Why do ukuleles do this to them?
By KEITH LYNCH - The Press
STRIGN THING: Chisnallwood Intermediate School pupil Craig Smith, 12, centre, rocks his ukulele. The school has 17 ukulele players.
Education
Forget about the recorder – Christchurch pupils have embraced the ukulele.
A world record attempt for the largest ukulele orchestra performance is set for Christchurch on Friday.
Ukulele players will perform Why Does Love Do This To Me, a song written by Kiwi Jordan Luck, of The Exponents, when they attempt to break the record.
The Town Hall Chartfest event will also include a ukulele orchestra competition.
Organiser Jeff Fulton said the ukulele's comeback continued.
Riccarton High School head of music Shane Morrow said between 35 and 40 students began playing the ukulele at the school this year.
"It was their idea. They wanted something easy to learn and were genuinely keen to do something different," he said.
Chisnallwood Intermediate School music teacher Judith Bell said the school introduced the ukulele this year and had 17 players in a ukulele band.
Music Works Colombo St manager Charlie Jemmett said there has been a surge in ukulele and banjo sales.
"We sell a lot of banjos – more than we have in a few years," he said.
"In the past, banjos have always been sold to crusty old people, but now we're selling to young people."
Ukuleles were becoming increasingly popular, Jemmett said, and the store sold more than a dozen a week.
"Schools are buying them in bunches and getting classrooms of them going."
Christchurch music teacher Jenny Blackadder said it had become fashionable for people to play banjos and ukuleles.
"It has not happened like this since the 1940s and 1950s. Some primary schools are now replacing the recorder with the ukulele as small children think it is a small guitar and they love it," she
what a great picture...what a great topic!!!
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