Ocarinas are a style of instrument that can be dated back to to ancient Chinese and Mesoamerican cultures that each had similar early versions of the instrument. The ocarina that we commonly know of today was designed by Giuseppe Donati in the 1850's, and has since become a popular type of folk wind instrument.
Why Ocarina?As part of our Unit 2 Melody Curriculum, fourth grade students will be learning how to read music within the treble clef staff. Ocarinas are well suited to playing within this musical range. Additionally, they are part of the woodwind family and support a variety of skills that can later translate to playing other wind instruments that students may encounter if they decide to join band in middle school!
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Did you know Ocarinas are a famous component of the Legend of Zelda video game series by Nintendo? Ocarina is used as a pivotal item in many of the games, as are other musical instruments. The most popular use of the Ocarina is featured in the Super Nintendo 64 edition of "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time", but this special instrument and the melodies played on it in the game can be found all across the Zelda series!
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