STUART FUCHS

 

Although we have not known each other for every long, I feel like Norm and Elayne are indeed to kindred music spirits whom I resonate with very much!  Norm & Elayne: you both are bright lights shining positivity into your work - and this light as so clearly illuminated the ukulele community you both serve.  I loved visiting Dundas in September and experiencing what being with a ukulele community "North of the Border" is all about.  With you I experienced people who play with so much joy, learn with great curiosity, and try new things fearlessly.  Kudos to you both for all you've done to bring music to so many people!

 

On another note, you are both fantastic to work with - a highlight of my entire trip to Dundas were the phone conversations we had (which had a lot of laughter in them).  I could tell right away this was gonna be fun! And it was!

 

Looking forward to seeing you both again.  Congratulations on 10 years of teaching & serving with music!

 

All the best,

Stuart Fuchs

 

JAMES HILL

 

I send my love and congratulations - if belatedly - to Norm and Elayne.  Here's to 10 more years of uke!

 

Warm regards,

 

James Hill

 

KIMO HUSSEY

 

I'm honored to know of your teaching anniversary and to accept this opportunity of sharing a short message of ukulele aloha to friends so deserving.

 

Thank you for your years of meaningful work in sharing ukulele.  I know personally of your interest for quality teaching and deriving effective instructional strategies as I have very fond memories of those classroom hours and breakfast opportunities we shared going over issues you felt would improve your ukulele program.  I quite appreciated your "hunger" to learn whatever you could to enhance your program so it could continue to grow accountably.  Good for you - keep going and know as well that I was learning right along with you.  Thank you for that.

 

Teachers make up my favourite workshop audience - there's just so much to share and learn.  Accordingly, I so look forward to that time when we can gather again and continue to share and grow in ukulele even more.  One of the reasons I love to teach is that I learn just as much an many times even more.  Thank you for your help in building our teachers' database.

 

Much love and aloha to you, your family and ukulele friends!

 

Kimo

 

KEN MIDDLETON

 

I have been very fortunate to be invited several times to the Ukulele Ceilidh in Nova Scotia.  I first met you both there in 2011.  It has always been my great pleasure to meet up with you on subsequent visits to the event.

 

From my first meeting, you both struck me as extremely conscientious people.  I am, therefore, not at all surprised to hear that your adult students want to honour your commitment to ukulele teaching in Dundas.  Just think of how many people have benefited over the last decade.  What a great tribute to your skill, perseverance and passion for the instrument!

 

Enjoy this celebration.

 

Ken Middleton (England)

 

JIM D'VILLE

 

Two years ago I was dragging an Airstream trailer on a 14-month ukulele workshop tour of the United States and eastern Canada.  Of all the workshops of that epic journey, by far the best was in Dundas, Ontario, Canada.  Norm and Elayne went above and beyond the call of duty, not only in welcoming me and my wife, Linda with their unsurpassed hospitality, but they organized, by far, the best event of the entire tour.  Through their hard work and dedication to the ukulele, Norm and Elayne turned out nearly 150 people for my event!  I was flabbergasted!  It's people like Norm and Elayne, whose love of ukulele and music education, inspire people to become better musicians.

 

Jim D'Ville

 

PORTLAND UKULELE

 

To Norm and Elayne - congratulations from Marianne Brogan and the Portland Ukulele Association on your 10th anniversary of teaching.  We had some fun times together at the Portland Ukulele Festivals 2006-2009, and hope that we crazy Portlander's helped you, in some small way, to carry the joy of ukulele playing to Dundas!

 

Cheers,

Marianne

 

RALPH SHAW

 

Dear Norm and Elayne

 

Congratulations from the west coast of Canada!  It seems slightly odd that ten years ago we were all in Portland together and didn't really get to connect.  Fortunately this has been made up for in recent years as I have experienced firsthand your kindness of heart, your generosity of spirit and the fact that you're such fun people to be around.  And as a performer who has benefited from the workshops and concerts you have hosted for me I can attest to your first class organizational abilities.

 

Not many people have the knowledge, heart and smarts to do what you guys do and this event recognizes that.  Here's a wish from your friend Ralph Shaw that you will continue to do this wonderful work that benefits so many!

 

Ralph Shaw

 

MARTIN (LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL CEILIDH)

 

Greetings from Nova Scotia.  Norm and Elayne, your friends associated with the International Ukulele Ceilidh in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, would like to congratulate you on your wonderful achievement of passing the 10 year teaching milestone with your adult classes.  Your devotion and passion for this little instrument of pleasure is to be applauded.  Enjoy the celebration of this wonderful event.

 

Martin (Liverpool International Ceilidh)

 

GERALD ROSS (UKETONE RECORDS)

 

Thank you for helping keep self-made, self-played music alive!  I wish you many more music, laughter and friendship filled years.

 

Gerald Ross

 

CAROL STONEHOUSE

 

“I don’t know where to start. I first found and emailed Elayne and Norm when I was on vacation in Hawaii about 7 years ago. I was thinking about buying a uke and was not sure if I would carry on with it back in Canada. I emailed and they responded right away to tell me about the lessons in Dundas. The rest is history! I have been learning to play the uke from them ever since and I love it! The classes are well planned and presented in a very clear manner. There are several levels so you can start with the beginners classes and move up when you feel ready. I have also met many good friends there and am enjoying being part of two small groups where we focus on the music we love outside the classes. Elayne and Norm are amazing people and I feel so fortunate to have met them. They made the uke magical for me. Thanks Elayne and Norm”

 

Carol Stonehouse

 

CLAUDETTE

 

A really good teacher is pretty special, but even better is a teacher who can make learning fun. And Elayne and Norm definitely make it fun! They take delight in everything their students do and they’re our biggest fans! They do it all-they teach, offer jams, organize workshops, keep us all informed about upcoming ukulele ceildihs/cruises/workshops and offer the latest and coolest ukuleles available for sale. They are talented musicians in their own right and just plain wonderful people!

 

Claudette

 

KAY STEELE

 

Smiles and friendship are as important to our ukulele lessons taught by Elayne and Norm Ruplen as are learning, playing and singing during our classes! Their instructional style is relaxed and positive as they guide us to develop skills according to our levels of ability and interest and courage! They are impressed with each new skill we attempt! Both instructors are talented musicians who have played musical instruments since an early age and they are keen to share their passion with each of us, creating a warm and happy atmosphere in the classes and Jam. Learning to play the ukulele has added another facet to my life and after four years of lessons, I am keen to begin a 5th year to learn new skills, and have fun!

 

Kay Steel

 

LEONARD BARRECA

 

At StringAlong Ukulele Elayne and Norm Ruplen believe that learning and playing the ukulele should be fun. They have created a community of learners where people of varying skills and ages enjoy learning and playing music together. StringAlong Ukulele lessons are consistently well prepared and taught to meet the range of abilities, interests, and goals of StringAlong Ukulele students. There is learning, laughter, and music in all StringAlong Ukulele lessons and jams.

 

Leonard Barreca

 

MARGARET TAYLOR

 

Elayne and Norm have created a wonderful environment through StringAlong Ukulele for learning and playing ukulele and singing together, for all of us at all skills levels. They encourage and challenge us and it’s a lot of fun.

 

Margaret Taylor

 

NANCY PARKHILL

 

I’ve been taking ukulele lessons from Elayne and Norm at StringAlong Ukulele, for about five years. Because of their enthusiasm for the instrument, I’ve developed a great love for the ukulele. They use a proven method of teaching (and both were elementary school teachers) that is successful for the beginner as well as more advanced players. Their carefully researched books coordinate with the lessons perfectly. I highly recommend both their weekly lessons and the books that they have published as well.

 

Nancy Parkhill

 

VALERIE CANNON

 

As a member of the Dundas String Along Ukulele group for the past several years, I cannot thank Norm & Elayne enough for their infectious enthusiasm, their undying commitment to their students and their continuous encouragement, no matter if you are a beginner or an advanced player. Their love of music and teaching is contagious. No matter how busy my day, or how many stressors are in my life, when I participate in the Ukulele group all of that disappears. It’s like magic!

 

Valerie Cannon

 

JIM & JANE RICHARDSON

 

Jim and I both want to let you know how much we have enjoyed our ukulele lessons and jams this year. We appreciate the work you two have done over many years to select and score music that is easy for beginners to play and a lot of fun to play and sing. The songs we have been learning continue singing in our heads for days, adding to the enjoyment! We also appreciate the graceful and energetic teaching that you both do, imparting information in style and sequence so that it is easy to understand and making abstract musical concepts real with lively examples. Best of all is your skill and joy at getting students right into the experience of making music and having fun with it! We wish you both a happy and relaxing summer and look forward to continuing in the fall.

 

Jim and Jane Richardson