THE CHUCKERBUTTY OCARINA QUARTET

Funny?   What do you mean?  To the Chuckerbutty Ocarina Quartet, it's all perfectly normal: Schubert played on a quartet of rubber trout, pieces introduced in Japanese, Wagner grand opera seen through the wrong end of the telescope.   Blissfully unaware of the limitations of an instrument with a range of just over an octave, the Chuckerbutties take their small clay instruments through a dazzling array of improbable pieces, played with wit, musicality and occasional bursts of breathtaking speed.   To add variety to the mix, the quartet also play guitar, charango, panpipes, plastic percussion, and a few others. Perhaps wisely, the bass crumhorn and the acoustic kettle are reserved for the grand finale.

Since its debut at the Wigmore Hall, the Chuckerbutty Ocarina Quartet's talent has been appreciated in such prestigious venues as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Royal Festival Hall and Barbican Centre in London, and the Festival of Flanders.   The Chuckerbutties were proud to be joined by Sir James Galway, as special guest Ocarina player, in their 2004 concert for the British Flute Society.   Firm favourites of Classic FM's Nathalie Wheen, the quartet have introduced thousands of young players to the ocarina with their lively schools concerts and workshops, and in 2002 they taught a week's course and gave a concert at the renowned Dartington International Summer School.

The 2006-07 season sees the quartet touring Spain for a series of family concerts in the Autumn, followed by concerts around the UK in venues including Leeds, Tunbridge Wells, and the City of London Festival winter series in January 2007. 

The quartet is affectionately named after the Anglo-Indian composer and organist, Oliphant Chuckerbutty (1884-1960).   You'll find more information about the quartet on their own website, and you can see them filmed live in concert on our audio/video page.

	Hear the Quartet's new 2006 recordings, fresh from the Seaview Studios!
	Download information sheet (pdf)

THE CLASSIC BUSKERS | THE CHUCKERBUTTY OCARINA QUARTET
THE CARNIVAL BAND |  THE CLASSIC BUSKERS + ORCHESTRA | SAMBUCA