Dorfen - That a maximum of musical diversity can be found in small instruments - that was demonstrated by the Dorfen Ukulele Orchestra on Sunday evening in the Jakobmayer Hall.
With wit and virtuosity, the predominantly young musicians proved that it by no means requires many instruments to bring great notes to the stage.
The atmosphere in the sold-out hall was accordingly dynamic, the audience almost euphoric.
When ABBA's “Thank You For The Music” sounded, almost every listener in the hall might have thought: “Thank you for being on stage.
And thank you for the beautiful songs. “It was a bit like before Corona: pure enjoyment, without restrictions - at least when it came to life and ease.
“Finally,” said Irmgard Bauer shortly before the performance.
And her colleague Barbara Ulmer added: “We're so happy!” The date had to be postponed several times: “A Christmas concert was actually planned,” said band leader Pascal Wilfer.
Instead of "White Christmas", "Scandal in the restricted area."
In any case, the joy of the game was clearly noticeable in the interpreters: 90 minutes of power, 90 minutes of bombastic entertainment. A concert masterpiece, without a large orchestra, without timpani and trumpets. Only nine ukulelists on stage. Drummer Jakob Marsmann set the pace and used his instrument as a percussion. “Rock Around The Clock” and “Le Freak”, but also a solo by Antonia Aturcanitei, which Amy Winehouse interpreted perfectly, heated the mood even more.
The young ensemble, which includes former high school students and teachers from the Dorfener Gymnasium, was founded by Pascal Wilfer in 2018. The model was the "Ukulele Orchestra Great Britain". Wilfer was fascinated by the ukuleles: "Small, handy and resource-saving - an instrument to be taken seriously and by no means a toy," explained the student. The ensemble's motto: Save wood, play ukulele - save wood, play ukulele. Of course, each member also plays a different, “real” instrument: These include double bass, piano, violin, viola, guitar, saxophone or even percussion. But the sound, exclusively from ukuleles, was clearly beyond what was known in the Jakobmayer.
Especially with Charpentier's “Te Deum”, the “Eurovison song” that is often played on television, the audience noticed how perfectly the ensemble played together despite the long break and fewer rehearsals together.
Every chord, every note was right.
One can only hope that the Dorfener Ukulele Orchestra invites you to a gigantic Christmas concert in the coming Advent and that “Have Yourself a Ukulele Christmas” can finally be made up for.
(Michaele Heske)