Miscellaneous
Here's the place for various information that doesn't fit in any other category. Miscellaneous topics then.
24th Oct 2011
#6: Nebenprojekte der Ukes
-
Hester Goodmann
The Mary Poppins Experience
The REAL Mary Poppins. A short promo for Hester's cabaret and street theatre show a few years ago.
The Film Noir Show
A short promo for Hester's cabaret and street theatre show, filmed at an outdoor screening of Casablanca a few years ago.
2nd Dec 2009
#5: Even the Ukes once were little...
Here a few delightful views from pre-UOGB-times...
| A self-portrait. | ![]() |
|---|
| ... | ![]() |
|---|
| ... | ![]() |
|---|
| Do those bangs indicate the later preference for a certain hairstyle already? | ![]() |
|---|
Little Will is ready for the journey... |
![]() |
|---|
Hester's early musical influences... |
![]() ![]() |
|---|
Peter at the age of 6 months ... |
![]() |
|---|
Richie at the age of 6 years. Note the bow tie! |
![]() |
Richie at the age of 14 years. In those days he got nearly suspended from school for this hair style! |
![]() |
|---|
16th Aug 2009
#4: The Proms - more than just their "Last Night"
Autor: Yuichi aus Morioka, Japan, Bild unter The Proms, short for "promenade series" or "BBC Proms" are a classic music festival, which is hosted every summer by the BBC. For eight weeks there are daily classic concerts mostly in the Royal Albert Hall in London. The series is topped off with the "Last Night of the Proms", which stands out clearly from the other concerts with its cheerful atmosphere and a number of patriotic British pieces.
The first Proms concert indeed has taken place 115 years ago already and at that time it was funded privately. The BBC took over from 1927 and since then the concerts are broadcast on the radio every year. Apart from a short interruption while World War II the BBC is responsible for the Proms since then.
Outside Great Britain you often find the mistaken idea, the Proms were only one concert, the "Last Night". Of course that's just as wrong as the assumption, the Britons would come to all Proms concerts with funny hats and flags.
With these concerts the initiators wanted to make classic music accessible for an audience, who normally wouldn't be interested in classic music. This was meant to be reached with inexpensive tickets and informal atmosphere and so originally eating, drinking and smoking was explicitly allowed. The expression "promenade series" refers to the fact that parts of the audience were "promenading", walking around during the concerts.
Still today you can feel a lot of the informal atmosphere, for example, there is no dress code and while it is absolutely o.k. to come to a Proms concert wearing a track suit or shorts, one will attract more attention by wearing formal evening wear.
The opportunity to enjoy a Proms concert for little money still exists. Even for already sold out concerts there is always a contingent of standing room tickets for the arena and gallery held back, which are exclusively sold at the box office on the evening of the concert, which is the reason, why there can be long queues hours before a concert already, especially for the popular ones. The price for such a ticket is currently £5.
Further information
18th Aug 2008
#3: Isaac Hayes has died
In August 10th 2008 the soul legend Isaac Hayes has died of a stroke in his
house in Memphis, Tennessee. He was only 65 years old. Hayes was a successful
US-American soul singer and composer, he has written film music and he had
worked as a producer and actor. His greatest hit was the "Theme from Shaft" of
the movie "Shaft" from 1971, which even won him an Academy Award.
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has an extraordinary and quite tongue-in-cheek
version of this worldwide hit in their repertoire. A worthy hommage to a great
artist.
14th Aug 2008
#2: UOGB T-Shirt
Some time ago a UOGB t-shirt was available. The print had been designed especially for the Ukulele Orchestra by the artist Glen Baxter. Here is the website of Glen Baxter:
www.glenbaxter.com
9th Aug 2008
#1: Famous Relation
One of the founding members of the UOGB, Lianne Kordan, is the god daughter of the composer Elmer Bernstein.













