Ukulele Subversion

Sammu

Sammu

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Today I committed an act of extreme subversion….Performing a concert of classical guitar music in the Sherborne Abbey Music Festival in Dorset I interrupted the concert to perform a Bach Musette on the ukulele. This was my first serious public performance on the ukulele (my audience included several local dignitaries including a genuine "Lady"). I had no idea how my ukulele interlude would be received….initially, I think people were thinking…oh dear…what is this….nervous twittering etc….But the end result (ie...applause) was very pleasing. I was also quite surprised and very delighted at the way my Liam Kirby uke sang out and did me proud! Well, I'm feeling very pleased with myself and thought I would share this! Go uke! :)
 
That is so cool! I'm a CG player, too, and I have to admit that some CG players/aficionados tend to be a bit snobby about the instrument and look down on ukes. Nice you could show them it's more than capable of playing some Bach. :)
 
I've never played guitar, so haven't experienced taking one more seriously than the other. But, I know many/most people do. I play classical all the time, and suppose some in my audiences still see me playing a toy. Bravo to you for highlighting the serious side of our instruments.
 
Good move. I also play classical guitar and would love to do the opposite. That is play a couple of Uke tunes,then pull out my CG and do Recuerdos or Asturias.... It might be fun as Uke players are not as snobbish as CG aficionados...
 
Dignitaries could, in my very limited experience, all use a bit of a surprise. Well done.
 
Sounds all good to me, subversive one! hehe

Petey
 
Great, you go girl
 
Bill1 said:
The next step is to start suggesting, subtley at first, that all well known 21 Century arrangers and composers will have a ukulele piece in their catalogue. And to start networking, as Segovia and Bream are said to have done, to get some well known composers or arrangers to write some ukulele pieces for you to play, even if it takes a few years to happen.
Click to expand...

Indeed! I recently asked a well known composer to write a concerto for ukulele…still waiting for the answer :/ I guess I need to go and knock on a few more doors!
 
Sammu said:
Today I committed an act of extreme subversion….Performing a concert of classical guitar music in the Sherborne Abbey Music Festival in Dorset I interrupted the concert to perform a Bach Musette on the ukulele. This was my first serious public performance on the ukulele (my audience included several local dignitaries including a genuine "Lady"). I had no idea how my ukulele interlude would be received….initially, I think people were thinking…oh dear…what is this….nervous twittering etc….But the end result (ie...applause) was very pleasing. I was also quite surprised and very delighted at the way my Liam Kirby uke sang out and did me proud! Well, I'm feeling very pleased with myself and thought I would share this! Go uke! :)
Click to expand...

Nicely done and way to go ...it just makes us "classic" uke players feel a little under appreciated in the great scheme of things ...don't despise us ...we just cannot do all the fiddly and twiddly bits ....but hey ...we can strummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..and pick a bit...lol....Congrats...and I do like that uke of yours .....does Mr Kirby only build to order ? I need a new and half decent(well in this case Excellent ) soprano...I trod on my last......


But seriously ...why is the Ukulele not thought of as being capable of being a serious instrument as well as an instrument for popular music ?

and half seriously .....why is classical music regarded or referred to as "serious" music ?....I think that Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band took their music as seriously as any other composer ...and they make me laugh....so does some classical music....Surprise Symphony anyone ?
 
Last edited:
Sammu,
do you have any videos of your Classical playing? Do you ever do tutorials? I've been practicing scales for Campagnella style, it's very boring....am I wasting my time?
You're doing what I aspire to....
 
I love to hear this!

Sammu, if anyone can pull this off it is you. The grace and poise in your playing is extraordinary, if your entries to season 107 are any indication. For those of you who may have missed out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrDLOaPdgGM

and Sammu's arrangement of "Leave her Johnny Leave Her":



bravo!
 
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