Ukulele enthusiasts or novices can join visiting players in a jam session before the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performance.
The orchestra performs at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 in John R. Emens Auditorium, and the jam will take place directly before that from 5-7 p.m. in the William's Lounge in Emens.
Jessi MacNulty, a junior telecommunications major who will be attending the jam, comes from a ukulele-playing family. She taught herself how to play the ukulele and has been playing for three years.
“The jam session definitely sounds like a lot of fun," MacNulty said. "My dad, who also plays, is coming into town and is going to bring his uke. We’re both going to the concert together."
MacNulty and junior musical theatre major Amanda Boldt play ukulele together often and even played them in their summer jobs.
“We both are counselors for a performing arts summer camp back in our hometown, and this past summer we played our ukuleles together to accompany our youngest campers who sang 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,'” MacNulty said.
Boldt bought her ukulele two years ago and told herself she would learn to play. As a singer and musician, Boldt said she loves to accompany herself with the ukulele.
“It’s a fun hobby, and I’m so upset I can’t go to the orchestra because I have to work," Boldt said. "I think it’s such a unique thing, and it’s so cool that [the group] is coming all the way from Great Britain. I wish I could go."
Biology professor Tom McConnell, who planned the pre-concert jam, said he has been playing the ukulele for four years. He started playing when a business in Fort Wayne, Ind. began to build ukuleles in addition to the mountain dulcimer, which he also plays.
"[The business] had a festival and brought in some professional musicians to teach workshops," McConnell said. "I sat in on one of those with a borrowed ukulele, and within a week I’d bought one. It’s something I’ve really gotten into because of that.”
McConnell is a member of the Three River Ukulele club, a 30-person group that meets every month to play. McConnell has served as the bridge contact person between the Fort Wayne-based group and Ball State to plan the jam session.
The Muncie Music Center has approached McConnell to start a group in the city, but he said, due to schedule conflicts, he hasn't been able to.
“I would think that if there’s people interested [in starting a ukulele club] that it wouldn’t be too hard to start," he said. "It’s just a matter of having some people that want to get together and play. I know that the ukulele is a really popular instrument on campus and that there are a lot of students—and even a few faculty members—that play.”
Tickets to the orchestra performance can be purchased online or at the Emens box office for $5 in advance or $10 at the door. A ticket to the show is required to be able to participate in the jam session.
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