Engage Actively With Music to Reap Its Greatest Benefits |
The ukulele is a highly accessible instrument that almost anyone can learn to play.
Ukulele clubs exist in many locales; consult the internet to locate one near you.
Fun fact: “ukulele” is a Hawaiian word that means “jumping fleas.”
In my book, Music Between Your Ears, I talk about the importance of actively engaging with music to reap its greatest benefits. In that section, I discuss instruments that almost anyone can learn to play, no matter one’s age or prior experience. I mention drums and bells, and I am now happy to add the ukulele to that list.
Ukulele. What a curious word for a curious instrument. Until recently, my only experience with the ukulele was watching Tiny Tim play it while singing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" on The Ed Sullivan Show (you can find this on YouTube if you’re not familiar with it). But I'm happy to report that, over the past few months, I’ve been educated. I’ve learned that the ukulele is a highly accessible instrument that is growing steadily in popularity.
My education began unexpectedly following a conversation about my book. After finishing an interview, the woman I was speaking with said that she appreciated my advocacy for active involvement with music. She specifically mentioned the example in my book that playing a musical instrument can lower one’s risk of developing dementia. She then told me that she plays regularly at a local ukulele club that includes people of all skill levels, from experienced players to complete beginners.
That conversation sparked my interest, and I wanted to learn more. I contacted Wendy Matthews, a ukulele expert in western Connecticut. Wendy credits Jim Beloff, a guitarist and former publisher for Billboard magazine, with helping to bring the ukulele into the spotlight. About 30 years ago, Beloff chanced upon a ukulele at a flea market and began playing it. He wrote about the instrument and created arrangements for it. Soon, ukulele clubs began forming, followed by festivals where players could gather. In the early days, these festivals were small and personal. Today, they are much larger. While some of the closeness has been lost, that is the price of popularity.
Wendy teaches ukulele students of all levels and encourages beginners to join her group, The Bethel Ukulele Group. “I love people getting involved with music,” she says.1 She agrees that the ukulele is especially beginner-friendly. After learning just three or four basic chords, new players can start playing along with others. Ukuleles are widely available and come in several sizes to match different vocal ranges, from the small soprano (the tiny ones) to the larger baritone, which is about the size of a mandolin.
The ukulele also has a fascinating history. It is related to the braguinha, a small four-stringed instrument from the Portuguese island of Madeira. Sailors often played the braguinha on long ocean voyages to entertain themselves and others. When Madeiran sailors played these instruments on the docks in Hawaii, the local people loved the sound. Over time, Hawaiians adapted the braguinha to their own musical style and named it the ukulele.
The Hawaiian word “ukulele” means “jumping fleas.” Why such a strange name? There are several explanations. Some say the sound and the fingering movements reminded people of jumping fleas. Others suggest that the sailors’ poor hygiene caused fleas to jump off them as they played. There may be other stories as well.
Wendy Matthews performs professionally in a duo with Greg Doyle called The Edukated Fleas. Their name references both the meaning of “ukulele” as well as a lyric from Cole Porter’s 1928 song "Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love." Their music focuses on the American Popular Songbook, including jazz standards, swing-era hits, and Tin Pan Alley favorites. “We play the music we love,” Wendy explains.2 Because of their audience, they often perform at brunch events rather than at nighttime.
The Edukated Fleas also perform at libraries and memory care centers. Playing at memory care centers is especially meaningful to them. Wendy enjoys watching people with dementia, who may otherwise seem withdrawn, suddenly become alert and engaged upon hearing music from their youth. These moments are known as music-evoked autobiographical memories, or MEAMs. MEAMs are memories triggered by familiar music and are often strongly connected to emotions.3 They can help people with dementia interact socially and maintain a sense of who they are.
In addition to performing, Wendy helps organize regional ukulele events, including the Hudson Valley Ukulele Invitational. She describes it as a cabaret-style gathering where each participant performs two songs. Afterward, everyone plays together as a group until they simply can’t handle having any more fun.
To learn more about ukulele music and The Edukated Fleas, visit www.edukatedfleas.com.
1 Matthews W. Personal communication.
2 Matthews W. Personal communication.
3 Markind S. Music Between Your Ears. 2025: Hopkins Press. MEAMs are “autobiographical memories specifically elicited when hearing music from one’s past and they are typically coupled with the evocation of emotions . . . which are experienced strongly.” (p. 79).