Aaron & Nicole Keim Aaron and Nicole Keim, co-artistic directors of Centrum's Ukulele program, are masters of ukulele and old-time folk music. Known for their intricate playing and engaging teaching style, they bring a wealth of experience in both traditional and contemporary music. As the duo The Quiet American, Aaron and Nicole blend old-time Americana with innovative ukulele techniques, creating a unique and joyful experience for players of all levels. Their approach to teaching emphasizes accessibility and community, ensuring that everyone, from beginners to advanced players, can find joy in making music together.

Aaron & Nicole Keim

Co-Artistic Directors

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Class descriptions will be posted by October 31.

General Schedule
(subject to change)

2pm: Shuttle departs from SeaTac Airport

4pm: Check-in starts at Fort Worden.

6pm: dinner

7:15pm: Late check-in at Wheeler Theater

7:30pm: Orientation/Welcome Session

Thursday, Friday, Saturday

8:45 - 9:15am: All group gathering

9:30 – 10:45: Choice of classes

11:15 – 12:30: Choice of classes

1:45 - 3:00: Choice of classes

3:15 – 4:15: Serendipity Hour

4:30 – 5:30: Open Mic

Evenings

7:30: Thursday and Friday - public shows in Wheeler Theater

Saturday – in-house party in the USO

Sunday May 2

8am: Breakfast and goodbyes

9am: Shuttle leaves Fort Worden for SeaTac Airport

Are the Ukulele Festival workshops appropriate for my skill level?

Beginner- Best for absolute beginners or players looking to build foundational skills, basic strumming and simple chord shapes.

Confident Beginner- Knows basic chords (C, F, G, Am, D, G7, A) and can strum while smoothly changing between them. Ready for new strums and other techniques. Working on singing and playing at the same time.

Intermediate- Can easily change between basic chords in several keys (ex, C, F, G, D, A), knows and uses different strumming patterns, has experience with reading and playing tablature and/or notation. Ready to dig deeper into new styles and techniques. Proficient with singing and playing at the same time.

Advanced- Strong knowledge of open and closed chords across multiple keys. Ready for nuanced studies of specific genres. Proficient in reading tablature and/or notation. Developing master level skills.

All Levels- Open to everyone regardless of experience or skill level.

Most of our workshops are family events, and we welcome musicians of all ages and abilities to participate. Our programming has annually evolved to meet the needs of very young musicians, and we devote considerable resources to this end.

If you are under 18, you must be accompanied by a registered adult. Please register the adult first, as you will need a confirmation number.

2027 Costs

Tuition: $560

Workshop tuition includes admission to everything, including a great seat at the public performance. Centrum has a scholarship program awarded on a first-come, first-served, and as-needed basis. Apply online as you register. Please note that scholarships are available for tuition only. Centrum requires a $200 deposit of scholarship applicants, which is fully refundable before April 1 if you are unable to attend.

Private Dorm Room: $250

Most participants stay at Fort Worden in private, lockable dorm rooms with shared bathrooms. A limited number of double rooms with two twin beds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To request one, name another registered participant who has also purchased room and board and will share the room with you. All rooms come with linens, blankets, and towels, but you should plan on bringing soap and personal toiletry items.

Meals

All Meals: $275

Wednesday dinner through Sunday breakfast.

Lunches only (3): $80

Our new food service provider is locally based Planted. Planted offers nourishing plant-based meals and ingredients that are locally sourced from the Olympic Peninsula. For more info on Planted, visit https://www.plantedporttownsend.com/

Guests with dietary restrictions must report the need for a substitution prior to arrival. Alternate entree offerings (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc.) are produced only for folks who've requested them in advance.  In short, you cannot choose your entree on the spot. Planted is not an allergen free operation and cannot guarantee that cross contamination will never occur. If you have an allergy that will be triggered severely by trace amounts of the allergen, please plan to find food elsewhere. Meals will not be available for purchase on site.

The café Reveille will be open from 8:00am to 2:00pm for breakfast and lunch including coffee, soup, salad, and sandwiches. We also anticipate that Taps (a pub at Fort Worden) will be open, and the Canteen offers burgers and fish & chips down at the beach.

Two meal options will be available at each service. Please choose one:

• An omnivore option; I eat everything!

• Vegan/Vegetarian/gluten free option: this excludes most allergies and accommodates most restrictions. This option does not contain nuts, gluten, dairy, shellfish, or meat.

Airport Shuttle: $130 round trip or $65 one way.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

All but $50 is refundable if cancellation is made before April 1, 2027.

If we haven’t answered all of the questions you may have, please contact Peter McCracken at 360-385-3102, x127, or peter@centrum (dot) org.

Find more answers - Centrum FAQs

Workshop tuition includes admission to everything including the two public performances on Thursday and Friday. Detailed performance information will be posted as soon as possible.

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