Formed in 2007, the Durham Ukulele Orchestra organically grew out of the ukulele jam session held at High Strung Violins and Guitars (and ukuleles!) on the first and third Mondays of every month. Upon forming, a weekly practice was  organized and the band began to mix together their wide range of tastes and influences into a cohesive and delicious “musical soup” that ranges from jazz standards to art rock classics like Psycho Killer by The Talking Heads.

Bending these selections to the will of their tiny four-stringed instruments, the orchestra continues to turn out surprising and delightful renditions of familiar and slightly more obscure selections from the world of popular music. And although the band is very serious about what they do, (as serious as ukuleleists can be) the central idea behind D.U.O. has always been fun. Fun music to play and fun tunes for the public to listen to. At the end of the day, the idea of leading a musical life and the band’s love for playing with each other is what keeps this tiny juggernaut rolling on.

We hope to see you at a show soon, and if you come out, make sure and say hello!

Here is a partial list of some of the venues at which D.U.O. has had the good fortune to play:

  • Ackland Museum of Art – Chapel Hill
  • The American Tobacco Campus (Opening Gala for Full Frame Film Festival) – Durham
  • Broad Street Cafe – Durham
  • Bull City Burger & Brewery – Durham
  • Caffe Driade – Chapel Hill
  • Carrboro Music Festival
  • The Casbah – Durham
  • Celebrity Dairy – Siler City
  • CenterFest – Durham
  • Duke Park Beaver Queen Pageant – Durham
  • Edison-Johnson Community Center – Durham
  • Food Truck Rodeo – Durham
  • Fullsteam Brewery – Durham
  • Glenwood Elementary School Spring Fair – Chapel Hill
  • Habitat Bull Moon Bike Ride at Durham Central Park Farmers Market Pavilion
  • Harry’s Market at White Cross
  • Heroes of Hokum Radio Show – WCOM-FM – Carrboro
  • High Strung Violins & Guitars – Durham
  • Holiday Homes Tour – Hillsborough
  • James Joyce Pub – Durham
  • Local 506 – Chapel Hill
  • The Marvell Center – Durham
  • Monkey Bottom Art Studios – Durham
  • Museum of Life & Science – Durham
  • North Carolina Museum of Art – Raleigh: Opening Gala Celebration for Rembrandt exhibit (for 800 people); accompanied Dan Zanes in outdoor concert (1,700 people)
  • Parker and Otis – Durham
  • The Pinhook – Durham
  • The Regulator Book Store – Durham
  • Saladelia Café – Durham
  • The Scrap Exchange – Durham
  • The Sound Check Show from WSHA-FM – Raleigh
  • Southern Village Sunday Night Music Series – Chapel Hill
  • The Station – Carrboro
  • TEDxDuke – Durham
  • University of North Carolina School of Law – Chapel Hill
  • Weaver Street Market – Hillsborough

Personnel:
Marilee Annereau: ukulele, celestette, melodica, percussion, kazoo, vocals
Scot Billman: ukulele, cajon, percussion, vocals
Brian Lewis: ukulele, mandolin, accordion, bass, vocals
Jay Cunningham: ukulele, bass, vocals
Nancy Bierman: bass, percussion, vocals