The Sum of the Parts (music)

Community Music - Ukulele Groups - Ukestras - Ukulele Teaching - Newcastle NSW

Welcome to The Sum Of the Parts (Music)

The Home of Ukulele Orchestras in the Hunter Valley, NSW

ukestra plus zoom equals zookestra

Sadly, we are now not meeting in person, but we’ve embraced the community of the online. And people are loving it. We’ll be back there in the real world when this Love in the Time of COVID is over. 

Meanwhile, head to www.zookestra.com for your safe, connected and learning ukulele community fix. Now no matter where you live!

We teach ukulele. More importantly, we help you connect to a community that values music in their lives. Apparently we here in the Hunter region do that differently to how they do it in other places.  Watch this 4 minute video to give you an idea of the sort of fun we have and the sort of things you can learn, and how…

We run nine weekly Ukestras (ukulele orchestras) and two choirs for all ages in the Lower Hunter. ‘We’ are Mark and Jane, and friends and co-workers – John Wallace, Kathy Wilson, Jack Hayden, Susan Gleeson and others. Every month there is a beginners ukulele workshop, with a Newkestra on Saturday and Sunday mornings which teach the basics of ukulele musicianship. 

Every week of the year (except maybe Christmas) The Sum of The Parts (Music) helps around 200 people (adults and kids) to make music and learn, together. Why do we do this? Because people need music in their lives, they need it to be fun, and people need to connect in healthy social situations and spaces. We help make this happen.

In 2017 we also started our incredibly popular One Song Sing – once a month, learn one song, in three part harmony, in one hour.

Please feel free to stay around and explore our website. There’s lots of bits – for students and for ukulele teachers / leaders. Or stay on this page and watch and listen to a few more snippets of how, what and why we do things in the way that we do.

Oh. And we also travel a bit, giving ukestration workshops and teaching others how to better connect others through music.

We hope to play music with you one day (and help you learn! and connect up with others) ….

Mark Jackson and Jane Jelbart

…making music part of your life…

Latest Video

This video shows our community’s creative efforts at their best. Thanks to Groovy Banana for a wonderful production.

This is community music; people of all ages coming together and having a go!

Mark and Jane talk about their work, and sing a song

Mark at TEDxNewy

Have a look at this 16 minute presentation by Mark at TEDxNewy back in November 2011.

We do hope that you are playing music with others, somewhere and somewhen in your life. If you need a hand with that, grab a ukulele and come and see us.