Albany's most trusted music school has been teaching students of all ages since 1939 — and the ukulele is one of the most rewarding instruments we teach. Whether you're an absolute beginner, a kid picking up your first instrument, or an adult returning to music, our private ukulele lessons at Colonie Center meet you exactly where you are. Four expert teachers. Soprano through baritone. One million lessons taught. Third generation family owned.
Call (518) 459-9400If you've ever wanted to play music and didn't know where to start, the ukulele is the answer. No other string instrument gets you playing real songs faster — and it does it without the finger pain, the complexity, or the intimidation factor that keeps beginners away from guitar.
Here's why the ukulele wins as a first instrument: it has four nylon strings instead of six steel ones. Nylon strings are soft against your fingertips, which means kids and adults can practice from day one without building calluses. The standard tuning — G-C-E-A — produces a bright, warm sound that naturally complements open chord shapes. The C chord requires one finger. The Am chord requires zero. Most popular songs use only three or four chords, and students are strumming through their first tune by the end of lesson one.
The ukulele is also portable — it fits in a backpack, travels on airplanes, and works as well in a dorm room as it does on a stage. Its roots in Hawaiian music give it a distinctive character, but it covers an enormous range of styles: folk music, pop, indie singer-songwriter, jazz, and even classical fingerpicking. Capital Region school music programs have adopted group ukulele classes precisely because it's so accessible and so joyful to play together.
BA Music — University of Illinois | MM Music Therapy — Illinois State University
Mark has spent 30 years as a practicing music therapist, and that background shapes every lesson he teaches. His ukulele instruction weaves together theory, reading, ear training, improvisation, and composition — always calibrated to what each student genuinely wants to learn. He teaches students of all ages, in person and virtually.
International Touring Guitarist · Teaching Since 1999
Doug has been playing guitar since age ten and built a professional teaching practice that spans guitar, bass, piano, and ukulele. He currently tours with The Erotics and New York Jaded, and he brings that working-musician energy into every lesson. All styles welcome.
Crane School of Music, Potsdam NY (Classical Guitar) | Musicians Institute, Hollywood CA
Chris combines classical fundamentals — reading, scales, theory — with a modern technology-integrated approach using the iPad to develop improvisation and ear training. His background spans classical guitar through contemporary styles, and he adapts the same range to ukulele students.
Schenectady County Community College | 16+ Years Teaching at Hilton Music Center
John was a Hilton student before he became a Hilton teacher — he knows exactly what it feels like to sit in the beginner's chair. He teaches all ages, all styles, from absolute beginner through advanced, in person at Colonie Center and online.
Your teacher builds a plan around your goals — here's the path most beginners follow.
C, F, Am, G open chord shapes on the fretboard. Smooth chord transitions without buzzing. Play a complete four-chord song in your first lesson.
Down-up patterns, swing feel, reggae chunk, and island strumming. Keeping steady time with a metronome or backing track.
Thumb-and-fingers patterns, arpeggiated chord progressions, and Hawaiian-style rolls using fingerstyle technique.
Chord charts, tab, and basic notation — only as much music theory as serves your goals. No unnecessary complexity.
Hawaiian traditional, folk, pop covers, indie singer-songwriter, and jazz ukulele. You'll play music you actually want to listen to.
Barre chords, moveable chord shapes, fingerstyle solo arrangements, and working with a capo. Method books include Hal Leonard Ukulele Method and Alfred's Basic Ukulele.
Instrument Sizing Guide (for parents and new students) Not sure which size is right? Soprano is the classic choice — ideal for kids and small hands, with the traditional bright ukulele tone. Concert is slightly larger, fuller in sound, and the most comfortable fit for most adults. Tenor offers more room on the neck and a richer tone for advanced players and fingerpicking. Baritone is tuned D-G-B-E (the top four strings of a guitar) and is the natural landing spot for guitar players transitioning to ukulele. Your teacher will help you pick on your first visit — we carry all four sizes in the store.
Founded in Albany in 1939. Over one million private lessons taught. The Capital Region's original music school, still family owned and still at Colonie Center.
Kala, Cordoba, Lanikai, and more in stock — from entry-level soprano ukuleles through concert, tenor, and baritone. Try the instrument before you buy it, right where you'll take your lessons.
Buy a starter ukulele bundle at Hilton Music Center and your first half-hour lesson is on us. It's the lowest-risk way to start — walk out with an instrument you've already played and a teacher you've already met.
