Ukelele boy to perform at festival

Eight-year-old Connor, of Spital, Chesterfield, is eagerly looking forward to performing at UkeStock.

He admits that he is “very excited but nervous” at the prospect of entertaining the audience at the festival in Brimington’s Ark Tavern on Sunday, July 19.

“I like to play a mixture of modern and traditional music and I will be playing Tie A Yellow Ribbon, I Wanna Be Like You, Good Company, amongst others I am practising at the moment,” he said.

As a warm-up for the festival, Connor played three songs with his tutor Mark Black at the Royal Oak, Brampton, last month.

Connor, a pupil at Hasland Junior School, has been interested in music and dance since he was two years old. He started learning to play the ukelele 15 months ago as he was interested in the guitar and mandolin.

He also studies musical theatre at Chesterfield Studios and has recently performed at the Pomegranate Theatre.

His tutor Mark Black, who gives lessons at Real Time in Chesterfield, will be joined by special guests at Ukestock. Performers at the festival will include BarrelHouse, Stockport Uke Players, WUFF, 5X4 Strings, CHULES, MUGS, Jumpin Fleas and Nottingham Uke Orchestra.

The live music starts at midday on Sunday and runs until 6pm.