Not everyone associates a ukulele with mental health; if they heard John Britten speak at the U3A conference they would see the link.
The U3A ukulele tutor gave an informative and entertaining presentation entitled ‘Music, Wellbing, Ukulele and U3A’.
The ukulele was Jon’s first instrument and, like your first love, this is something you never forget.
John says the ukulele, originating in Hawaii, is the happiest instrument, ideally suited to the most important aim of U3A – learning for pleasure.
He compared the ukulele to the no audition choir, saying people love to get together to sing.
“It makes you feel good, it makes you feel nice. You’ve got the world’s oldest musical instrument residing in your body,” he said.
U3A Beaudesert’s ukulele group has a no audition policy allowing people who have never played before to try it out.
John refuted a few disadvantages of the instrument, including that it is too small.
“Compared to what? A grand piano?,” he said.
It is too quiet – John quickly proved this was not the case by playing himself.
Easy to learn with a funky, quirky sound, the ukulele has a lot of advantages, with the only unrefuted downside being the need for short fingernails on at least one hand.
By the end of his presentation and after the performance by The BUFFies Ukulele U3A Group, John had encouraged everyone in the room to try playing a ukulele.