Park once. Shop, take a lesson, grab a coffee. We're upstairs by Macy's at 440 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205 — open seven days a week.
Weekly one-on-one instruction plus optional HMC Rock Band classes for students ready to play with a group. Student recitals throughout the year.
Choose weekly in-person lessons at Colonie Center or connect online. Same teachers, same curriculum, same quality.
Soprano is the most popular and traditional size — it's what most people picture when they think "ukulele," and it's ideal for kids and players with small hands. Concert is slightly larger with a fuller tone and is the most comfortable size for most adults. Tenor offers more fret spacing and a richer, louder sound — preferred by advanced players and fingerstyle players. Baritone is tuned D-G-B-E (the top four strings of a guitar) and is the natural choice for guitar players switching over. Your teacher will help you choose on your first visit — we have all four sizes available in the store.
Ukulele is widely considered the easiest string instrument to start on. Four nylon strings (instead of six steel ones) are gentle on your fingers, open chord shapes are simpler than guitar, and most beginners are playing a complete song by the end of their first lesson. Within a few weeks, students are comfortably strumming along to real music.
Our four-week lesson packages are $150 for 30-minute lessons, $225 for 45-minute lessons, and $300 for one-hour lessons. A single 30-minute lesson is $40. If you purchase a ukulele at Hilton Music Center for $200 or more, your first half-hour lesson is free — a great way to start.
You'll need an instrument to practice between lessons — ukuleles start around $50–$80 for a quality beginner soprano. Hilton Music Center carries Kala, Cordoba, Lanikai, and other trusted brands, and your teacher can help you choose the right size and price point before you commit. The store is right where your lessons take place.
Yes — ukulele is one of the best first instruments for children. The small scale fits small hands, soft nylon strings don't hurt to press, and the fast early wins build confidence quickly. We teach students age 5 and up, with some instructors accepting younger beginners as well.
Absolutely. A large share of our ukulele students are adults — some are complete beginners, others are returning to music after decades away. Every lesson plan is tailored to your goals, your favorite songs, and your pace. No prior music experience is required.
Yes, and many of our students do. Ukulele chord shapes overlap significantly with guitar — learning one actively reinforces the other. Several of our teachers, including Mark, Doug, Chris, and John, teach both instruments and can design a lesson plan that covers both. Guitar lessons in Albany, NY are also available at Hilton.
Upstairs in Colonie Center Mall, 440 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205 — by Macy's, open seven days a week. Virtual lessons are also available. Call (518) 459-9400 to schedule your first lesson.
Buy your ukulele here and your first lesson is on us.
Call (518) 459-9400 or visit us upstairs at Colonie Center Mall — 440 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205. We'll help you find the right teacher, the right size ukulele, and the right lesson plan for where you are right now.
Call (518) 459-9400Hilton Music Center has called Albany, New York, home since 1939. Our studios sit upstairs at Colonie Center on the corner of Wolf Road and Central Avenue — just a short drive from Lark Street's arts and dining strip, the historic Center Square neighborhood, and the cultural anchors of Empire State Plaza.
New York's capital is also one of the country's most underrated music cities. Washington Park hosts the Park Playhouse and outdoor concerts every summer. The MVP Arena (formerly Times Union Center) brings touring acts downtown. The Egg at Empire State Plaza books world-class chamber, jazz, and contemporary performers. Lark Street's bars and clubs host singer-songwriters, jam bands, and local rock acts year-round, and the annual Albany Tulip Festival brings free concerts to Washington Park every May.
Beyond Albany proper, the Capital Region — including Colonie, Latham, Loudonville, Delmar, Guilderland, Bethlehem, Niskayuna, Clifton Park, Troy, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs — is dense with school music programs, community orchestras, church music ministries, and working musicians. Hilton students perform at NYSSMA evaluations across upstate New York, in school orchestras and bands from Bethlehem Central to Shenendehowa, and on stages from Caffè Lena in Saratoga to The Egg in Albany. We're proud to be part of that musical fabric — and we'd love to be part of yours.
Hilton Music Center is upstairs at Colonie Center Mall, by Macy's. Free covered mall parking, all-weather access, and easy reach from anywhere in the Capital Region. We're at the intersection of Wolf Road and Central Avenue (NY-5) — the busiest commercial corridor in upstate New York. Open Monday through Saturday 10:30am–8pm, Sunday 11am–6pm.
Address: 440 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205
Phone: (518) 459-9400
Click any of the destinations below for turn-by-turn driving directions to our studio — or use the live Google map to the right to plan your route in advance.
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