National Music Centre is pleased to offer a special music-making experience for all levels on Friday, June 20!
Visitors are invited to participate in a ukulele workshop that will cover various skills as they learn to play songs. The session will be presented by one of the world’s most distinguished ukulele instructors, Peter Luongo.
This session is appropriate for ukulele players of all ability levels who have had some previous experience. Workshop participants will need to provide their own ukuleles.
The workshop will be immediately followed by a concert featuring The Legacy Ukulele Ensemble. This group is developing a reputation across North America for their level of playing ability, entertaining performances, and commitment to life-long learning.
Workshop: 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Concert: 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
About Legacy Ukulele Ensemble
The Legacy Ukulele Ensemble is a group of 14 players from across the America and Canada who are committed to developing music literacy, musicianship, and ukulele playing skills with the goal of performing and sharing their music with audiences.
The group was established in September 2016 and has continued to evolve, meeting both on line and in person. The group's repertoire list includes a mix of Hawaiian, classical, folk, rock, pop, and country pieces.
Past accomplishments have included appearances on the main stages at the Los Angeles, Hawaiian, Reno, Palm Springs, Ohio, and Michigan based Ukulele Festivals. The ensemble has also participated in tours to Hawaiian, West Coast States (Washington, Oregon, and California), Boston, and Pittsburgh. In recent years they have had several performances at The California Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
In 2022 The ensemble was awarded 1st Place in the ukulele division of the KumuKahi Ukulele and Hula Festival in Las Vegas and they have been showcased at the past 5 NAMM Shows in Anaheim, California. At The 2023 NAMM Show on the main stage along with internationally renowned performers, The Wooten Family.
This past year the ensemble were featured at the L.A. International Ukulele Festival, at events in Huntington Beach and Carlsbad, California as well as at the NAMM Show. They appeared in Vegas and toured through Pennsylvania and just completed a northern Washington State/ Vancouver tour. The group will announce their 2024/25 performance schedule in the fall.
The Legacy Ensemble’s mandate is to model life-long learning and to inspire adults to embrace life-long learning through music.
About Peter Luongo
Peter Luongo is one of the most experienced and highly regarded ukulele teachers/ directors in the world. He has dedicated over 40 years to enhancing the lives of generations of music students young and old. He has spent the better part of the past 5 decades teaching thousands of children and is best known as the founder and director of the Langley Ukulele Ensemble and also spent 4 years as a professor in the Music Education Department at the University of B.C.
Peter is also a Rotarian and has held several positions on his club’s executive board including serving as Club President. He has received multiple Paul Harris Awards is a past recipient the Rotary International President’s Vocational Service Award.
Over the years Peter has been able to involve the ensemble in a number of Rotary projects and events. He has had them perform at various club events both locally and in various North American locations (including Hawaii), multiple district conferences, at Zone Institutes, and even became a regular presenter at Northwest President Elect Training Seminars. Most notably, Peter has had the ensemble perform at Rotary International Conventions in San Antonio, New Orleans, and California.
Peter retired from his role as a School Principal in 2013 but continues to teach adults and children while also being a featured performer/ teacher at festivals and workshops across the U.S. (Michigan, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon), Western Canada, and Europe (England, Italy, and Vienna) while also directing adult and children’s groups in Canada and America. Since 2016 he has led The Legacy Ukulele Ensemble; an adult performing ensemble that regularly presents at ukulele festivals and events across the United States.
His workshops, retreats, and seminars are always stimulating, invigorating, inspiring, and a lot of fun!