An instrument of frivolous fancy

THE silliness of ukuleles playing classic hits drives the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra and its audiences to new heights of hula, cartwheels and absurd costume.

The orchestra plays the Royal Wanganui Opera House on February 24, and its 12 members include Wanganui art school graduate Bek Coogan.

They will be passing through on a national tour promoting their fourth recording, an EP called I Love You.

Spokespeople Nigel Collins and Carmel Russell said the group had a quick look at the opera house in January when they played at the VCC Rally and felt honoured to play on its stage.

The opera house was both intimate and grand, and the acoustics appealed to them.

They would be using microphones when they played there, because even singing can drown out the sound of a ukulele.

The orchestra has been around for about six years, and formed from a group of people having ukulele sing-alongs at the Deluxe Cafe in Wellington.

One day another cafe customer enjoyed it so much that he gave them a $50 tip and the idea of going professional was born.

Some members were already professional musicians, Mr Collins said. Others were civil servants, actors, photographers and a psychiatric nurse.

They started playing weddings and corporate functions, and recording, and have twice played to a full Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington - 2500 people.

Their standard rehearsal is 8am on a Thursday morning - before work - and their musical range veers from Blue Smoke to a current hiphop number by Jessie J.

Ukuleles are not instruments to be taken seriously, and orchestra members are inspired to dress up in flash op shop clothes, hula, cartwheel, dance, tell jokes and otherwise respond to audience suggestions.Tickets to their show can be purchased at the Royal Wanganui Opera House.