Blog and News

Royal Albert Hall, London, 5th November 2013. The Guinness World Record for the Largest Ocarina Ensemble was smashed by 3,081 primary school children and their parents and teachers. This is a short excerpt of their performance, which had to be ‘classical’ in nature and professional in execution. At least 95% of those taking part had to play faultlessly throughout. Thank you to everyone who helped achieve this wonderful record and memories that will last a lifetime… Read more

There will be an attempt to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the Largest Ocarina Ensemble, on 5th November 2013 at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

A massed choir of 1,200 children will lead an evening of Music and Ocarina-playing at a Young Supporters’ Concert, organised by Barnardo’s. The audience will be invited to take part in the World’s Largest Ocarina Ensemble. Everyone will play Ocarinas together. Read more

Children Star in Ocarina Guinness World Records™ title

Primary School Children at a Barnardo’s Young Supporters’ Concert became Guinness World Records title holders at the Royal Albert Hall on 5th November 2013.

Children as young as five years of age led a total of 3,081 players to form the Largest Ocarina Ensemble in the world, smashing the previous record of 831 set in China three years ago. Read more

Ocarina Workshop has been shortlisted in the 2011 Music Industries Association (MIA) Awards, appearing in the Best Supplier (Small) category.

“We are surprised and delighted to be nominated. As a small family business, we enjoy giving a high quality service and are pleased to have been noticed!” commented Ocarina Workshop Director, Christa Liggins. Read more

David and Christa Liggins arrived home yesterday after two and a half weeks researching and playing ocarinas in the Peruvian Andes.

“Seeing so many ancient vessel flutes in museums and then playing ocarinas at Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca was a great experience for us. We’re bringing it all back to share with new audiences in schools around the UK” said David. Read more

Today we received this email from Italy, from a 56 year old first-time ocarina-player who has never played a musical instrument before:

Dear Christa and David, last week I received my splendid ceramic ocarina and the greatest fool-proof music theory book ever conceived – and dived into it immediately. Your book makes everything easy – and ocarina playing is so easy – in the past music was always presented as a sacred language for the initiated. Thanks a lot – I know I can always consult you for assistance with my playing. Thanks for your labour of love. Read more

In recognition of the first 100 years of Kettering Music Eisteddfod and the popularity of ocarina classes in recent years, Ocarina Workshop has donated the Ocarina Workshop Ocarina Award for most promising ocarina player in the Junior Key Stage 2 Music Class.

David Liggins presented the trophy, a silver star, to Louisa, its first winner, and congratulated all the young players from St Peter’s School, Kettering who performed so well individually and in groups, accompanied by their music teacher, Julie Cruickshank. Read more

Well actually there’s only one camera… and a very busy cameraman!

Tommy Relph has filmed in the Arctic and in Afghanistan: his mission today, to “capture” ocarina-playing children in Kent.

He found children at St Lawrence’s CE Primary in Seal and at Sevenoaks Primary all playing their Oc® and demonstrating their skills to intrepid news reporter Nick Thatcher. Read more

ED Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, introduced an Ocarina to the House of Commons yesterday. The Guardian Newspaper reported:
“The schools secretary struck a musical note at question time by producing an Ocarina. But he stopped short of playing a tune, opting instead to hold the yellow plastic instrument aloft and declare: ‘That, Mr Speaker, is an ocarina.’ He was responding to an unrelated question from Tory Philip Hollobone, whose Kettering constituency is the centre of the UK’s ocarina industry.” Read more

Figures just released by Government show that ocarinas formed 8.6% of all musical instruments bought in 2007/2008 using the New Instrument Purchase Fund.

The Fund was set up to enable every primary school child in England to learn to play a musical instrument free of charge.

In 2007/08, the first of four consecutive years of £10Million investments provided nearly 100,000 musical instruments at an average price of just over £100 per instrument. Read more