A GIFT can have a life-changing effect on its recipient, and there’s no better example than Surfside ukulele player Judy Malonyay.
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She has been a keen musician all her life, but was not born with a ukulele in her hands.
“Someone gave me one as a present, a little old ‘50s uke, about six-and-a-half years ago,” she recalled.
“I hadn’t played a stringed instrument, I had mainly played percussion, so I needed to be taught.”
Judy became hooked to the point of putting a notice in Batemans Bay Office Supplies for people interested in forming a group of ukulele players.
“Eight people responded,” she said.
The result was the forming of the Seaside Ukulele Orchestra, which, dressed in Hawaiian garb, plays at community events such as the River of Art, Carols by Candlelight and the Million Paws Walk, as well as at aged care facilities.
She says she loved the ukulele itself as well as the music it makes.
“It is such a sweet little instrument; you can hold it to your heart and feel the vibrations going through your whole body. When you are at a party and there is a ukulele there you know it is going to be fun.”
The ukulele is simple and yet complex at the same time, Judy explains.
“It is easy to learn but impossible to master,” she said.
“You only have four strings and four cords, but it has so much depth to it. If you go on YouTube you can see people playing everything from the classics to hard rock on the ukulele.”
Judy has taught ukulele classes at Adult Ed.
“It is an instrument you can feel comfortable teaching,” she said.
“The classes were always full,” she said.
Crucially, she has made a ukulele fan out of her husband.
“I got him one and he didn’t play it at all at first but I went away for the weekend and left him with ukulele notes, and when I came back he was hooked,” she said.
Judy said ukulele playing was more popular than people thought.
“After the concert for George (to celebrate the life of ex-Beatle George Harrison in 2002) it took off again,” she said.
“Bill Gates is among a lot of closet ukulele players.”
Meanwhile, the Seaside Ukulele Orchestra meets at the Tomakin Sports and Social Club at 2.30pm on the third Sunday of every month.
The Bay Post/Moruya Examiner profiles the hobbies of people in our community each week in the feature, ‘Get on your hobbyhorse’. Do you have an interesting hobby? Email journalist Josh Gidney at josh.gidney@fairfaxmedia.com.au or phone him at 4472 6577.
