The Langley Ukulele Ensemble is now in its 43rd year – 32 years under the direction of Peter Luongo, and, for the past 10 years, under the direction of Peter's son, Paul. Over the course of 43 years, the group has developed a reputation at home and abroad for excellence in musical performance. The ensemble members range in age from 13 to 18 years, and are students attending middle and secondary schools.

 

The Senior A Ukulele Ensemble, which is the top group within the LUA, has performed as many as 80 times within a calendar year. Notably, they have performed at ukulele festivals in Nevada, Oregon, Nova Scotia, Japan, and Hawaii, while also performing at local community events within the province of British Columbia, Lower Mainland and greater Vancouver regions. In recent years the ensemble has performed alongside Juno, Na Hoku Hanohano, and Grammy nominated or winning musicians and artists. In January of 2020, the ensemble opened up for Grammy Award Winner, Bobby McFerrin, as a part of the Grand Rally for Music Education within the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Convention. 

 

The ensemble has performed for a wide variety of events such as the Pacific National Exhibition, the Gift of Time Gala and Gift of Love events for Canucks Place & Hospice, The Township of Langley's Mayor Gala, The BC Legislature and Royal Museum, and the Okanagan and Royal Nova Scotia Military Tattoos, to name a few. The ensemble celebrated its opportunity to return to Honolulu, Hawaii last summer, in July of 2023, and is looking forward to making its 27th Annual trip to perform at the Sheraton Waikiki, this coming July, 2024.

 

The group’s motto is “Enriching Lives through Music”. The members are challenged to strive towards excellence in musical performance and to use music as a vehicle through which they can be role models and leaders among their peers. The group members see themselves as musical ambassadors for Canada, British Columbia, and Langley, as well as for youth. They hope to leave audiences with a sense that there is a reason to be hopeful about the future of today’s youth.