Printer Friendly Version - Uke Concert Will Celebrate $50K Given Away

Liz and Jim Beloff, known for their breezy, close harmonies on standards and Jim Beloff's original songs, have toured the world and will perform in Branford Feb. 24 to benefit future scholarships given locally by the Musical Arts Society (MAS) of Branford. To date, MAS of Branford has given over $50,000 in scholarships to students advancing their careers in music.Photo Courtesy MAS of Branford

Branford, CT: On Friday, February 24 at 7:30 p.m. the Musical Art Society (MAS) of Branford will be hosting a concert at Branford's First Congregational Church featuring Jim and Liz Beloff. The concert is a fundraiser for the annual Alice Collins Memorial Scholarship, which has provided over $50,000 in scholarships to local students advancing their careers in music.

This unique winter concert at First Church on the Branford town green will feature the Beloffs, a talented husband and wife duo who have traveled the world with their beloved ukuleles. They were originally inspired after finding a ukulele at the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market in 1992 and from that came a best-selling music publishing company, Flea Market Music, Inc.

Jim Beloff is the author of The Ukulele—A Visual History, producer of Legends of Ukulele, and has made three how-to-play DVDs. He is also an active songwriter. His 2014 two-CD set, Dreams I Left In Pockets, features 33 original songs. In 1999, Beloff composed and premiered "Uke Can't Be Serious," a concerto for solo ukulele and symphony orchestra. Since then the piece has been performed many times, most recently in 2016 with the Choate School orchestra in Germany and Austria and also with the Michigan Philharmonic.

Liz Maihock Beloff, with a background in film and television graphics, designs the covers for all of their songbooks, CDs and DVDs. She is also a talented singer who, before teaming up with her husband, sang with a cappella groups in college and New York City.

As performers, the Beloffs have become known for their breezy, close harmonies on standards and Jim Beloff's original songs. They perform together regularly throughout the USA, playing their family-made Fluke, Flea and Firefly ukuleles. They have also toured Japan, Australia and Canada and believe in their company's motto, "Uke Can Change the World."

Tickets prices are $15 for adults and $6 for students for Friday, Feb. 24 performance, 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 1009 Main St., Branford. Event snow date: Friday, March 3. For more information on obtaining tickets or making a donation towards this year's scholarship please contact: Christine Cohen (203) 453-0287 ChristineCohen@comcast.net or Carol Titcomb (203) 488-3088 NeilCarolT@sbcglobal.net