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POLK COUNTY—Polk Central Elementary School has expanded its instrumental offerings with the addition of several Kala U-Basses.

The new instruments were made possible through donations from the Laurel Lake Music Society of Tryon Estates, the Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation, and Amazon.

Though technically classified as bass ukuleles, these instruments have gained popularity in professional music circles as mini bass guitars. Despite their compact size, U-Basses are tuned and played identically to standard bass guitars, making them perfect for young musicians.

“The students are having a blast learning to play bass, picking up their first bass parts to perform with music,” said Polk Central music teacher Lacey Cochran. “The awesome thing about playing the bass is that it is present in most types of music. This means students can carry their skills over and play along with whatever genre they enjoy listening to and performing most.”

This addition to the school’s music program provides students with an opportunity to explore foundational rhythm instruments that might otherwise be too large for elementary-aged children to handle comfortably.