Plinkety, plink you've just got to smile with ukulele at hand

The humble ukulele is experiencing a renaissance in Wanganui, with more than 35 students signing up for Community Education Service (CES) lessons this term, and extra classes being put on to cope with the demand.

The beginners' evening class filled up on the first day the CES office was open. To cope with the demand, CES manager Rosemary Mrs Hovey has organised an extra beginners' class on Thursday afternoons.

Wanganui Collegiate School music director Nicholas Grigsby plays the towering organ, an instrument with gravity and dignity. But he and some colleagues also play the ukulele, an instrument that doesn't take itself seriously.

He isn't surprised by the ukulele upsurge.

Ukuleles are fun, communal instruments that put a smile on everyone's face, he says.

All the pupils at his school learn the ukulele, starting in Year 7, which means any of them can play and sing with any other student.

Ukuleles are small and easy to learn. But their possibilities are unlimited, and they come in varying sizes with varying pitch.

"You can get really advanced at it. Some people can do incredible things with them," Mr Grigsby said. The ukulele also has a connection with Hawaii, which makes it exotic and colourful. Not to mention the sex appeal factor.

"Boys play it and girls go all stupid."

With all this, ukuleles may become the most common instrument for primary school music classes, replacing the recorder.

"The recorder, played properly, is a very beautiful instrument. A whole class of the things don't sound very nice. Ukuleles do," Mr Grigsby said.

The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra and Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain may have helped with the wave of ukulele popularity.

The Wellington group exploits the fun side of the instrument by its colourful clothes and on-stage antics. It has entertained audiences of thousands and is coming to the Royal Wanganui Opera House on February 24.

What is the ukulele?

• 
  The ukulele is a member of the guitar family of instruments, it generally has four strings.
• 
  The ukulele originated in the 19th century as a Hawaiian interpretation of the cavaquinho or braguinha and the rajao, small guitar-like instruments taken to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants.
• 
  It became popular elsewhere in the United States during the early 20th century, and from there spread internationally.
• 
  The tone and volume of the instrument varies with size and construction.