UCSB Arts & Lectures will present the Santa Barbara debut of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, the original zany, genre-defying tiny instrument ensemble, at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at UCSB Campbell Hall.

From the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has enchanted audiences the world over with its irresistible blend of wry humor and awe-inspiring musical prowess. Don’t be fooled by imitators: The all-singing, all-strumming ensemble is the original and best ukulele orchestra on the planet.

With ukes small and large, in high and low registers, the group hailed as “wonderfully clever” by David Bowie deftly bounds from Tchaikovsky to Nirvana via Otis Redding with tongue firmly in cheek, raising eyebrows and defying expectations. Get ready for an evening of foot-stomping fun!

Tickets to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are $35 for the general public and $15 for UCSB students with a current student ID.

For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at 805.893.3535 or click here to purchase online.

Are you a ukulele-o-phile yourself? On Monday, April 8, the day before the concert, head over to UCSB’s Geiringer Hall for a free Community Workshop with the Ukulele Orchestra at 7 p.m. Bring your own instrument for a uke jam and get ready to shred!

— Karna Hughes is a senior writer and publicist for UCSB Arts & Lectures.