry Campground 336.789.6199
INSTRUCTORS
Ukulele Gent
Website
At 10 years old, his parents gave him the choice between two things he really wanted: guitar lessons or an aquarium. Guitar required work, so he chose the aquarium. Forty years later, he decided to learn a musical instrument, this time the ukulele. He is now involved with local play-alongs, uke festivals, and he hosts a weekly online play-along with viewers from across the country and world. Ukulele Gent is an Ambassador for KLOS brand ukuleles.
George Smith
Website
George Smith's musical journey began with flute in middle school, eventually leading him to guitar and a deep passion for rock music. Over the years, he mastered multiple instruments including bass, mandolin, banjo, and ukulele, all while writing his own original music. George's career boasts performances with renowned acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Marshall Tucker Band, alongside numerous CD releases and notable collaborations. Since 2007, he's been teaching music privately, expanding into classes including the Mount Airy Ukulele Invasion (MAUI) and Granite City Rock Orchestra. With a debut album in 2014, ongoing projects, and a commitment to teaching and tuning, George remains a dynamic force in the regional music scene.
Kent Knorr
Website
Kent Knorr, a seasoned musician with over 30 years of experience, is not only a performer but also a dedicated teacher and instrument collector. In 2007, he established the North Carolina Ukulele Academy, a hub for ukulele enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. As the Academy's owner, Knorr has imparted his expertise to more than 2,000 students, emphasizing the unique qualities and techniques of the ukulele. Through his extensive knowledge of traditional ukulele music and instrument origins, he offers comprehensive instruction focusing on technique, style, and the joy of playing. Knorr's passion for the ukulele has garnered recognition from various media outlets, and he continues to share his love for music from his home in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he enjoys the coastal scenery with his wife and two daughters.
Lightnin' Wells
Website
Mike "Lightnin'" Wells breathes new life into the vintage tunes of the 1920s and depression-era America. Raised in eastern North Carolina, Wells learned to play harmonica as a young child and taught himself to play the guitar as he developed a strong interest in traditional blues and folk music. His years of public performance began in Chapel Hill, NC, in the 1970s. During the following decades he presented his brand of acoustic blues throughout North Carolina, the United States, and Europe. Lightnin' is an insatiable student and researcher, studying the various forms of American roots music. He plays a number of instruments including guitar, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo. His musical style is personal and energetic yet remains true to the original forms.
2024 SCHEDULE
The schedule below is subject to change (download PDF).
Thursday, October 24
10:00 a.m.
Registration
Arts Center Lobby
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Circle Jam and Introductions:
Ukulele Gent, Kent Knorr, George Smith, Lightnin’ Wells
12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Lunch on your own
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Ukulele Essentials, Ukulele Gent
2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Strumbelievable, Kent Knorr
2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Movable Chords, George Smith
2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Right Hand Strums – Playing Techniques – Uke Tunes, Lightnin’ Wells
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm
Dinner on your own
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm
Open Mic; Ukulele Gent, Kent Knorr, George Smith, and Lightnin’ Wells
Friday, October 25
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
How to Navigate Songbooks, Kent Knorr
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Improvise Solos, George Smith
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Tunes, Tunes, Tunes, Lightnin’ Wells
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Right Hand Essentials, Ukulele Gent
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch on your own
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Intros and Outros – Finger-picking Patterns – Uke Tunes, Lightnin’ Wells
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Songwriting, George Smith
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Island Style Jammin’, Kent Knorr
3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Break
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Rehearsal for Merry-Go-Round, George Smith
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fingerstyle Ukulele, Kent Knorr
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Barre Chords, Ukulele Gent
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Dinner on your own
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm
Jam: Ukulele Gent, Kent Knorr, George Smith, Lightnin’ Wells
Saturday, October 26
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m
Rehearsal for WPAQ Merry-Go-Round, George Smith, Historic Earle Theatre
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m
Learn a Song and a Whole Lot More, Ukulele Gent
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m
Chord Melody Made Easy, Kent Knorr
10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m
Break for Merry-Go-Round participants
10:45 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Sound Check for Merry-Go-Round, George Smith, Historic Earle Theatre
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
WPAQ Merry-Go-Round Live Performance, George Smith, Historic Earle Theatre
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Beginner Strum-Along, Kent Knorr
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
More Tunes, Tunes, Tunes, Lightnin’ Wells
1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Lunch on your Own
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
I Want to Perform, but I’m Scared to Death, Ukulele Gent
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Uke Pop Rock, George Smith, Betty Wright Room, Arts Center
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wrapping Up – 1920s Uke Film, Lightnin’ Wells
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Dinner on your Own
6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sound Check for Instructors
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Instructors’ Concert, Doors open at 6:30 pm
Sunday, October 27
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Goodtime Gospel Strum-Along
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Jam, Lightnin’ Wells and Gregory Gent, Betty Wright Room, Arts Center
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Halloween Jam, George Smith
DIRECTIONS
36.4980
-80.6090
Exit 100 to Highway 89 East into Mount Airy. Turn RIGHT at the traffic light onto Graves Street (at Moody's Funeral Home). At the top of the hill, turn RIGHT on Rockford Street. The Andy Griffith Playhouse and Andy Griffith Musuem are on your immediate right.
Take Exit 11 to Highway 601 into Mount Airy. Hwy 601 turns into Rockford Street. Continue aross Hwy 52. The Andy Griffith Playhouse and Andy Griffith Musuem will be on your left.
Take the Andy Griffith Parkway (Hwy 52) to the traffic light at Highway 601/Rockford Street. Turn onto Rockford Street (left coming from Virginia or right coming from Winston-Salem). The Andy Griffith Playhouse and Andy Griffith Museum will be on your left.
This project is sponsored in part by a Grassroots Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a Division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
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By attending any event associated with the Surry Arts Council, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending the event, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold the Surry Arts Council liable for any illness or injury.
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© Surry Arts Council