About Ashley

Ashley Orlando is a bilingual (English/French) communication professional who enjoys working with nonprofits on artistic, cultural and community-building projects. But in her free time she surrounds herself with her first love, music. “It’s one language that transcends cultural barriers,” she says, and it has given her the opportunity to sing not only in her native U.S., but in Canada and Europe as well. A classically trained soprano, Ashley’s smooth voice is a mixture of light, angelic grace and warm, jazz tones. Originally from Louisiana, her childhood dream was to be the voice of a Disney princess, but life intervened and eventually music got placed on the back burner. While completing a master's degree in Paris years later, Ashley connected with the French jazz scene, dancing swing and listening to live bands in the same underground caveau joints that musical greats like Sidney Bechet once played.  Le coup de foudre ("love at first sight") for music struck Ashley once again. After a move to Texas and a couple chance encounters with unsuspecting instruments--the ukulele and the kazoo--Ashley has jumped head-first into the Houston music scene.

Music

SOLO/DUO: In May 2020 Ashley Orlando was featured as a musical artist among an international line-up of ukulele musicians, (including the world-renowned James Hill and a surprise performance by Jake Shimabukuro) during Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel's Not-So-Mini Online Ukulele Festival #2. Watch the 9+ hour festival online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXSFR7yIm64&t=22778s.​

VINTAGE POINT: Ashley is the lead singer of Vintage Point, a vintage variety band that plays jazz, blues, Texas swing, French chanson and classic country songs with an international twist.

HOUKULELE: As a leader of Houkulele, Houston's Ukulele Club, which boasts 800+ members throughout Houston, Ashley hosts meet-ups and directs Houkulele's community performance group.  In 2019 Ashley led Houkulele in a partnership with Texas Children's Hospital to organize the "100 Ukuleles for 100 Kids Benefit Concert" at Anderson Fair Listening Room. This concert raised $11,000+ for the Ukulele Kids Club, Inc., which partners with music therapy programs to give the gift of music to hospitalized kids. 

WORKSHOPS: Ashley enjoys helping others achieve their own musical goals & hosts online workshops on a variety of topics (ex.  performance skills, virtual collaborations, harmony and scatting). 

LITURGICAL MINISTRY: Ashley has served for 15+ years as a requested cantor for weddings, funerals and churches in Louisiana/Texas.

Videos

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Upcoming Events

Winter 2021 (Date TBA) - Ukulele Kids Club Academy (Virtual Workshop) - Level Up Your Performance Skills
Friday, Jan. 8 - Private Wedding - The Woodlands, TX
Saturday, Jan. 23 - Gaithersburg UkeFest - Virtual Performance
Thursday, Feb. 25 ​- Gaithersburg UkeFest Virtual Workshop: "Providing Positive Feedback without Pushback"

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