Strum und drang*

Anyone with their finger anywhere vaguely near the pulse of the very best of modern musical entertainment will know by that brief repertoire run-through who was playing. Yes, those of you in the know, it was The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, and those of you not in the know and who didn't attend, let me just say there won't be a more musically brilliant or entertaining concert throughout the entire Festival.

Three rousing and very British cheers to the organisers for bringing the very best of contemporary musical culture in these islands to the place synonymous with quality and entertainment in all artistic endeavours.

I am not going to add the endless litany of critical superlatives from around the world that the Orchestra has earned over the years. Their musical adventurousness, brilliance, wit and sheer entertainment value is peerless.

Who else could convey the sheer body-popping drive of the theme from Shaft and transmute it with a generous dollop of post modern irony into a hymn of praise to the founder of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, Cecil Sharp?

They also, incidentally, did their superb a capella 'folk song' version of The Who's Pinball Wizard. And Leaning on a Lamppost was presented as a minor key Russian balalaikan knees-up.

They wear their virtuosity casually, and their vocal work alone is worth a PhD from some music college nerd - they present whole catalogues of modern pop classics from Bowie to The Eagles (often simultaneously) and their manipulation of the ukulele's basic and tonally limited sound is, frankly, amazing.

But they embrace the outstanding characteristic of the instrument to its fullest - the sheer fun of it.

An over-excited Jack Nicholson, when introducing Bob Dylan to an audience, used the adjective 'transcendental'. In commending the Ukes to you I suggest their appeal is best summed up as 'splendid'.

They are coming to Birmingham's Town Hall onDecember 11 with a Christmas special. Get a ticket now if you still can. They're all over YouTube if you want to give them a try.

The ukulele is taking over in schools from the recorder as the instrument of choice for introducing kids to music. And the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has got a lot to do with that. As I say, simply splendid.

* Sturm und drang is a style or movement of German literature of the latter half of the 18th century: characterised chiefly by impetuosity of manner, exaltation of individual sensibility and intuitive perception, opposition to established forms of society and thought, and extreme nationalism.
2. tumult; turmoil; upheaval.
[Origin: < G: lit., storm and stress]

For great ukes, go online. The excellent Maholo instruments (lots of colours) go for under 15 quid. Free lessons at ukeschool.com and don't forget ukuleleorchestra.com - who do workshops.