Slack Key Guitar and Ukulele Workshop with Jeff Peterson and George Kahumoku Jr.

Enjoy a workshop with two of Hawaii's master musicians! Single admission to the combined 2+ hour workshop is $60 (plus service charges).

See all the programs with the Hawaiian Masters and consider making a donation to Maui Strong here!

There's a reason he's been called Hawaii's Renaissance man: George Kahumoku Jr. is a 4-time Grammy Award winner in Hawaiian music as well as multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winner. He is a slack key guitar master, songwriter, world-traveling performer, high school and college teacher, artist and sculptor, storyteller and writer, farmer, chef, and entrepreneur. He continues to produce at least one new CD per year, from solo works to his award-winning Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar series, based on his long-running weekly Slack Key Show on Maui with some of the finest performers in Hawaiian music. Always happy to share his knowledge, he runs an annual week-long slack key and 'ukulele workshop on Maui every June.

Workshop: Slack Key 'Ukulele C Tuning

Students must know how to tune their 'ukulele and play at least one song. This workshop will go over and cover basics of 'ukulele open tunings and use of all frets on the 'ukulele fretboard with emphasis on finger picking, harmonics and chord shapings in the key of C.

Level of class: great for beginners to advanced pros. All are welcome to attend. Students must bring a 'ukulele.

Jeff Peterson is an amazingly versatile guitar virtuoso. He is a Grammy winner as well as a four-time winner of the Na Hoku (Hawaii's Grammy) award for Best Slack Key Album, Best Instrumental award 6 times, and is prominently featured on "The Descendants" soundtrack. He composed his first Concerto for Slack Key Guitar & Orchestra, "Malama 'Aina," which premiered in 2016. He is making his mark through his passion for diverse musical styles and the talent to navigate them brilliantly. His focus on Slack Key guitar, paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy), classical, and jazz music has allowed him to develop a unique and transcendent voice on the guitar while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage to create touching, beautiful, evocative music.

Workshop: Slack Key Guitar

The focus of this workshop is on slack key and fingerstyle guitar for all playing levels. Tablature and sheet music provided; students must bring a guitar. 

Topics covered include tunings, slack key phrasing, technique, improvising, accompaniment, and learning traditional Hawaiian songs.  

Level: Different levels of players can work together with more advanced guitarists playing melodies while beginners play accompaniment.