Past Event

Workshop: Mary Cornish - Ukes in Schools - The NZ Phenomenon

10th Mar 2012

Presenter: Lord Uke
Website:
Event Duration: 50 minutes

Ukuleles have revolutionised music in New Zealand primary schools. All over the country NZ schools are sprouting ukulele orchestras with children learning to read chords, tablature and notation, accompanying school singing and gathering for regional festivals. The largest is the New Zealand Ukulele Festival, now in its 6th year and held in Auckland. It features a children's massed orchestra of 2500 players known as the Kiwileles. The orchestra is now so large it can only be accommodated in a sports stadium and requires five conductors! They entertain a crowd of 10,000 for over an hour with the music they have learnt throughout the year.

Maria Winder and Mary Cornish, from the New Zealand Ukulele Trust, will shed some insight on the NZ Ukulele phenomenon whilst teaching you how to play uke the Kiwi way! Pop, the classics and traditional songs from the Pacific are included in the Kiwileles Songbook - a resource the Trust produces annually for participating schools. Maria and Mary will give you a taste of the Kiwileles' favourite songs, teach you some unique Kiwi strums and action songs and have you playing and singing together in no time.

This workshop is whanua (family) friendly and may be of particular interest to teachers and parents interested in music education.

The workshop is free but donations are always appreciated: the New Zealand Ukulele Trust is a volunteer run charity that aims to make sure all children have the chance to enjoy the benefits of learning an instrument.

Entry is FREE, but seats are limited, so please reserve your tickets NOW!