“It just takes an empty butter tub, some fishing line and a few pieces of wood to make an authentic-sounding ukulele, as Year 4 pupils found out on Thursday 7th November. In a workshop led by three Hawaiian-shirted helpers from the Utterly Butterly Ukulele project – ‘Prof’, ‘Toff’ and ‘Nutter’, the children made their own instruments from entirely recycled materials, tuned them and customised them, before spending some time learning how to play some useful chords. By the afternoon, they were ready to perform live in front of an audience in the main school hall.
Familiar songs such as ‘In the Jungle’ were played alongside specially-composed numbers including ‘The Utterly Butterly Ukulele Song’ and ‘Blow Your Bubble,’ which had the ukulele-players singing and strumming away happily while the audience clapped them along. Another performance of the hand-made ukuleles can be expected at the End of Term concert.”
Ian, Active Arts
“What a blast. You were a sensation and Blaby is still ringing to the sound of Ukuleles. One little girl insisted on taking hers back to playgroup on Monday, for show and tell. Mum said it hadn’t left her sight since making it on Saturday morning. A duet was heard in Waitrose, which confused the shoppers somewhat. Many thanks, look forward to working with you again”
Charlotte Krzanicki, Deputy Head (primary)
“The children had a fantastic time making and playing their Ukuleles made out of a margarine tub!. They will be taking them with them to the Food and Farming Day on 5th July at the big concert at the East of England Showground. we look forward to hearing that!”
Dan Somogyi, Director, SoundStorm Music Education Agency / Wave Arts Education Agency, Bournemouth and Poole
“I first met the Utterly Butterly Ukulele Project at a rather surreal Chinese meal in Manchester at the Music Learning Live Conference 2010. On one side sat National Music Participation Tsar, Dick Hallam. On the other, were Steve and Mark from TUBUP, with ukuleles proudly twanged alongside the chicken with black bean sauce. It was the start of a beautiful partnership.
We got talking and I was impressed how authentic a ukulele made from a small plastic margarine tub and fishing line can sound. I thought it would be a perfect, inclusive project for SoundStorm, our Music Education Agency, a perfect combination of practical basic construction work and music skills. TUBUP came down and did a couple of trial days in local primary schools. They went down a storm. A random bloke even offered me £5 in a pub for my TUBUP uke.
Since then, we haven’t looked back. Over 2000 ukes have been constructed. They’ve visited 20 schools and led CPD for 60 teachers. It’s a perfect project for enthusing young people with music and every child takes home a unique, decorated utterly butterly uke. Schools book them year on year and they are important partners on our Music Hub.
If you want to bring something unique to your music hub, and enthuse hundreds of young people at the same time, I can’t recommend TUBUP highly enough. It’s a thoroughly unique and satisfying project”
Kerry Watkins
“Thank you for giving the children at Stourfield Jnrs such a fantastic week. The concert on friday was fab and my son has said it was one of his favourite school experiences. The ukelele has pride of place at home – only downside is I can’t get the song out of my head – Brilliant”