Oca-Buskers

Born in Bologna in 2010, it brings together internationally trained musicians with the goal of creating a bridge between tradition and innovation, between ancient sounds and contemporary languages. The ensemble combines acoustic instruments and unusual timbres with folk and funky elements, giving life to a new musical genre: a multicultural and engaging alternative pop.

The group has been active for about 10 years, performing out of passion and primarily presenting classic Alpine folk music, along with some self-arranged pieces. They perform at folk evenings, the Lech Folk Music Day, the “Drumherum Festival” in Regen, campsites, church services, and other events. Their distinctive feature is the use of differently tuned ocarinas accompanied by guitar.

Multi-instrumentalist specializing in wind instruments with training in clarinet. He has toured extensively and performed in national and international Broadway shows. He collaborates with numerous theater companies, chamber music groups, and orchestras throughout North Carolina. He began studying the ocarina in memory of his grandfather and now also plays it with the Shooting Star Ocarina Octet.

An ensemble founded in 2024 in Budrio, composed of musicians aged 19 to 28, dedicated to renewing ocarina music with a repertoire spanning classical, traditional, dance, modern, and cinematic styles, led by M. Emiliano Bernagozzi. The project combines innovation and tradition, bringing art music into a popular dimension, and has resulted in the release of an album.

The trio, consisting of Gianluca Caselli (mouth harmonica), Fabio Galliani (ocarinas and figlino), and Mauro Malaguti (guitar and vocals), presents an eclectic repertoire ranging from folk dances to swing, from ’50s songs to film soundtracks, highlighting the surprising virtuosic possibilities of these two pocket-sized instruments.

They were founded in 2010 by six musicians—Luisa Pardini, Rossana Pansani, Nicola Bimbi, Silvia Marchetti, Irene Franchi, and Matteo Conforti—united by their passion for the ocarina. Coming from diverse musical and professional backgrounds, they perform a varied repertoire with original arrangements, characterized by a lively and playful approach.

The group is diverse in age and background, united by a passion for music, fun, friendship, and adventure. Founded in 2016 with maestros Emiliano Bernagozzi and Doralice Minghetti, it is now directed by Fabio Galliani and is part of the Il Temporale Cultural Association of Bentivoglio. They will perform first with the full ensemble and later as a septet.

The first American ocarina septet, founded in 2017, brought the traditional seven-instrument ensemble to the USA. Inspired by the historic groups of Budrio, they perform modern music, film scores, video game music, folk, classical pieces, and original compositions. They have played at festivals and concerts across the United States, sharing the sound and traditions of the ocarina; after nearly a decade, this will be their final performance.

Directed by teacher Fabio Galliani, the ensemble has been performing together for several years: Antonio Bisceglia, Ernesto Buzzetti, Oreste Chiarelli, Francesco Rubbi, Nicola and Vincenzo Romualdi. They will perform alongside two young singers, students of Elena Rapita, vocal instructor at the Music School of Medicina.

The duo, formed in 2025 by Alberto Giovannini (ocarinas and vocals) and Pier Paolo Giovannini (guitars), rearranges and reinterprets famous pieces of Romagna dance music. Highlighting the ocarina’s potential, they pay tribute to the artists who made entire generations dance, most notably the legendary Secondo Casadei, and to the liscio genre, a cultural emblem of Romagna.

A fan of the video game The Legend of Zelda, in 2022 he bought an ocarina and began studying the basics online, later deepening his knowledge of music theory and technique. After three years, he performs at medieval markets in France, video game and Japanese pop culture fairs, sharing his compositions and performances on social media.

A self-taught multi-instrumentalist and scientific researcher, he has always nurtured a deep passion for music. He plays over twelve instruments, including some rare ones, and discovered the ocarina in 1973, performing on it for more than 50 years. In recent years, he has also focused on the gemshorn, an ancient bone instrument from the ocarina family, with which he will perform Romanian folk songs.

An ocarinist and cosplayer from Milwaukee, member of the first American ocarina septet, she performs as a soloist at anime and video game conventions. Her passion for cosplay leads her to portray characters from various series, especially The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and Fire Emblem, which make up much of her repertoire.

Musician and content creator based in Los Angeles, specializing in the ocarina. Since 2007, when he launched his YouTube channel, he has amassed over 100 million views across music videos and tutorials. His mission is to bring joy through music, promote musical education, and spread the ocarina worldwide.

A multi-instrumentalist currently pursuing a doctorate in Clarinet in Florida. With degrees in Music Education and Clarinet, he focuses on clarinet, saxophone, and ocarina, teaching and inspiring others. Active in video game recordings and live performances, he is part of the Ocabanda septet and directs the ocarina ensemble at Florida State University, promoting the music and expressive potential of the ocarina.

Cristian Paolini (ocarina) and Davide Summaria (piano) present a musical dialogue between tradition and innovation: lively reinterpretations of the historical repertoire and original compositions by Summaria, highlighting the ocarina as the protagonist alongside the piano’s harmonies.

Born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, she has been playing the ocarina since 2010 and has been a member of the Elfland Ocarina Ensemble since 2013. Passionate about ensemble music and the unique timbre of the ocarina, she shares the sound of Taiwan internationally. The ensemble is renowned for its precision, balance, and awards in global competitions, and Kuo plays an ocarina specially designed by the group.

Founded in 2004 and recognized as a National Interest Group, it is a septet of young ocarina enthusiasts that has received international awards and toured abroad. Their repertoire ranges from local traditions to classical works, as well as Beatles songs, film scores, and contemporary music from various cultures, showcasing the instrument’s versatility and engaging the audience.

A life devoted to music: he began at age 9, graduated in clarinet, and developed a passion for saxophone, ocarina, flutes, and harmonica. During the ’60s and ’70s, he performed in European nightclubs. A collector of rare ocarinas, he discovered the instrument through Bertolucci’s film Novecento and, in 2016, performed with the Rome Air Force Band at the Teatro Rossini in Lugo.

A septet of young musicians aged 12 to 18, born from a project at the middle school of Taglio di Po. The students built their own instruments at the Fecchio family museum-workshop in Grillara di Ariano Polesine and began learning to play them during music lessons. Their repertoire consists mainly of pieces from film soundtracks.

Founded in 2024 from the meeting of musical passion and the promotion of local history, the ensemble uses handcrafted ocarinas made from Po Delta clay (“tivaro”) by a family of group members. Directed by Maestro Gildo Turolla, they perform popular and contemporary pieces, often arranged by him, conveying the traditions, craftsmanship, and identity of the region through music.

The duo, composed of Asaka Shirai (zither) and Chisato Nakahara (ocarina), both from Hiroshima, has been performing in Japan and abroad for years, conveying messages of peace through music. The group has had the opportunity to perform multiple times in Germany, including in Hannover for the 40th anniversary of the city’s friendship with Hiroshima, and in Frankfurt.