Opening: GOB in concert

A new venue for the Festival’s opening concert, featuring the group that carries on the century-old tradition of the ocarina.

An evening at the beautiful Torri dell’Acqua in Budrio, celebrating the revival of a major event dedicated to the rich musical and craftsmanship tradition of the ocarina, which has spread from Budrio to the world, thanks to pioneering musical groups like the Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese (GOB), the concert’s main performers.

The 10-hole ocarina was invented in 1853 by Giuseppe Donati, a native of Budrio. After creating five ocarinas of different sizes, the first ensemble was formed in 1863. This group later expanded to seven members, and from that point, it began performing in some of Europe’s most renowned theaters, presenting original compositions as well as arrangements of famous operatic works. This was the Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese (G.O.B.).

The current G.O.B. has preserved the musical heritage of the Budrio ocarina groups, focusing particularly on those from the 1920s and 1930s led by Alfredo Barattoni. The original ensemble, created at the Budrio Ocarina School, was later joined by classical musicians. Over the years, the unmistakable pastoral sound of the ocarina ensemble has been complemented by more classical instruments, creating a repertoire for one or two ocarinas. In their concerts, the G.O.B. Soloists perform pieces where the ocarina is accompanied by piano, string quartet, or baroque orchestra.

The G.O.B. has been active for many years, performing over 1,000 concerts both in Italy and abroad. The group has released numerous CDs and DVDs. Some of their major tours include: Australia (1987, 1996, 2000), Cuba (1989), Argentina (1990), Chile (1990, 1999), Venezuela (1991), the USA (1994), South Korea (2010, 2012, 2014), China (2014, with a concert at the prestigious National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing), and Japan (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), as well as various performances across Europe.

Recently, the G.O.B. has been featured on Radio3 (2014), RSI (Swiss Radio, 2014), and WDR (Germany, 2015). In 2019, they performed at the Ravello Festival, and in 2020, at the Macerata Sferisterio for Musicultura. Their sixth tour of Japan is planned for August 2024.