Bryan Tolentino and Herb Ohta, Jr. return to Jeffersonville for a full weekend bringing the beauty of Hawaiian music to Southern Indiana. You’ll enjoy ‘ukulele workshops, kanikapila (jam sesh), and an evening concert – all Hawaii local style! Special guest Kama Hopkins will provide instruction in hula dance and ‘olelo hawai’i (Hawaiian language) so participants can fully engage in the kanikapila experience. Workshops are open to all, multi-levels of experience are expected – whether you are an experienced player, a beginner, a hula dancer, or an aficionado of Hawaiian music and culture –  please come join the fun! 

We will kick off the weekend with an open mic and kanikapila on Friday evening, hold workshops and an evening concert and kanikapila on Saturday, and wrap up with a workshop or two on Sunday. 

This is not just another ‘ukulele festival; it will be an inclusive experience in the cultural context of the instrument and music, fulfilling Bryan and Herb’s vision to offer an immersive and authentic experience encompassing the ‘ukulele’s Hawaiian heritage. The theme, driven by Bryan and Herb, is to present the ‘ukulele not as a standalone instrument, but as a vital thread in the rich tapestry of Hawaiian performing arts. Bryan and Herb’s vision is to encompass the cultural context of the ‘ukulele as it relates to Hawaii, and include the other aspects of the performance practice such as hula and language, perhaps even some lei making! 

Capacity is limited for this very intimate venue – get your tickets soon!

Mahalo nui loa and a hui hou!

About the Artists: Bryan and Herb have two award-winning recordings as a duo, “’Ukulele Friends”, released in April 2015, which received a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for 2016 ‘Ukulele Album of the Year, and “‘Ukulele Friends: The Sequel” released in December 2017, which also won a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award!

Bryan and Herb have also instructed at music camps and workshops together over the years. For more recent online workshops, they developed a complementary teaching style that captures their expertise in both the chord melody style (Herb’s signature) and harmonic embellishments a.k.a. “Fairy Dust”, as Bryan calls it.

Kama Hopkins grew up in a family filled with Hawaiian music and hula. By day, he is the Hawaiian Cultural Advisor at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. By night, he is a musician. Kama has been playing music professionally for over 20 years and is a multi Nā Hōkū Hanohano award recipient with the group Holunape. He is also a member of another talented Hawaiian music group – NUE – Nā ‘Ukulele ‘Ekolu as the bass ‘ukulele player. Kama enjoys teaching the Hawaiian Language to all who are interested.