The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Founded in London in 1985 by George Hinchliffe and Kitty Lux, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain brings together several singers and instrumentalists in an ensemble made exclusively of ukuleles of different ranges. The group has cultivated an aesthetic that mixes dry humour, subversion of popular standards and careful work on vocal arrangements, reinterpreting rock, punk and pop as well as themes from classical music and film scores. Over the years the orchestra has established itself in concert halls, at festivals and in theatres both in Britain and internationally, presenting shows that emphasise audience interaction and minimal staging. Functioning like an amplified chamber ensemble, the formation favours group dynamics and collective harmonies over virtuosic solos. On record they released a self-titled debut in 1989, followed by Hearts of Oak (1991), The Secret of Life (2004) and Live in London #1 the same year — releases that capture their versions of widely contrasting repertoire and demonstrate the balance they seek between parody, rhythmic precision and restrained readings of songs.