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September 5, 2011

Hello from Mike DaSilva,

    Thanks for all the wonderful messages I received after announcing my move to Hawaii.  If you missed that news, see below.

    I am so grateful for all those that came out to help make these last few days at the shop in Berkeley even more memorable.  The last Berkeley Ukulele Club meeting to be held here on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 was certainly one to remember.  Over 85 ukulele players attended, consumed lots of food and drink and played well into the night.  I'll be posting more news about my move soon, but I'd like to use this note to let you know what plans have been put in place to make sure the Berkeley Ukulele Club continues on.

    I can't say for sure, but I easily suspect that everyone who has been to a Berkeley Ukulele Club meeting in the past years has left the building with a very large smile.  As for myself, for 5+ years, each 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month provided much of the inspiration and fuel, not only for my business but also my life.  For that I will be forever grateful.  I want to especially thank Steven Strauss for leading us into uncharted waters, Jeff West for help getting it started and always being there for whatever was needed, Andy Gnall for putting up with my bad jokes, Lyle Ryan for playing the bass and getting us a really cool gig, Mary Gribbin for copies, copies, and more copies, testing my song transcriptions and being the best friend ever, and Patrick Avera and Genarro Castillo for always being willing to lead one (often many) more songs.  And there are so many others that deserve heaps of gratitude, but most of all I want to acknowledge that it is no easy task to make the commitment to walk out your door with a musical instrument and go to a new place, full of strangers, and play your ukulele and sing (often for the first time).  That so many, performed that act of courage so often, I am truly thankful.

    Now, just as I make my move to Hawaii, it also seems the Berkeley Ukulele Club has sprouted some legs and will simply be walking around the corner and down a short block to its new venue.  With much help from Stephen Nestel, the Westside Cafe at 2570 9th Street has agreed to host the club.  Meeting dates and times will stay the same - 2nd and 4th Wednesday, 6:30pm.  The cafe is a favorite breakfast spot of mine and has recently started dinner service.  With a full bar, as well as dinner and bar menus, this is sure to be a fun place to strum our ukuleles.   For full details please go http://www.meetup.com/Berkeley-Ukulele-Club/.  Stephen has setup this website to provide club information and gather the members.  As always, all you have to do to join the Berkeley Ukulele Club is to show up, but if you want to exchange information and provide feedback, joining www.meetup.com will make the communication easier.  Please, please, please support this new venue as much as you supported me in hosting the club.  I plan to attend the first meeting at the new location this September 14, 2011 at 6:30pm.  Hope you can make it!

Berkeley Ukulele Club
Hosted by: Westside Cafe, 2570 Ninth Street, Berkeley CA 94710 (just drive to the shop as before.  How easy is that.)
2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.  6:30pm.
Ukulele players of all ages and levels welcome.
For more information go to:
http://www.meetup.com/Berkeley-Ukulele-Club

August 24, 2011

Hello from Mike DaSilva,

    Over seven years ago, I embarked on a most amazing journey.  After working for almost 20 years in the computer software arena I decided to take some time off and explore other possibilities for a new career.  While I had learned to play the ukulele beginning in 2000, had attended my first ukulele festival in 2002, and started collecting vintage ukuleles, I always wanted to build my own ukulele.  So, in 2004 I managed to build my first, and by April 2004 had built five more.  Their completion coincided with the infamous Uke Fest West in Santa Cruz, California in 2004 where they were subsequently sold and I received my first orders for more.  I had found a new career.  As of today, I have built and delivered almost 300 hundred ukuleles.  In that time I have also attended about 25 ukulele festivals across the United States and hosted over 75 ukulele workshops and concerts with the best ukulele artists in the world at the shop in Berkeley.  The shop is also home to the Berkeley Ukulele Club and where I have been able to enjoy the absolute pleasure of teaching people how to play the ukulele as well as have the unforgettable experience of helping over two dozen people build their own ukulele.  Throw in the recording and engineering of 2 CD albums, a bunch of musical drop-ins, countless visits from ukulele enthusiasts around the globe and many late nights of figuring out yet another ukulele arrangement and you would have to agree that it has been a wonderful trip.

    But on this journey, more than all the ukuleles, all the shows, and all the music, what has meant the most to me, are all the truly wonderful people I have met.  With this in mind, I have some important news.

    The past few months have been extremely challenging.  Both business and personal realities require that I make immediate changes.  As a result, I have made the decision to end my operations in Berkeley, California.  I have also been presented with a great opportunity to be part of a new ukulele building venture in Hawaii, so I will be moving to Honolulu in the next 30 days.  Here are details on relevant events:

    The Berkeley Ukulele Club will be continuing at a new location, soon to be confirmed.  The club will be holding the last meeting at DaSilva Ukulele Co., today, Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 6:30pm.  This will be a potluck party, and is sure to be the best ever.  Please let everyone know.

    I will be hosting an all day/evening Open House on Saturday, August 27, 2011 beginning at 11am at DaSilva Ukulele Co.   This open house will also be advertised as a liquidation sale for all shop items that will not be moved to Hawaii.  This includes many vintage instruments including some nice Martin ukuleles, other musical items, furniture and fixtures, furniture quality lumber, stereo and professional audio equipment, various tools, and assorted DaSilva Ukulele Co. memorabilia.  Please stop by to say hello.  And if you ever wanted to play on the stage, now is your chance.  We'll have open mic all day, and in the evening we plan to have an impromptu concert.   Please contact me if you can/want to perform for open mic or the evening concert.

    Jim D'Ville will be giving a ukulele workshop "Play Ukulele by Ear" on Sunday, August 28, 2011, 11am at DaSilva Ukulele Co.  Cost is $20.   This workshop is designed for all levels.  Beginners will benefit greatly by learning how to hear, interpret, and play common and prevalent components of music.  Advanced players are also sure to find some nuggets and approaches to expand and improve what they already know.

    All my group classes will be continue until August 31, 2011.  That means that the Advanced Beginner class will meet for the last time on August 29, 2011 at 6:30pm for the last time, and the Beginner Class will be offered for the last time on August 31, 2011 at 6:30pm.  Please pass this information on to anyone you know that might be looking to get started with the ukulele.

    I will be attending the Wine Country Ukulele Festival on September 10 and 11, 2011.  Please go to http://winecountryukefest.com for more details.

    I will also be attending the Omaha Ukulele Hoopla in Omaha, Nebraska on September 24, 2011.  Please go to http://www.ukehoopla.webs.com for more details.

    If you have a repair currently in the shop or have a custom ukulele on order, I will be contacting you on details of delivery.  Please also feel free to call or email for information.

    I should be setup in Hawaii by October 1, 2011.  My email address and website will remain the same.  Even though I will be involved in a new venture, I will still be able to continue building custom ukuleles under the DaSilva Ukulele Co. name.  And I plan to continue teaching beginners and possibly starting a new ukulele club.  Stay tuned!

    Thanks to everyone who has been involved with me and DaSilva Ukulele Co. over the years.  I will be sending out another email very soon with more information about the move, my life and all the people that have helped me along the way.  These past years in Berkeley have been the most meaningful and rewarding years of my life.