Take That Look Off Your Face: Ukulele

Webber's melodies translate beautifully to ukulele, and this arrangement captures the emotional directness that makes his songs work in intimate settings. A Broadway standard in a three-page format gives ukulele students access to repertoire they actually recognize and care about.

Direct and honest. The song captures someone confronting an uncomfortable truth, and the ukulele arrangement preserves that emotional clarity without overshadowing it. There's vulnerability here alongside resolve.

Ukulele students who want to play music they recognize and love. This arrangement opens the door to Broadway repertoire for players at intermediate levels.

• Shape the melody with dynamic control rather than just hitting the right notes. This song's power comes from restraint followed by emotional release.
• Pay attention to any chord changes that shift the harmonic color. They're placed deliberately to support the lyrical meaning.
• Consider the original context: this is a moment of vulnerability. Let that inform your tempo and phrasing choices rather than rushing through it.

Use this for solo recitals, informal performances, or as part of a Broadway-themed concert. It also works well as a bridge between classical ukulele studies and popular music that keeps students engaged.

• Phrasing and dynamic control in melody playing
• Chord transitions specific to Webber's harmonic vocabulary
• Connecting musical narrative to performance choices
• Reading and playing Broadway repertoire on ukulele