She’s back, ya’ll! Virtuosic ukulele-ist, community-builder, world changer, recent Berklee grad Charissa Hoffman has moved back to her beloved Nashville, and spent some time sharing her two cents about her hometown, being a young musician, teacher, and all things ukulele.
How did you first join the Fanny’s family?
I started taking lessons at Fanny’s with Karen Hogg around 2012. After Karen moved to CT around 2016 I started teaching lessons at Fanny’s.
What is your first memory of Fanny’s?
I think I went to a Nashville Ukulele Society meeting there when I was around 11 (it used to meet at Fanny’s after hours, it meets elsewhere now). I remember circling up in the acoustic room with Pam presiding over the front desk (which at that time was literally a desk!) This was probably around 2011-12.
I know we’ve chatted about this before, and you’ve mentioned that having access to a place like Fanny’s growing up perhaps made you more resilient to the often challenging realities of being a professional musician, who is also a woman. Can you tell us a little bit about how having Fanny’s as a young person offered you some strength (either professionally or academically at Berklee!)
My situation is a little weird because I am both a woman and a serious ukulele player- so I can never tell if people look down on me because they think girls can’t play or because they think my instrument is a toy, haha! But the “Fanny’s” ALWAYS treated me like an equal- Karen recommended me for recording gigs, Georgia let me open for her, Pam and Leigh took a chance on me as an employee. I remember visiting the shop about a month before I left for school and talking reverently about a Berklee alum; Ellen looked me in the eyes and said, “You’re her peer.” Once I got to Berklee I often found myself in rooms where I was the only woman or ukulele player- I was constantly feeling this pressure to prove myself and my instrument and the abilities of all female musicians. It was exhausting! Those experiences from my teenage years were so invaluable in reminding myself that yes, I WAS a peer to all of the musicians there, and I had earned a seat at the table. I would repeat Ellen’s words to myself until they felt true- and then I would get in there and shred!
Oh yeah! Berklee! Now our shared alma mater. Having grown up in Nashville around so many working musicians, what was it like for you when you started at Berklee? For so many students there, it’s the first time they’ve been so surrounded by music community, but perhaps it was a little different for you. Or maybe not! Tell us about the Nashville –> Berklee transition.
Growing up, most of my musician friends were adults, so it was both daunting and magical to be in a place where people my age took music as seriously as I did. I think something we forget in music communities is that you don’t have to automatically connect with everyone. You should appreciate and respect everyone, and definitely stretch yourself out of your comfort zone, but if you pressure yourself to ‘fit in’ in every scene you will burn yourself out! I appreciated the opportunity to find like-minded collaborators and really dig deep into the music that gave us joy- then go to a show and support someone whose music sounded nothing like ours. It’s all about balance!
And now you are back home! What is it like to be here and see your city with adult eyes?
I think I can respect the challenges of the city more now that I’ve left and come back again. It’s hard to “make it” here! And it’s even harder if you’re not a straight, white, middle-class girl. That’s something that’s really been on my heart, a desire to make the warm, welcoming, diverse Nashville I grew up with a reality for everyone here.
As a true Nashville local, what are some of your favorite community-oriented events in this city?
My favorite event is the Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival! I also love Musician’s Corner and the Tomato Fest. Right now I am still a little nervous about going to big crowded festivals, though, so I like going for walks around Centennial Park, Radnor Lake, and Ellington Agricultural Center.
What do you love most about being a part of the Fanny’s family?
I am really thankful that the Fanny’s family prioritizes community. Music can be a bit of a dog-eat-dog industry and it’s so important to remember that we are stronger together.
What are your favorite Nashville neighborhoods?
East Nash is awesome… but having grown up in South Nash I can’t deny the charm of Woodbine and Tusculum 🙂 (Taqueria el Dolar y’all!)
As a fellow music teacher, I am curious: what phrases do you find yourself saying to your students the most?
“I think you need to give yourself some grace,” “Focus on your breathing,” “Try it again, but this time, try to hold the rhythm somewhere in your body (like tapping your foot or nodding your head),” and… “Did you practice this week?” Haha!
What are your favorite ukulele brands to play?
I play my Kala the most! But other brands I like are Pono, Kanile’a, and Ortega.
To visit Fanny’s online store, visit: https://fannys-house-of-music.myshopify.com/
To learn more about how you can support Fanny’s in fostering a safe, multi-generational arts space, visit https://www.fannysschoolofmusic.org
Blog by Georgia English / a Nashville-based musician, writer, illustrator, and educator.