SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – In a city often blanketed by snow, known for its quiet winter nights, one place breaks the silence with lively, unexpected music. Every Thursday evening, a group gathers in Syracuse to share a unique passion that brings them together week after week.
Joanne Basta, a longtime participant, traces her musical roots back to family memories.
“It’s just something that comes naturally to me, and it’s fun,” Basta said. “Thanks dad for being an inspiration.”
Now, Basta joins others each week who share her love for music and have found a unique camaraderie through playing.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Neighbors warm winter’s chill
Kaitlin Campbell: Take a look around the city of Syracuse in the winter. Nothing—just gray skies.
Judy Kowalski: It’s so much fun… that… that’s it.
Campbell: But if you seek the traditions that bring a little sunshine…
Joanne Basta: It’s just something that comes naturally to me, and it’s fun. Thanks dad for being an inspiration.
Campbell: You’re bound to find one that makes you feel like you’re in Hawaii.
Rich Dann: It’s got to be enthusiasm… yeah.
Campbell: In this room, there’s a love for music.
Kowalski: Sometimes people pick up a funny hobby… I think that was my strange hobby.
Campbell: A joy for togetherness…
Dann: Once you get bitten by the bug, one of these turns into half a dozen.
Campbell: And an itch… that comes in the form of a ukulele.
Campbell: This Hawaiian instrument has found a makeshift home at Salt City Ukulele.
Diane Slowik: It’s just a joyful experience to play ukulele with a group this size. Everybody is just so wonderful.
Campbell: Here, it’s about strumming together, learning together and creating beautiful music for all to enjoy—no matter your age.
Ruby: It’s really cool to do the riffs and stuff cause I just like how it sounds.
Campbell: There’s a place for everyone here, even me.
Dann: Now flick it through. There you go. Back up. There you go, look at that.
Campbell: I’m still very much a beginner.
Dann: Yeah, no, no, but you’ll get it.
Campbell: People have found the light missing from their lives here.
Basta: I’m finally playing the songs my dad used to play. There’s some I will eventually get to play, some I may never play, but it’s fun.
Kowalski: I inherited a bunch of guitars from my brother when he passed. They were too big, too bulky. But I wanted to play something.
Campbell: Everyone waits for their weekly dose of sunshine from each other.
Basta: My husband is like, “Where are you going?” I say, “Ukulele practice. You forgot?”
Slowik: I just love the social aspect of it. All the people here.
Campbell: In Hawaiian, “ohana” means family.
Dann: Cards go out to people who are not doing so well or not feeling well.
Campbell: And this family makes sure no one gets left behind…Kaitlin Campbell, NCC News.
Like many who come for the music but stay for the friendships, member Judy Kowalski laughs about how she ended up here.
“Sometimes people pick up a funny hobby…I think that was my strange hobby,” Kowalski said.
Rich Dann, another devoted member, echoes her sentiment.
“Once you get bitten by the bug, you know, one of these turns into half a dozen of them,” he said.
For Dann and many others, that “bug” is the ukulele—a traditional Hawaiian instrument that has made a home here in snowy Syracuse. The instrument’s playful, resonant sound has drawn people from different backgrounds and experience levels, from seasoned musicians to beginners who are just learning their first chords.
“It’s just a joyful experience to play ukulele with a group this size, and everybody is just so wonderful,” said Diane Slowik, Salt City Ukulele director.
Players range in age and experience. Ruby, a spirited 10-year-old, brings youthful energy to the group, joining in with the adults as they strum.
For many, these Thursday sessions are more than just a hobby; they’re a cherished part of their weekly routine. Basta shared how ukulele practice has become a permanent fixture in her schedule.
“My husband is like, ‘Where are you going?’” she said with a laugh. “Ukulele practice—you forgot?”
In a city where winter can often feel isolating, the Salt City Ukulele has brought warmth and community. Music has turned strangers into friends, and, in keeping with Hawaiian tradition, many members now see each other as “ohana”—a family bound by shared joy and a love for strumming together.