Private Ukulele Lessons with Noel Wentworth

Learn to play ukulele with experienced Kelowna music teacher and professional musician Noel Wentworth at Upbeat Music Academy in Glenmore.

Private ukulele lessons start at $34 per 30-minute lesson for students ages 7 and up. Lessons are available Monday to Friday and are tailored to each student's age, experience, musical interests, and goals.

Noel has been teaching ukulele, guitar, and bass for more than 25 years and has been a musician for more than 40 years. He works with beginners through advanced players, helping students develop solid musical skills while learning songs and styles they actually enjoy playing.

Whether you're picking up a ukulele for the first time, returning to music after years away, or looking to become a more confident player, lessons are relaxed, encouraging, and practical.

Upbeat Music Academy Kelowna

455 Glen Pine Ct
Kelowna, BC V1V 1R3
250-317-3685

With more than 25 years of teaching experience and over 40 years as a working musician, Noel brings a practical, real-world approach to ukulele lessons.

Students benefit from:

• Extensive experience teaching students of all ages and skill levels
• Formal training in music performance and music education
• Experience working with hundreds of students
• Lessons for complete beginners through advanced players
• A relaxed, encouraging teaching style
• Lessons shaped around each student's interests and goals
• Practical skills you can use when playing on your own or with other musicians
• The opportunity to learn songs you actually want to play

The goal isn't simply to get through a lesson each week. It's to help you develop the skills, understanding, and confidence to enjoy making music on your own.

Ukulele can be a good first string instrument for a child because its smaller neck and lighter strings can make it easier for smaller hands to manage.

At Upbeat Music Academy, ukulele lessons are generally offered from age 7 and up. For children under 7, we generally recommend starting with piano lessons with Lora Wentworth. Piano can help younger students develop musical awareness, rhythm, coordination, and finger strength before moving on to ukulele.

If you've never picked up a ukulele before, Noel can start with the basics and show you how to hold the instrument, form your first chords, strum, and put those skills together in a song.

Adults who played music years ago are welcome too. If you remember a few chords but feel rusty, lessons can start from where you are rather than going all the way back to the beginning.

Hi, I'm Noel Wentworth, one of the founders of Upbeat Music Academy Kelowna.

I've been teaching music for more than 25 years and have been a musician for more than 40 years. I teach ukulele, guitar, and bass, and I've worked with hundreds of students over the years, from young beginners to adults and retirees.

My formal music education includes a Diploma in Music Performance from Selkirk College and a Licentiate in Music Education through RSL Awards. I'm also a songwriter and recording artist, with two albums, Motion and Change.

My experience as a musician has taught me that there isn't one right way for everyone to learn an instrument. Some students want to sit down and play their favourite songs as quickly as possible. Others want to understand music theory, improve their technique, perform for an audience, or become confident enough to play with other musicians.

I believe lessons should be fun, relaxed, and useful. We work on the skills you need, but we also make sure you're playing music you enjoy.

I'll help you build good technique and musical understanding while giving you plenty of opportunities to play, experiment, ask questions, and have fun with the instrument.

Whether you're holding a ukulele for the first time or you're ready to take your playing further, I'd love to help you become a confident and capable ukulele player.

Ukulele lessons can cover all kinds of music, from pop and rock to folk and country. If there are particular songs or artists you want to play, tell Noel. Your musical interests can help guide what you learn, so lessons stay enjoyable while you continue building your skills.

A lesson might start with learning a new chord or strumming pattern, then putting it into practice by playing a song you actually want to learn. This makes it easier to see how each new skill fits into real music.

As you become more comfortable on the ukulele, lessons can grow with you. You can move beyond basic chords and strumming into picking, scales, improvisation, music reading, and other techniques that help you become a more confident and capable player.

Ukulele and Guitar

If you’re learning ukulele with the idea of playing acoustic and electric guitar someday, the two instruments have plenty in common. Many of the basic chord shapes and musical ideas you learn on ukulele can also be useful when you move to guitar.

The instruments aren't identical, so ukulele isn't simply “guitar made easier.” But learning one can give you a useful head start with rhythm, chords, strumming and understanding how songs are put together.

Performance Opportunities

Upbeat Music Academy holds two student showcases each school year, giving students the opportunity to get up in front of an audience and perform for family and friends.

Performing is completely optional. Nobody is ever pushed onto a stage before they're ready. But there is something pretty special about standing in front of a room full of people, playing a song you've worked hard to learn, and hearing everyone clap and cheer when you finish. It can be a real confidence boost—and once you've experienced it, you might find yourself wanting to do it again.

For students who choose to perform, showcases are a great way to gain real-world experience, become more comfortable playing in front of others, work through performance nerves, and see just how far their playing has come.

Ukulele Lesson Policies

Please see our lesson policies for information about cancellations, make-up lessons, payments, and other studio policies.