EXPLORING THE TRADITIONS OF FOLK SINGING
EtnoMuSa was founded in 2012 under the direction of Letizia Aprile, who led it until 2022.
From 2023, the orchestra is conducted by Francesco Berrafato.
EtnoMuSa is not only an orchestra but also a workshop for traditional folk music - a repository of so-called “subaltern cultures” - ethnic and social music. The musicians play by ear using any instrument, from accordions to frame drums, from instruments from other international cultures to classical instruments. They draw faithfully and respectfully on a heritage handed down orally and collected from field recordings or interpretations proposed in recent decades, and rework it in a collective effort, adapting it to their own time and to new sensibilities and creativity. From the research of different types of tarantellas (which are expressed through the dance of our dancers) to narrative and social ballads from other countries and cultures, thanks to the valuable contribution of foreign students.