More than 1,000 ukulele players of all ages and skill levels gathered at the Waikiki Shell on Saturday to attempt to break the world record for the largest ukulele ensemble.
1,056 ukukele playered gathered at the Shell, a few hundred short of the 1,547 world record set on August 20, 2011 in Helsingbord, Sweden.
Although not a world record, the Hawaii ensemble did break the U.S. record of 945.
To break the record, the single piece performance must be at least five minutes long.
The "Go For Da Record" event was also a fundraiser led by the Music for Life foundation.
80 percent of the proceeds from the $10 participation fee go to the "Rainbow for Japan Kids" program, that brings those affected by the recent tsunami and earthquake to Hawaii for an educational and healing experience.
The remainder of the proceeds will be used to purchase ukuleles and other musical instruments for Hawaii schools.
Oahu born ukulele virtuoso, Jake Shimabukuro gave a 30-minute warm-up performance prior to the world record attempt.
Although they did not succeed this year, event organizers hope to plan another attempt next spring.
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See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
