Calling all ukulele players! – JH News&Guide
Wyoming will attempt to set a state record for the most ukuleles performing at once — at Teton Village’s, “Alive at Five” free community ukulele concert July 17 in the Village commons.
“Even if you don’t have an ukulele, we will have extras that anyone can borrow and sing-along with us,” Teton Music School teacher Susan Jones said. “Maybe people have an old ukulele collecting dust in their closet or garage. We can help them tune it to join us for this community concert. I’d love to see 1,000 ukuleles or more.”
This community concert is a collaborative effort by Teton Music School and the Grand Teton Music Festival, which is bringing Hawaii’s ukulele virtuoso and world-famous musician Jake Shimabukuro to Walk Festival Hall later that night.
“We were spit-balling ideas to bring the community together through music,” Amanda Flosbach, executive director of Teton Music School, said. “They don’t even have to bring an ukulele, any instrument even kazoos or shakers are welcome, or if people just want to sing. This is not formal. It’s an open community jam.”
Jones says she’s hoping people will come from Idaho and Star Valley areas, too, plus tourists of course, to help them set a state ukulele playing record.
“The ukulele has had a huge resurgence, thanks to its affordability, approachability and amazing artists like Jake,” Flosbach said. “With Jake coming here this seemed like the perfect spark for people to gather and play.”