Langley Ukulele Ensemble
Encyclopedia
The Langley Ukulele Ensemble is Canada
's premier ukulele
ensemble, establishing a reputation for excellence. It is based out of Langley, British Columbia
, Canada. Composed of 20 young musicians, aged 13–21, the ensemble performs 50-80 concerts a year, in their community, regionally, as well as traveling across Canada
, to Florida
, Texas
, California
, the Pacific Northwest
, Japan
and Hawaii
.
They travel to Hawaii
every July as part of their annual tour. During their stay there, they are sponsored by the Sheraton Waikiki, one of Waikiki
's premier beachfront hotels.
Their motto is "enriching lives through music" and they attempt to do so every time they perform.
of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
, the "Wayne Gretzky of Ukulele". Hill is currently considered to be among the world's finest, rivaling Hawaii
native Jake Shimabukuro
.
Other alumni include acoustic group Exit 58.
Their most recent CD "Our Hawaiian Heart - Anniversary Edition" was released in June 2009. This CD celebrates their 15th year of touring and performing in Waikiki. All of the music performed on the CD had been introduced to the Ensemble by their Hawaiian ohana (family) over the past two decades.
Also released in December 2008 was the "Greatest Hits" which is a compilation of the Ensemble's and audience favourites.
In addition to their annual tour to Hawaii, in October 2009, they were the headline performers at the 3rd International Ukulele Ceilidh in Nova Scotia, Canada http://ukuleleceilidh.ca/index.php].
In summer 2007, they participated in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo
and opened the Stratford, Ontario
Summer Music Festival.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's premier ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
ensemble, establishing a reputation for excellence. It is based out of Langley, British Columbia
Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)
The Township of Langley is a district municipality immediately east of the City of Surrey in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It extends south from the Fraser River to the U.S. border, and west of the City of Abbotsford...
, Canada. Composed of 20 young musicians, aged 13–21, the ensemble performs 50-80 concerts a year, in their community, regionally, as well as traveling across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
They travel to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
every July as part of their annual tour. During their stay there, they are sponsored by the Sheraton Waikiki, one of Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
's premier beachfront hotels.
Their motto is "enriching lives through music" and they attempt to do so every time they perform.
Alumni
The Langley Ukulele Ensemble is the starting point for many young and upcoming ukulele musicians. Its most famous alumnus, James Hill, is pursuing a career as a solo artist and has been dubbed by Stuart McLeanStuart McLean
Andrew Stuart McLean is a Canadian radio broadcaster, humourist and author, best known as the host of the CBC Radio programme The Vinyl Cafe. He is often described as a "story-telling comic", though he has written many serious stories...
of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, the "Wayne Gretzky of Ukulele". Hill is currently considered to be among the world's finest, rivaling Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
native Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukuro is an ukulele virtuoso known for his complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz and rock.- History :...
.
Other alumni include acoustic group Exit 58.
Recordings
The Ensemble has released thirteen recordings, demonstrating their versatility with the instrument. They showcase their ability to perform Hawaiian, Christmas, Classical, Jazz, Rock and Roll and other styles on a variety of CDs.Their most recent CD "Our Hawaiian Heart - Anniversary Edition" was released in June 2009. This CD celebrates their 15th year of touring and performing in Waikiki. All of the music performed on the CD had been introduced to the Ensemble by their Hawaiian ohana (family) over the past two decades.
Also released in December 2008 was the "Greatest Hits" which is a compilation of the Ensemble's and audience favourites.
Miscellaneous
They were named Langley's Entertainer of the Year for 2005, and their musical director was controversially named Langley's Leader of the Year for the same year.In addition to their annual tour to Hawaii, in October 2009, they were the headline performers at the 3rd International Ukulele Ceilidh in Nova Scotia, Canada http://ukuleleceilidh.ca/index.php].
In summer 2007, they participated in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo
Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo
-Background:The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo is a show inspired by Military Tattoos given by military bands and display teams. It has taken place annually in Nova Scotia's capital, Halifax since 1979. It is the largest annual indoor show in the world. It is currently held in the Halifax...
and opened the Stratford, Ontario
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
Summer Music Festival.