For The Kerplunks, it乌鸦传媒檚 as much about entertainment as it is education.

Presented by the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society, The Kerplunks close off the April 15.

乌鸦传媒淲e are conscientious but really into fun activities,乌鸦传媒� said Dinah D, who tows the line with her stand up bass rhythms. 乌鸦传媒淲e also take on some of the bigger issues like ocean ecology.乌鸦传媒�

Comprised of Dinah; Jocelyn (Jojo) Hallett on keys, horns and vocals; Aaron Cadwaladr on the strings and vocals and Phil Wipper on drums, the three-time Juno-nominated Gabriola Island children乌鸦传媒檚 music group乌鸦传媒檚 performance will also delve into matters closer to home.

乌鸦传媒淲e (also) want to tune into a little of the local ecology,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said.

Further ingraining their name in the world of educational entertainment, The Kerplunks are in the midst of working on a new mini series dubbed Learn, Make, Play. In the mini series, as the name suggests, viewers will learn about a certain subject, make it and then play with it.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 kind of a celebration of the world around us,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 going to be really fun. Part of what we love to do is spread information. That really is our No. 1 mandate.乌鸦传媒�

Armed with a swathe of instruments, including everything from Dinah乌鸦传媒檚 upright bass to pocket synths, The Kerplunks hope their instruments themselves will act as an educational tool.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 an opportunity for kids to learn about these strange instruments,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said. 乌鸦传媒淭he more you expose your kid to alternative opportunities, the more you open their minds.乌鸦传媒�

And for Dinah, that乌鸦传媒檚 half of the fun.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e very encouraging of people doing things hands on, especially with young people,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 so very rewarding working with children and watching them grow.乌鸦传媒�

While education plays an important role for The Kerplunks, at the core of it, the four-piece band is all about putting on a fun show for the kids.

Backed by special guest performer and clown Clever Trever, Dinah said the Vernon audience is in for a silly ride.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e going to be having something fun for the little, little ones,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said, noting the intended young audience for the Society乌鸦传媒檚 no-shushing season.

乌鸦传媒淲e have some special surprises up our sleeves, and we乌鸦传媒檙e not shy to ask people to get up and dance.乌鸦传媒�

With four studio albums currently on offer and a fifth in the works, The Kerplunks will focus on the repertoire from their first album, which Dinah said is full of wonderful pre-school aged offerings.

But, with a 13-year history behind them, The Kerplunks are known to extend beyond the reaches of children乌鸦传媒檚 music. That is the case with their up-coming fifth album, Lullabies For Big Eyes 乌鸦传媒� an hour-and-a-half album of sleeping music.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a really exciting release,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said, adding that it isn乌鸦传媒檛 just for the young ones. 乌鸦传媒淭here are no teddy bears on this album.乌鸦传媒�

The crew of musicians, playing under a moniker other than that of The Kerplunks, has taken their smooth jams through the North Okanagan before, rocking local gems like Lorenzo乌鸦传媒檚 Cafe in Ashton Creek and Salmon Arm Roots and Blues. However, they乌鸦传媒檙e excited to be back under their usual banner.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e been looking forward to playing the Okanagan for a while. We can finally say hi to all of our friends in the Okanagan,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said.

Because for The Kerplunks, turning the audience, whether it乌鸦传媒檚 the parents or the kids, into friends is what it乌鸦传媒檚 all about.

乌鸦传媒淲e really have fun being on stage. We enjoy very much what we do. We love everything about it,乌鸦传媒� Dinah said.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a way for us to really connect with people. That乌鸦传媒檚 kind of what keeps us ticking.乌鸦传媒�

The Kerplunks close off the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society乌鸦传媒檚 2017/18 First Stages series April 15 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 and are available through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, .

entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
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