Up to 200 young ukulele players from York schools get the opportunity to work with members of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and the Theatre of the Ayre in a collaboration organised by the National Centre for Early Music.

The project has started with workshops for pupils from Yearsley Grove, Clifton Green, St Barnabas, St Aelred’s and Elvington primary schools. The project will be led by local ukulele teachers and members of both ensembles.

These initial workshops will be followed up with regular visits throughout the summer term supported by ukulele players from the University of York’s music education group, who will help the young people to learn and practise the music in preparation for a summer performance.

The project will culminate in a performance as part of the 2013 York Early Music Festival, celebrating the sound of massed plucked instruments across the centuries.

The concert will be given by the schoolchildren who will play alongside members of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and the Theatre of the Ayre at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York on Tuesday, July 9, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.

Tickets are £5 and are available at ncem.co.uk or by phoning 01904 658338.

Delma Tomlin, Director at the National Centre for Early Music, said: “The ukulele is a brilliant instrument to get young musicians playing relatively complex music quite early on – and performing with such a large group will be inspiring as well as a great deal of fun."