whats hot at hula-with-me.com?

Whats Hot Down Under? This week it's the "BNZ Ukulele Festival"

Whats Hot was pleased to participate in the New Zealand BNZ Ukulele Festival on Saturday 23rd November at Mt Smart Stadium.

Back ground information The Ukulele festival was inspired by Bill Sevesi (patron of the BNZ Ukulele Festival) after visiting Hawaii to attend the annual ukulele festival. Bill Sevesi wanted all school children to have the opportunity to play the ukulele. With the support of a music teacher Maria Winder, and Mr. Ukulele NZ himself, Kevin Fogarty, they worked together to provide free tuition and instruments to students throughout the Auckland region. Mike Chunn, CEO of "Play It Strange" charitable trust assisted with organising sponsorship to provide more than 40 schools with ukuleles.

The BNZ Ukulele Festival is New Zealand's biggest ukulele celebration. This year, 79 schools united to form New Zealands largest ukulele orchestra comprising of 1,300 school children and known as the "Kiwileles". The Kiwileles feature on one stage and both international and local ukulele artists featured on the mainstage. Legendary Tongan ukulele virtuoso Sione Aleki returned and Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra featured on the mainstage.

Our very own Soifua string band "Fia Musa" also featured on the mainstage, and if you would like a glimpse of their performance, then check out out our "ukulele" page here at hula-with-me.com.

Well that's it for this session of "Whats Hot". Come back and visit often. This section of hula-with-me.com will keep you informed about "What's happening down under with hula".

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