NZ Ukulele Delivers More Free Community Entertainment

Press Release – Monday 17th October

New Zealand Ukulele Delivers More Free Community Entertainment - On Election Day

The New Zealand Ukulele Trust announces their key annual community event The New Zealand Ukulele Festival 2011. It will be held on Saturday 26th November at The Trusts Stadium in Waitakere, for the fifth consecutive year. Over five hours of family friendly entertainment including workshops, competitions, a parade and ‘The Great Kiwi Uke-Along’ starts at midday, with a more intimate ticketed concert continuing the festivities into the evening. Pio Terei will do a double-act with his son Teina as M.C.

In recognition of the 2011 Election, a polling booth will be set up and the ticketed evening performance is being billed as the ‘2011 Uke-Election Concert’. It will showcase the internationally acclaimed Pacific Curls, virtouso Australian Thom Jackson, Perth’s electric ukulele comedian Tyrone Shoelaces and Auckland ukulele trio The Nukes, along with regular election updates.

“We expect a record turn out again this year with several hundred more Kiwileles in the orchestra and the facility to vote”, says the Trust’s Chairperson Mary Cornish. “Patrons will be able to exercise their democratic rights and enjoy the festival at the same time.”

Last year The New Zealand Ukulele Festival attracted 10,000 youth, families, professional and amateur performers from Auckland and beyond who came together for a joyous, inclusive day of singing playing and sharing music. The star attraction of the festival is the largest ukulele orchestra in the world – The Kiwileles, New Zealand’s youth ukulele orchestra – with a record 2,500 players drawn from 119 schools from Auckland, Northland, Waikato and this year even a group from Christchurch.

The New Zealand Ukulele Trust promotes participation in music to New Zealand youth and their communities. The emphasis is on encouragement, accessibility and engagement for all New Zealanders. Well over 7,000 young people have benefited from the Trust’s activities, which include developing resources, running workshops, developing song writing, creating performance opportunities and donating instruments.

For further information on The New Zealand Ukulele Trust and this year’s The New Zealand Ukulele Festival please visit www.nzukulelefestival.org.nz.

- ENDS

© Scoop Media