Student Organization Spotlight: Ukulele Club
February 2 isn’t only Groundhog’s Day, it also marks Ukulele Day! In honor of the occasion, we caught up with Chatham’s Ukulele Club President, Julia Bingler, Psychology ‘22 to learn more about what it’s like to be a member of this musical club. Spoiler alert—it’s fun, laidback, and a great way to relieve stress. And don’t worry, you don’t have to know how to play or even own a ukulele to join! Read on to see what’s on the horizon for Ukulele Club in 2021—
Can you tell me a little bit about the Ukulele Club and what your goals are on campus?
Julia Bingler: Last semester we were meeting outside, which was nice, but [in non-pandemic times] we meet indoors once a week. People from all skill levels are invited; anyone from beginners to those who have been playing for a very long time. It's a nice way to come together, play music, share a creative outlet, and de-stress from our busy schedules. We meet for about an hour a week. Ukulele Club is relaxing and not a super high commitment. It doesn't look the same as usual because we don't have as high of a turnout due to being online. That's a big roadblock right now. But for the most part, we try to bring people together to play music together and create a safe space for creative expression.
What do your meetings typically look like?
JB: During the pandemic we have been holding online Ukulele Club meetings. It’s a little difficult with the lag but we have been counteracting it by using play-along videos. We pick different songs every week and recommendations are always welcome. In the future, we want to get back to doing it in person. That's the way that we feel most connected musically.
Do more skilled players help beginning players learn how to play?
JB: When I joined Ukulele Club, a lot of people joining at that time were just beginning to play ukulele. We had a couple people who were more advanced but everyone was mostly on a similar level and since then we've grown a lot. We try to pick songs that can work at all levels because we want to be inclusive. When we were doing it in person under other officers, they had chord sheets, and we'd have teaching sessions throughout for people who were new at ukulele playing. That's definitely something that I want to reincorporate whenever we start back in person.
What are your responsibilities as president of the Ukulele Club?
JB: I help manage the social media account. All of the officers work together to do this. We figure out meeting times that work with mostly everyone's schedule. I have been hosting the online meetings. I'll pick the videos if there are no recommendations. I mainly focus on the logistics of organizing times for everyone to get together. This semester we're having an online event with the Drama Club. We're going to have a trivia night on February 19 at 6:00 pm.
What skills have you honed while participating in the Ukulele Club?
JB: Group cooperation is a big one. Creative expression, a sense of community.
What are the benefits of joining the Ukulele Club?
JB: It's definitely a way to disconnect from the stress of going to online classes or going to classes in general. Everything is so fast-paced and Ukulele Club is a way to take a step back, relax, and make music together. It's not super high stress. It’s not something that is being graded or something that you have to show up on time for.
Does a student have to know how to play the ukulele to join?
JB: Nope. We actually had someone's roommate sit in and we were showing them how to play different chords. We use pretty simple chords so that everyone can be on the same page. If you don’t know how to play then we'll teach you.
If a student is on the fence about joining the club, how would you recommend they learn more about it or explore it?
JB: We have an Instagram page that has all the updates: @chathamuke. Students can email me directly: julia.bingler@chatham.edu. We only meet once a week, and it's pretty member friendly. It's not something that requires specific hours. If you can't make it one week, that's totally okay. If someone is on the fence, give it a shot, if it's not your thing, that's totally alright. There's no stress, no judgement. Everyone is trying to learn, and I think it's important that it's very inclusive.
What are you most looking forward to during the Spring term?
JB: We would love to see more members especially first years. I'm looking forward to our event, that'll be a nice way to collaborate with the Drama Club. Anyone is welcome to our trivia night; you don't have to be in one of the clubs. We're really excited to get back to being in-person because that's where we can really feel connected and have that space to make music together. If new members hold out, we're gonna get back to in-person once the pandemic is over.
Anything else?
JB: You don't have to own a ukulele to be in Ukulele Club. We have rentals. You can come straight to me and request a rental for the semester, completely free. We have a bunch that we can lend out.
Special thanks to Julia for participating. If you’re interested in learning more about Ukulele Club, follow @chathamuke on Instagram or email julia.bingler@chatham.edu.
