As a courtesy to the artists and for the uninterrupted enjoyment of your fellow patrons, please turn off all cell phones, pagers, beepers and other electronic devices. Please unwrap any lozenges before the performance begins. No portion of this performance may be photographed, recorded, filmed, taped, broadcast or mechanically reproduced without the written consent of the Artist and/or the Presenter. Mayo Performing Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Our MissionMayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2015-2016 season is made possible, in part, by a grant from the  New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support received from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, F.M. Kirby Foundation and other numerous foundations, corporations and individuals.

Sharing DNA with Flight of the Conchords and hailing from the home of The Hobbit movies, New Zealand’s Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra are in hot demand for their winning combination of charming Kiwi humour, disarmingly small instruments and sublime musicality. The band’s number one rule is: “If you know the words, sing along. If you don’t know the words, sing along!”

Hailing from the home of The Hobbit movies and sharing DNA with Flight of the Conchords, New Zealand entertainment powerhouse The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra are in hot demand worldwide for their winning combination of charming humour, disarmingly small ukuleles, and sublime musicality.The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra are skilled performers who live to entertain, making sure audiences forget their troubles and sing their hearts out. Their signature sound features high-octane ukulele solos, heavenly multi-part vocal harmonies and an impressive range of ukuleles. Flamboyant outfits, delightful theatrical effects and convivial crowd participation complete the night.

The band’s repertoire is a superbly eclectic curation of songs appropriated from many genres alongside tunes from the South Pacific, all packaged into a spectacular, unmissable funfest. Expect to hear fantastic “ukulelefied” versions of rock and pop classics by the likes of Justin Timberlake, Dolly Parton, Cyndi Lauper, Blondie, Salt n Pepa and much, much more.

The band’s number one rule is: “If you know the words, sing along. If you don’t know the words, sing along!”

HOW DID IT ALL START?The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra was founded a little bit by accident in December 2005 when award-winning musician Age Pryor (Fly My Pretties, the Woolshed Sessions) cooked up the scheme with his friend Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords*) in their tiny local café, Deluxe. Word spread to the other side of the café, and within a few months a dozen friends from Wellington’s tightknit musical community were playing ukes during regular early morning sessions. More and more people stopped by to watch, until there was no more room in the café and they had to strike

out for bigger pastures.

The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra have now toured the USA, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and headlined major arts festivals across New Zealand and Australia.The versatile musicians have released 4 EPs and a full-length album, which debuted in the NZ Top 10 and topped the NZ Indie Music chart. They have performed on film, television and commercial soundtracks, and collaborated with many of the greats of Kiwi music. They’re a festival favourite and have become a mainstay of the 21st Century ukulele revival.

WHO ARE THE ORCHESTRA MEMBERS?Led by award-winning New Zealand musician Age Pryor, the performers in the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra are drawn from all corners of New Zealand’s musical spectrum, and they hold down a fascinating array of day-jobs, including mental health nursing, street photography, jazz performance, environmental sustainability, film production and design.

While the original line-up remains intact in spirit, the touring group sees occasional changes due to individual members’ schedules and family commitments. Unannounced special guests and surprise ring-ins are a highlight of the band’s performances. (*Bret McKenzie does not currently perform with the WIUO due to other commitments.)

Musical Director: Age Pryor. Technical Director: Gil Eva Craig.

2016 Touring Party: Age Pryor, Andy Morley-Hall, Hal Strewe, Stephen Jessup, Megan Hosking, Deanne Krieg, Francis Salole, Bek Coogan

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WELLINGTON?Wellington is New Zealand’s capital city. Situated at the south-western tip of the North Island, it is the political seat of power and also where Sir Peter Jackson lives. He’s the guy who makes those Hobbit movies. 393,600 people call Wellington home. Wellington has a spectacularly beautiful harbour, amazing ocean life (seals, penguins, orca, dolphins), one cable car, one bucket fountain (it’s a fountain made of buckets that tip water into each other), and rather a lot of ukulele players. It is the best city in the world (apart from your city, of course!).

Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra