Aaron Walderman may not call himself a perfectionist, but when it comes to knowing what makes a great guitar, he knows one when he sees it. After searching for the ultimate guitar, the former engineer decided he could just make one for himself. In the early 80’s, he heard about a program at the Ontario College of Art that could teach him how to design and make his own guitar. That led to a lifetime passion for making musical instruments including the ukulele.
These days, he focuses mostly on crafting the four string, small instrument. He and his son spend hours creating each ukulele infusing it with its own characteristics. It can take up to three months to make one instrument. Then it’s time to hear how each ukulele sounds. Aaron wanted his instruments to be enjoyed by the masses. This isn’t a business venture. He’s adamant about not selling his creations. Aaron generously gives away his stunning ukuleles including a recent donation to the Whitby Library. These beautiful instruments will be used by our talented staff for library programming.
Thanks to Aaron’s incredible artistic skill and generosity, the Library now has it’s own remarkable collection of four custom-made ukuleles coming to a children’s program near you.
Ukulele fast facts:
The Ukulele was invented in Hawaii in the 1880’s by Portuguese immigrants.
The instrument is known for its four strings made of nylon or gut. (a guitar typically has six)
It’s a popular in folk music in Canada and the United States.
The word ukulele means “jumping flea” in Hawaiian, which describes the motion of the player’s hands.
Many famous musicians played the ukulele including Jimi Hendrix
