The event

In this second part, the students of the Ochitamb programs (children aged 8 to 11), SenzatempO (adult course), and the boys and girls of OcarinOrchestra (students of the IC16 Bologna) culminate their educational journeys with two grand concerts.
They are joined by two special guests from Japan, the Hiroshima Flowers duo.

It is an event that brings together different cultures and traditions, in which the ocarina becomes a catalyst for friendship and closeness.
The pieces performed celebrate the ocarina and its hometown, Budrio.

Music programs (updating)

OcarinOrchestra

It is the large vocal and instrumental ensemble of IC16 Bologna, which combines and integrates the Ocarina with the instruments from the school’s music program, as well as others played by the students themselves. The result is a dynamic formation in which all performers both sing and play. The chosen repertoire—mainly ethnic music—is specifically rearranged for this unique group, allowing for ample opportunities for co-construction and improvisation with the girls and boys.
The conductor is Professor Elide Melchioni.

1. La tabacchiera – trad. Francia
2. Amore mio non piangere – trad. Mondine
3. Schoscholoza – trad South Africa
4. Ipharadisi – trad South Africa
5. Pata Pata – M. Makeba

Fiori di Hiroshima
Chisato Nakahara AND ASAKA SHIRAI

1. Sky
   Nakahara composed this piece during the pandemic to express the sorrow of not being able to meet, but with the hope that, even though we are far apart, we are all under the same sky and that, one day, we will meet again.
   
2. Quando vuoi e quante volte vuoi
   A story set in the Ghibli anime universe about a girl’s journey to adulthood and the many difficulties she encounters along the way.
   
3. What a friend we have in Jesus
   
4. Nessuno
   This piece has a lovely story: Nakahara learned it while waiting for the train to Bologna in 2018, from a father and son who were traveling on the same route. They had never met before and never saw each other again, but the piece they shared will forever preserve the memory of that kindness.
   
5. Torero Camomillo
   The famous song from the Zecchino D’Oro, learned by Nakahara during elementary school. A fitting conclusion to celebrate the friendship between Italy and Japan.

Workshop led by Luca Panetti and Asaka Shirai, with support from Chisato Nakahara

Originating in Bavaria and spreading across Europe at the end of the 19th century, the zither was later adopted by French Benedictine monks to accompany liturgical singing. In the 1970s, they began to build it systematically. The zither reached Japan through this “monastic” route: there, thanks to the country’s rich musical tradition, it quickly gained popularity.

This workshop will explore the history and construction of the chord psaltery (zither). Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the instrument’s mechanism, how it works, as well as tuning and maintenance techniques.

Throughout the workshop, attendees will be introduced to different repertoires and will have the chance to experience musical practice on various zither models.

The workshop will be led by Luca Panetti, a pipe organ and harpsichord maker since 1998, with technical assistance from Asaka Shirai, a renowned performer of the chord psaltery.

The event

Lorenzo Nadalin, as known as Godblesscomputers, and Fabio Galliani, electronic music and the ocarina.

An unexpected encounter, but one filled with surprising harmonies, so much so that it embodies the spirit of the now iconic Ocarina Festival party.

Breaking all the rules and ignoring the limits that only exist in our minds: Godblesscomputers e Fabio Galliani, are once again ready to show how far you can go by simply opening yourself up to new possibilities.

The Final Concert of the 2025 Ocarina International Festival

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Italian Liberation and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the historic collective album Materiale Resistente and the 20th anniversary of the gold record Appunti Partigiani, the Modena City Ramblers arrive in Budrio with the project Appunti Resistenti. This tour will feature songs the band has dedicated to the themes of the Resistance struggle and Antifascism throughout their over thirty-year career, alongside four new tracks marking a new chapter in their artistic journey, inspired by these themes that are so deeply connected to the identity of the “Ramblers.”

Naturally, the “anthems” that set stages on fire across Italy and beyond will be there, but the concert will be more than ever a joyful and committed musical event of Resistance and Militancy. In these troubling times of social and political drift, the songs become every evening the anthem of a single Community that recognizes itself in the Constitution and the founding ideals of our Republic, experienced in a sort of secular communion of horizons that erases stage and distance.

The songs are small traces, little more than sound notes of a journey that began even before 1945, the year of Liberation, a journey often begun with broken shoes and the only baggage of a great Ideal. Today, this journey continues in Democracy thanks to the sacrifice of many and the people’s struggle. Songs as modest acts of memory, whose artistic value may be debatable, but that belong to culture and tradition, and whose weight has solidified in a certain militant imagination.

Bring your ocarina! There will be a special surprise…

A musical fairy tale between history and music, a show that alternates between comedy and 17th century music revisited in a creative way. On stage is Elio, narrator and entertainer, surrounded by the ocarina septet of the Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese and the crossover ensemble Soqquadro Italiano, led by the irresistibly charming singer and dancer Vincenzo Capezzuto, with live electronic processing by Fabio Fiandrini.

SYNOPSIS

The adventures of Bertoldo, the common man, offer a timeless portrayal of the poor but free individual, who, armed only with the insights of a practical intelligence, manages to outwit the traps and deceptions of arbitrary power, ultimately saving himself from an unjust death sentence.

Giulio Cesare Croce once told these stories, accompanying himself on his lyre in Italian squares and courts, entertaining and educating his audience with the wit of his direct, spontaneous language. His lively style has resonated through the centuries, still fresh and relevant today. Maurizio Garuti has brought this timeless tale into a contemporary context, translating its humor, intrigue, and farce into a fresh, pop-inspired language.

