THIS week we chat with ukulele maestro, performer and inspirational musical director Kim Burns, who fell in love with the Portuguese-originated instrument while studying education as a mature-aged student and has never looked back.<\/p>\n
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What initially motivated you to take up the ukulele?<\/strong><\/p>\n As a child of a piano teacher, I was subjected to seven years of piano lessons in my childhood, then once I hit my senior high school years, I discovered the saxophone and became involved in the Golden Square Concert Band. So, it\u2019s fair to say I had a solid background in music and music theory.<\/p>\n Now skip to 2012, where, as a mature-aged student studying education, I attended my first classroom music session where we were exposed to inclusive ways of teaching and creating music through bucket drumming and ukulele. Prior to this, I thought the ukulele was just a kid\u2019s toy and not really a serious instrument, but the way the instructor used it that day made me think of it in a whole other light, and I simply had to learn it! So, a week later, I purchased my first ukulele and began my journey.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How would you describe your style?<\/strong><\/p>\n My style varies depending on the audience I am performing for. My preferred genre of music to play is traditional and contemporary folk, but that isn\u2019t what all audiences like to hear, so I dabble a little in blues, jazz, country and easy-listening popular tunes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Which other bands or musicians inspire you and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n Dorset (English county) folk duo Ninebarrow are my biggest inspiration. I stumbled across them in 2015 while doing a Google search for ukulele folk music. The music of Ninebarrow is hauntingly beautiful and their lyrics lead you on a historical journey through their much-loved homeland, but what I love most about them is their harmonies and their humility.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What are some highlights or fond memories you have from your career so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2015 I became part of the Jigarre Jamming Leadership Team (in the township of Girgarre), which involved running ukulele workshops and leading monthly jam sessions.<\/p>\n In 2017 I became involved in a small ukulele group based in Bendigo which is now called Goldfields Ukestra. Goldfields Ukestra has grown exponentially since then and is now a 50+ member strong group of which I am the musical director.<\/p>\n For a long time, I was a solo performer who avoided live audiences due to stage fright, but I shone brightly in numerous online ukulele communities including the 100 Day Ukulele Project, Ukulele Encore, and the Ukulele Hat Club.<\/p>\n Since COVID, my online involvement and postings have slowed down considerably as I am now concentrating on developing a new duo\/trio called Wandering Foxes with a local musician whom I met at the 2023 Girgarre Moosic Muster.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n