Music programs have always been a major part of the culture at Saratoga, from band to orchestra to choir. Now, more students have the ability to become involved with music on a smaller, less time-consuming scale with the Ukulele Club, started last semester by sophomores Nayoung Kim and Olivia Lu.

According to Kim, the purpose of the club is to create a relaxing environment to enjoy music and learn a relatively easy instrument.

“We just wanted to start a club that acts like stress-reliever, not something you join to put on your college apps,” Lu said. “It’s a really easy instrument to pick up and it unifies a large number of people.”

Kim and Lu started playing the ukulele not too long ago when they took a look at all the instruments Kim had in her house; they were able to pick up basic chords within a matter of minutes.

“[Kim] was the person who got me started with ukulele. She would invite friends over, and we saw that she had instruments all [over] her wall,” said Lu.

Lu and Kim were able to learn basic chords within 30 minutes, and they hope to teach other members the same. The club’s goal is to create a group talented enough to perform at local senior centers and other hospitals, said Kim. In order to achieve this, the club plans on holding fundraisers to raise money to purchase more ukuleles. This will enable more people to participate in the club since it will not cost them anything.

The club, which has roughly 40 members, meets every Thursday in English teacher Ken Nguyen’s classroom. At meetings, members learn simple chords and then progress into learning songs of their choice.

“In the ukulele club, you get a hands on experience to try out a musical instrument without having to purchase one,” said ukulele club member Matthew Lee. “I caught on quickly, so I invited my friend and taught him how to play some basic chords.”