PMI’s Workshop Returns in July 2026 for Intermediate & Advanced Players
You already know how to strum. You can hold a chord, pick out a melody, and read tab. Maybe you’ve been playing for a year or two (or longer!) and you’re hungry for what comes next. This summer, Pacific Music Institute has an answer!
PMI’s ‘Ukulele Workshop is back, and it’s been reimagined for students who are ready to move beyond the basics. Previously open to beginners and intermediate players in 2025, the 2026 workshop shifts its focus to intermediate and advanced students, making it the most intensive and musically exciting edition yet.
Expect six days of serious (and seriously fun) exploration into what this instrument is capable of in the hands of a student (you!) who’s committed to growth.
Meet your instructor
A Berklee College of Music graduate, Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award recipient, and author of Jazz ‘Ukulele (Berklee Press & Hal Leonard), Abe Lagrimas Jr. has performed with artists including Jake Shimabukuro, Kamasi Washington, Eric Marienthal, and Lalo Schifrin. He has headlined ʻukulele festivals in Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany, China, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Australia. After 15 years in Los Angeles, he’s home in Honolulu and ready to share his craft with you.
Abe brings rare depth to this workshop: he’s as comfortable in a jazz setting as he is onstage at an international ʻukulele festival, and as a dedicated educator, teaching the Honolulu Music4Kids through Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony and as an instructor for Fender Play. He knows how to make advanced concepts click for students at every stage of their journey.
What you'll learn
The six-day curriculum is built around the skills that separate good players from great ones and the kind of musical vocabulary that opens up new creative possibilities every time you pick up your ‘ukulele. Think: fretboard navigation; achieving a good tone; rhythm and strumming; melody, harmony, and dynamics; how to practice effectively; and basic music theory concepts.
But the curriculum only tells part of the story. The real magic is in how Mr. Lagrimas brings these ideas to life through ensemble playing, improvisation, and techniques you won’t find in any beginner book.
Improvisation
One of Abe’s great passions as a performer is improvisation, and he’s excited to share that passion with you! He’ll guide students through soloing over the blues, teaching them to make something up on the spot with confidence and style. “One of the things I love to do most is improvise,” Mr. Lagrimas shares. “I want to teach you how to improvise, to make something up on the spot.”
Chord Melody
Abe will also be teaching other techniques, such as chord melody, accompanying others, and strumming. “One of the things you’re going to learn in the class is something called chord melody: a technique where you play the chords and melody at the same time.”
Accompanying Others
Abe also plans to split the class into ensemble sections (half the group strumming, the other half picking the melody) so students experience music the way it’s meant to be heard: layered, dynamic, and alive. Think songs like the beloved Hawaiian classic “Body Surfing,” brought to life by the whole group working in harmony.
Is this workshop for you?
The 2026 ‘Ukulele Workshop is open to students entering grades 6-12 or graduating high school seniors. It’s a six-day workshop for intermediate to advanced-level students.
To get the most out of this experience, students should be able to hold and tune their own ʻukulele independently, form basic chords, play common strumming patterns, read tablature, and pick out a simple melody. If that sounds like you, you’re ready to enroll!
Spots are limited, and with an instructor of Abe’s caliber and a newly focused curriculum, this year’s workshop is shaping up to be something special. Don’t miss your chance to take your playing to the next level!