Athenree Homestead Festive Soiree December 17

NZ Ukulele Festival November 2010

The fourth NZ ukulele Festival at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland was another huge occasion, blessed as usual with gorgeous weather. Ukes A Plenty played early on the second stage and were well received. Later we played alongside 2500 children in the grandstand which was an inspiring occasion.

Hawkes Bay Ukulele Festival 2010

Katikati Ukulele Workshop, September 2010

Toes were tapping, fingers strumming and voices raised in song, at a weekend ukulele workshop (September 18 and 19) organised by Katikati ukulele band, Ukes-A-Plenty. Mr Ukulele, Kevin Fogarty, head of music at Tuakau College, took participants to a whole new level of playing and performance.
A generous grant from the Katikati Folk Club helped to keep numbers manageable, while making it affordable. It also supported three Katikati students who found time to attend, despite the pressures of NCEA. Some of the strummers will be able to repay that support, by performing at the Folk Club in the future.
Mr Fogarty (Kevin) was the founder, along with Bill Sevesi, of the Ukulele in Schools project, supported by the Play It Strange and Taurus Trusts. He also organised the first New Zealand Ukulele festival at Mt Roskill Intermediate in 2007. On November 27, 2010 strummers from all over NZ, including 2000 school children and thousands of adults, will attend the fourth festival at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland.
With his skills and enthusiasm he swept everyone along at a fast pace, introducing new arrangements of familiar songs and some of his own compositions, and giving tips on strumming, plucking, singing and performing. He kept the players on their ‘fingers’ and toes, and inspired some exciting plans for the future.
“It made me realise, with lots of practice, and inspiration from NZ's best tutor and aficionado, just how far a uke can travel,” said Julie Webster after the workshop.
Kevin also supported Ukes-A-Plenty on Friday night at the first Katikati RSA Music Jam, which was so successful it will become a regular event.
Those who missed out on the workshop can look forward to some exciting ukulele based events in Katikati in the future, including the first Bay of Plenty Ukulele Festival in 2011.
Beginners, who would like to give the ukulele a go, can attend the Art Spark workshops on October 11, 12, and 13, being organised by KK Open Air Art. Enrol at the Information centre or KK Resource Centre.