October 2011

McDunn Gallery in Greenville, SC, Offers a Ukulele Exhibition

The McDunn Gallery in Greenville, SC, will present the exhibit, Ukulele Melee!, a uke luthier exhibition on display through Nov. 5, 2011. On Saturday, Oct. 15, from 6-9pm, McDunn Gallery and Russ Morin Ukuleles present a fun evening of ukulele music and screening of the film Mighty Uke. The evening will begin with a group ukulele lesson and sing-along followed by an informative discussion led by Russ Morin about how a ukulele is made.

The feature documentary Mighty Uke, created by Tony Coleman and Margaret Meagher, is a visual feast, filmed in vivid HD, counterbalanced by B/W historical footage and original animation, and accompanied by music, played, composed and introduced by the characters themselves.

Mighty Uke travels the world to seek out ukulele players, documenting this third wave of popularity, exploring the rich history of the uke and learning about the healing effect of music self-played.

Until the late 19th Century, music was either live or homemade. If you wanted to hear music you either went to a concert or you performed it yourself. Music was embedded in our families, our communities and even our work. When the phonograph was introduced in 1877, we began the steady path from musical participants to musical consumers. Now, over 100 years later, individuals and families are discovering anew the joys and healing benefits of self-made music. The easy-to-learn ukulele has definitely had a role in this. Elegant in its simplicity, the uke is as comfortable playing a campfire ditty as it is rocking a Hendrix tune.

One of the best parts about playing the ukulele is encouraging others to jump on board and start making their own music. Mighty Uke has left a trail of new players and uke clubs as it has screened across the world.

For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 864/242-0311 or visit (www.mcdunnstudio.com).

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