Whole lot of strumming going on

When children pick up a ukulele, the veil of self-consciousness falls away and their true characters emerge.

It was hard to miss on the faces of the pupils who took part in the 10th Music Education Otago Ukulele Kids' Jam, at the Dunedin Town Hall yesterday.

Co-ordinator Rachel McNamara said the event started in 2010 with just 400 Dunedin pupils, and has continued to grow year on year.

This year about 1200 school pupils from 48 Dunedin and Invercargill schools are participating in the two-day event.

Plucky primary and intermediate pupils strum their way through a song at the 10th Music Education...
Plucky primary and intermediate pupils strum their way through a song at the 10th Music Education Otago Ukulele Kids' Jam, at the Dunedin Town Hall yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
"The capabilities of the kids have definitely grown, too, hence there's some really hard songs on the programme."

She said the event had become so popular because it was not a competition.

"It's a jam. It's not a competition and it's not a concert.

"It's an opportunity to come along with what you've got and where you're at [skill-wise] and just have a ball."

The young strummers were accompanied by the Ukulele Jam Band, members of the New Zealand Ukulele Senior Squad, Hook, Line and Sing-along competition winner Lucy Summerfield, and Norma, the town hall organ.

The event continues in the Dunedin Town Hall this morning.

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