Festival
3
Days
5
Locations
11
Artists
Monopolele is an exciting Mediterranean ukulele festival held annually in the charming coastal town of Monopoli, in Puglia, Southern Italy. This lively event brings together musicians and ukulele enthusiasts from all over the world to celebrate the unique sound and cultural significance of the ukulele. Attendees can expect to enjoy live performances, workshops, jam sessions, and plenty of opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. The festival offers a vibrant atmosphere that perfectly captures the spirit of Monopoli, making it an unforgettable experience for all who attend.
The program may vary due to unforeseen circumstances. In case of bad weather the main events will be held in Teatro Radar and the jam sessions at the Chiesa di San Pietro.
Days
Locations
Artists
The Monopolele Festival (Mediterranean Ukulele Festival) will begin in the best possible way: Danilo Vignola, musician extraordinaire, ukulele virtuoso, highly acclaimed abroad whose musical creations are brushstrokes, tightrope walking and engaging, of Mediterranean atmospheres In his music there is South, there is sensuality, there is the warmest Europe.
Danilo (who in the performance will be accompanied by percussionist Giò Di Donna) will then pass the baton to a Duo of young people from Bulgaria, Vilizar Gichev and Petar Terziev, and the ukulele will spread flavors of klezmer, swing, a little bit gypsy and a little bit jazz, a real baptism that will delight the audience and invite them to dance.
The journey will reach, then, one of the homelands of the Ukulele: England. Ukulele Huff, worthy apostle of the British ukulelist tradition sort with George Formby, engaging instrumentalist who, with fan stroke techniques and other stylistic sorceries mixed with humor, will complete, in the most exciting way, the evening. And then wait for the final surprise!
Bring your uke and make it shine in our jamming session that we just couldn't stop last year!
In this opening night UkuleleTuesday will be our MCs. You can't miss this late night event.
Starting with three simple chords and a sweet melody (which Daniel will perform on stage on Sunday evening asking all of us to accompany him!), the great Daniel Ho, like an amazing and acclaimed musical chef, will teach you the right ingredients to transform a simple piece into one full of fragrant spice and pleasant flavor. Daniel Ho will introduce participants to fingerpicking technique, embellishments of the piece through hammer on or pull off, use of harmonics and very creative strumming. Recommended for all.
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
The workshop, taught by members of the ukulelist project Ukus in fabula, will aim to teach and offer many creative insights on how to orchestrate, harmonize, and differentiate instrumental parts in a band consisting of several ukuleles. One will learn how to properly construct a cover and how to “work” the songs for a better and more choral success of the piece.
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
Learn the very basics in our free beginner's level tutorial. We will even provide you a uke (if you don't have one)! If you miss this one-hour appointment: don't worry come at another time during all three days at Palazzo Palmieri (open from 10:00 to 20:00, from friday to sunday)!
The workshop, intended for advanced ukulelists or the merely curious, will give participants the tools they need to build excellent Ukulele solo phrasing. Starting with the fusion lesson of the great Frank Gambale, Vilizar Gichev will develop a broad discussion around major, minor, modal, and pentatonic scales. you will experiment together with building solos from simple triads, in short: all the little-explored potential of the solo ukulele will be found in this workshop.
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
Daniele Dencs from Ukus in Fabula in an inspiring and creative journey into the meanderings of one of the most fascinating stringed instruments: the UkuBass. The Workshop, intended for beginners and experts, will comprehensively cover the salient aspects of this instrument: the basic technique and some typical tricks,its use within a band or orchestra, the technique of “walking bass”
The Organization will provide some UkuBasses.
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
Ukulele Huff, one of the most acclaimed ukulelists associated with the English tradition of George Formby, will offer, with his workshop, an extraordinary wealth of techniques and tricks absolutely vital to playing the instrument at some level. The thumb roll, fan stroke, and tremolo technique will be explained by Huff with practical and entertaining examples. For advanced ukulelists.
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
Anteprima del nuovo libro (in musica) del nostro amico Ukulollo: una storia di fantascienza che prende forma nella mente di ogni lettore attraverso le suggestioni dettate da parole, suoni e immagini.
E si ascolteranno voci, suoni ambientali, la colonna sonora e ben 21 canzoni originali. L'ukulele ha un ruolo da protagonista - sì, in una storia di fantascienza! - ma c'è un'intera orchestra, tanti altri strumenti e le voci di artisti provenienti da tutto il mondo, dall'Italia agli Stati Uniti, dalla Nuova Zelanda all'Inghilterra al Canada.
La presentazione sarà uno spettacolo immersivo in cui si riceverà una copia del libro e, seguendo il testo e guardando le illustrazioni, si ascolteranno brani e canzoni eseguite dal vivo da Ukulollo e Vittorio Fioramonti.