The musical score for the show will feature a mix of songs, arias, and dances from both the sacred and secular repertoires of the 16th and 17th centuries, reinterpreted with a special focus on the works of Bologna’s composers from that period.

The performance, created by Fondazione Entroterre in collaboration with ATER, with the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region under Law 2/2018, is a production of the “Reboot” project line, within the Ocarina Factory framework.

A musical fairy tale between history and music, a show that alternates between comedy and 17th century music revisited in a creative way. On stage is Elio, narrator and entertainer, surrounded by the ocarina septet of the Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese and the crossover ensemble Soqquadro Italiano, led by the irresistibly charming singer and dancer Vincenzo Capezzuto, with live electronic processing by Fabio Fiandrini.

SYNOPSIS

The adventures of Bertoldo, the common man, offer a timeless portrayal of the poor but free individual, who, armed only with the insights of a practical intelligence, manages to outwit the traps and deceptions of arbitrary power, ultimately saving himself from an unjust death sentence.

Giulio Cesare Croce once told these stories, accompanying himself on his lyre in Italian squares and courts, entertaining and educating his audience with the wit of his direct, spontaneous language. His lively style has resonated through the centuries, still fresh and relevant today. Maurizio Garuti has brought this timeless tale into a contemporary context, translating its humor, intrigue, and farce into a fresh, pop-inspired language.

The musical score for the show will feature a mix of songs, arias, and dances from both the sacred and secular repertoires of the 16th and 17th centuries, reinterpreted with a special focus on the works of Bologna’s composers from that period.

The performance, created by Fondazione Entroterre in collaboration with ATER, with the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region under Law 2/2018, is a production of the “Reboot” project line, within the Ocarina Factory framework.

A story of family, music and faith between Budrio and London

A special event, supported by the Evangelical Church Association “La Piazza,” celebrating the symbolic and historical significance of the ocarina for the Budrio community.

Pastor Ed. Mezzetti, the last descendant of a long line of ocarinists, will share a story that spans generations, family ties, and the passage of time. To brighten the evening, students from the “Vincenzino Grimaldi” Ocarina School will perform the Christian hymn “Amazing Grace.”

The event will conclude with a delightful picnic at the Budrio Community and Cultural Centre “La Magnolia.”

The project originates from two extracurricular programs at the School of Budrio, in collaboration with the Municipality of Budrio. Its goal is to transform the museum experience from a mere “showcase” into an interactive workshop, training students to become guides and performers.

Students are taught how to be tourist guides, as well as how to compose and perform a repertoire for ocarina. The project aims to enhance their instrumental, expressive, and communicative skills, empowering them to play a key role in creating cultural events that celebrate the local heritage and share knowledge of the area’s history.

The event

The “Ocarinando” project, created by the Diapason Progetti Musicali Association, fosters musical education in schools, and tonight’s program serves as the perfect culmination of that effort. Professional musicians, students, and teachers will alternate in five performances.

The opening performance will be by the Melos Bene Ocarina Quartet, a remarkable ensemble from South Korea, only four years old but already well-known in Italy for their original and creative repertoire.

Following them will be students from the Diapason Progetti Musicali Association schools.

The Diapason Progetti Musicali Association is one of the leading institutions in Budrio’s music scene, offering educational programs such as “Ochitamb” (for tweens and teens), “SenzatempO” (for adults), and the group from the “Vincenzino Grimaldi” Ocarina School (for children aged 8-12).

Next, the OcarinOrchestra, the vocal and instrumental ensemble from IC16 Bologna, will take the stage. In this performance, the ocarina blends seamlessly with other instruments—both those learned in school, such as guitars, violins, keyboards, and clarinets, as well as other instruments played independently by the students. The result is a remarkable ensemble where every performer sings and plays a specially crafted repertoire inspired by ethnic music.

To conclude, students from the “Il Temporale” Music School in Bentivoglio and the Mascagni Music School in Medicina will bring the concert to a close.

MUSIC PROGRAMS

“Ochitamb” Group
Hit the Road Jack (P. Mayfield)
Cicale (A. Testa, T. De Vita, S. Testi, F. Miseria)
Lemon Tree (P. Freundenthaler)
Respect (O. Redding).

“SenzatempO” Group
Vois Sur Ton Chemin (B. Coulais)
The Addams Family (V. Mizzy)
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head (B. Bacharach).

“Vincenzino Grimaldi” Ocarina School
I YEAR
“I tamburi di Bobo” (L- Perini)

I YEAR AND I ADVANCED YEAR
Baloons (trad.)
Lied (F. J. Haydn)

I ADVACED YEAR
Minuetto (J. Ph. Rameau)
Oh susanna (trad.)
Fratello Sole e sorella Luna (Brother Sun, Sister Moon) (R.Ortolani)

INTERMEDIATE GROUP
Pavane d’Angleterre (sec. XVI)
Baionetta in canna (trad.)
Vitti ‘na crozza (F. Li Causi)

OcarinOrchestra – directed by Professor Elide Melchioni
La tabacchiera – trad. France
Pastorale – trad. middle Italy
Amore mio non piangere – trad. Mondine
Ebola
Pizzica di San Paolo – trad. Lecce
Pata Pata – M. Makeba

IL TEMPORALE Music Schoo in Bentivoglio – directed by Emiliano Bernagozzi
I love ocarina (V. Billi)
Magia in musica (R. Vinciguerra)
Giovanni’s March (E. Bernagozzi)
Il piccolo bersagliere (R. Vinciguerra)

Mascagni Music School in Medicina
Canto della coccinella
Sogno di Ifra
Danza del gatto

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.