In the 2019-2020 school year, the Grade 7 music class at Red Wing Public School applied for and received a grant from our local Optimist Club for the purchase of some new concert ukuleles. The Optimist Club graciously funded the purchase of 15 instruments and 30 hooks so that the new instruments as well as the existing ones could be mounted on the wall (a setup that you will see several times in our video). The project wrapped up in February 2020, with the new setup finally coming to fruition….Then, COVID hit and we all moved to remote learning. Naturally, with the restrictions in place during this 2020-2021 school year that have prevented us from playing wind instruments, the students happily turned back to the ukuleles that they were eager to play last year before COVID shortchanged their time with them. The Grade 7/8 Band is entering a classroom music contest this spring, so the group decided to pay tribute to Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” to bring a little levity in an otherwise difficult situation. We may not be able to control COVID restrictions, but we certainly can take the pandemic lemons and make lemonade. Please watch Don’t Worry…. Play Ukulele!