Posti limitati (saranno ammessi i primi 100). Prenota il tuo posto gratuito qui
Learn how a opera singer fell in love with her uke! A funny, moving, entertaining live act. In italian with english subtitles.
Learning to write comical songs on the Uke
In this brilliant workshop, stand up comedian and ukulelist Giulia Nervi will take you into the world of the comic, ironic, and biting song made with…the ukulele! starting with a simple harmonic turn and a barely sketched idea, guided by the hand by Giulia, who will explain her method of composition, you will come to write a funny song to perform immediately to those you love or hate the most
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
Non importa se sei un professionista o se la tua prima esperienza con un uke è stata nella nostra sessione per principanti di un'ora prima! Unisciti a noi per cantare e suonare in allegria in tutte le strade del centro storico di Monopoli!
The evening will immediately ignite with the bursting onto the stage of Ukus in Fabula, an Italian ukulele trio, one of the best-known ukulele projects abroad, true masters in the art of the boundless medley. Their performance is characterized by incredible harmonic interlocks, abrupt time fields, ukuleles that ignite and a repertoire capable of traveling musical paths that go, quietly, from Gershwin to Goldrake and, above all, lots and lots of comedy. Not to be missed. And when the night gets hotter and denser, Adriano Bono and the Reggae Circus will take the stage and turn the evening into an extraordinary circus ritual of sound, magic, dance and lots of reggae. The square will explode with enthusiasm!
Bring your uke and make it shine in our jamming session that we just couldn't stop last year!
In this workshop, you will learn essential techniques to improve sound quality and your performance skills with the ukulele. Posture, breathing, and hand position on the instrument are aspects that are often underestimated by the practitioner: on the contrary, they are vital aspects for expanding and making more effective music-making. Through a gradual path of exercises on the left hand, right hand, finger strengthening techniques , this workshop will direct you to the most harmonious and effective approach to playing better.
All workshops require a registration. Go to workshops in the main menu to register. The fee supports directly the artists.
Learn the very basics in our free beginner's level tutorial. We will even provide you a uke (if you don't have one)! If you miss this one-hour appointment: don't worry come at another time during all three days at Palazzo Palmieri (open from 10:00 to 20:00, from friday to sunday)!
In questo workshop, Daniel Ho approfondirà il tema del fingerstyle illustrando alcune possibilità creative di sviluppo del brano attraverso l'utilizzo del bordone, la "mononota" e i fraseggi circolari intorno alla melodia. Si lavorerà sul brano Amis Rondo autentico scrigno di idee e spunti creativi per arricchire e migliorare ogni composizione.
Tutti i workshop richiedono una registrazione. La quota di partecipazione sostiene direttamente gli artisti.
A very special morning concert. Four orchestras coming from all over Europe will share the word of love, peace, music and ukuality!
The stage is yours if you dare! Bring your uke with you and join us as well for the grand finale ensemble.
Starting at Piazza Palmieri let's all play and sing bringing joy and ukes all aver the old town while waiting for the Grand Finale of Monopolele 2023!
With much satisfaction and pride, the third evening of the Monopolele Festival will begin with a project created exclusively for the festival. A musical encounter between Italy and England with the trio London Belles, female voices capable of extraordinary harmonic flights that will pour out the engaging and nostalgic moods of traditional swing and timeless hits and the Ukulele Power Duo (Lorenzo Vignando and Vittorio Fieramonti) i.e., a real musical machine that, with its engaging force, will accompany, shape, make the melodies fly . And then….super-final: Daniel Ho, i.e., the ukulele, Hawaii, virtuosity, style, many grammy awards won, and music that will win the soul of the audience thanks to its beauty and elegance.
Bring your uke and make it shine in our jamming session that we just couldn't stop last year!
Have you never played a ukulele in your life but always dreamed of doing it? Join us on Saturday and Sunday morning for two completely free introductory ukulele lessons for everyone. We’ll even lend you the ukulele! There will be other opportunities during the festival to learn the basics of the instrument. Come back here for updates!
Have you always dreamed of learning from the masters? With a small contribution, you can participate and learn from our artists! Just follow this link and read the programme!
It may have happened to you too. Seeing our little four-stringed friend and discovering that it is love! This is the story of Silvana Bruno, who on Saturday afternoon in the Church of San Pietro will tell this love story in a fantastic moment of musical theater, subtitled for our non-Italian friends.
Earlier the same day, you can’t miss the presentation of Teki the musical book of our friend Ukulollo! In the beautiful auditorium of the Rendella library, you will explore the book with an immersive show listening to excerpts and songs performed live by Ukulollo and Vittorio Fioramonti.
We created a WhatsApp community to keep in touch during the fest. Just follow this link or scan the qr code from your mobile and subscribe!