Vieques Rondalla / Ukulele Ensemble Concert Project, 2020

I've been teaching ukulele here on the island of Vieques (off the coast of Puerto Rico), since shortly after Hurricane Maria caused great devastation in the autumn of 2017.

My home is Vermont, USA, where the winters are long and cold. I teach ukulele in Vermont, and have been for years. I try my best to escape to this sweet Island every year for a little respite from the winter winds.

Year one teaching ukulele on the island, just after Maria, everyone I met here was so weary from all the travails they had been through due to the hurricane damage. It seemed it had been months since they'd had a chance to just relax and have some sweet and easy fun. The beginning ukulele classes I taught put smiles on weary faces and joy in tired hearts. And it planted the seeds for a local ukulele community to form.

Three years later, many things have finally returned to normal-enough on the island, and a sweet ukulele community is thriving and growing.

This year, I reached out to collaborate with a local Viequense music program, which teaches the traditional Puerto Rican cuatro (10-stringed instrument) to kids and teens.

I taught an Intermediate Ukulele Ensemble Class, and we prepared a joint concert with local youngsters from the Vieques Concert Society Rondalla (cuatro) Group.

The two cultures here (Puerto Rican, and 'North American') generally have a friendly relationship, but collaboration in the arts is extremely rare. This concert gave everyone the opportunity to experience the universality of the power and joy of music, no matter what style, what instrument, what culture.

Standing-room-only crowd, a big thrill for all involved. (notice the people watching through the windows who got there too late to get a seat!)

This video is a little re-cap of our rehearsals, preparations, and the magical concert itself. I have a feeling we may have just started an annual tradition.

Such a joy, such a blessing is music.

-Lisa McCormick
www.LisaMcCormick.com