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…

What do 3,081 Ocarinas sound like?

Watch extracts of the Guinness World Record performance of “Ode to Joyful New Star” as it happened…

Ode to a Joyful New Star – what a lovely sound!

These few seconds of Ode to Joy played by the World’s Largest Ocarina Ensemble, in rehearsal:

Guinness World Records announcment – “officially amazing!”

The adjudication…

This would not have been possible without the help of 132 volunteer steward observers, and a willingness on the part of the audience to have a go! In addition, of course, to the hard work of the teachers and pupils at the primary schools involved in the Barnardo’s Young Supporters’ Concert! Well Done to you all – excellent result!

The Ocarina-Teaching Videos for the World Record supplied to the 50 participating schools can still be accessed FREE on this website:

Tips’ for new ocarina-players:
Ocarina Tips  |  First Notes  |  Tonguing

Three classical pieces that together form “Ode to a Joyful New Star” the Guinness World record piece:
Twinkle twinkle  |  Ode to Joy  |  New World