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Saturday 28th April
Oswestry School 600 Event
'Premiere' Ukulele Concert PHC 7.30pm
Organised by our very own Mr John Croft, this evening was a truly entertaining event. In an extract from John's own website, www.theukuleleman.com, John tells us more about it in his own words.
Well, here we are! A very special year in the long history of Oswestry School, and what better way to help celebrate such a historic occasion than to provide you with the opportunity to enjoy the very pinnacle of musical excellence, with the first of two concerts that mark yet another ‘first’ for our school.
According to ‘Vogue’ magazine, the Ukulele ‘is the instrument of the year’, so I thought that together with the 600th anniversary of our School, it was an appropriate time to give you all the opportunity to listen to some of the very best ukulele players in Britain, and probably the World.
If you want to hear a variety of musical styles performed by top quality musical artistes, then this concert is for you. If you believe that ‘The William Tell Overture’ can’t be played on the ukulele, or that Bach and the Ukulele simply don’t mix - then there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this concert is definitely one that you should not miss!
Tonight's Performers
Ray Bernard Ray started to play the Ukulele at the age of 14, and soon after leaving school he spent six years as the vocalist with a sixteen-piece dance orchestra. In 1956 he made his first TV appearance - in Harrogate, for Barney Colehan’s ‘Top Town’, and in 1968 he was the first artist to perform ‘live’ on Radio Stoke. The first paid-up member of the George Formby Society (founded in September 1961), he went on to become its Musical Advisor, Chairman, Vice-President, and President. He is a talented player on the tenor banjo (illustrated), the ukulele, and the ukulele-banjo.
Gabriela La Foley This young lady took the first UK Ukulele Festival (held at Oswestry School in April 2006) by storm! Not only is she a talented musician, but her real forté is the way in which she can entertain and hold audiences in the plam of her hand with her bubbly personality, her contemporary songs, her humorous anecdotes, and polished performances.
John Shreeve I first saw John play the ukulele-banjo some years ago, and to say that I was impressed is an understatement. This tall, thin young man from Liverpool, has an electrifying playing technique and his solos are scintillating, and he is here tonight to enthrall you too.
Elias Sibley When only 10 years old Elias was already an outstanding classical banjoist. At the age of 12 he gained a scholarship to the Purcell School of Music to study the trumpet. This was later superseded by the guitar as his 1st instrument. He now studies at the Royal College of Music with Gary Ryan. Elias is a performer of the highest quality, so expect to enjoy the delights of classical music - on a ukulele!
Peter Moss Peter is a brilliant multi-talented musician who I first met many years ago. He can play a variety of instruments to professional standard, including the ukulele-banjo, and his performances are amazing! He was given a standing ovation after playing at the prestigious FIGA (Fretted Instrument Guild of America) annual concert. If your luck holds, you could be privileged enough to hear ‘The William Tell’ Overture - played on the ukulele-banjo!
JC
Many thanks to John and his family and friends for making this such an enjoyable and surprisingly varied evening. If this event has whetted your appetite for ukulele music, there is an even bigger treat in store for you when, on Friday September 14th 2007, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain comes to Oswestry for a very special concert. Details to be announced in May. Watch this space!