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David Chrzan – Clay Ocarinas 

I make hand formed earthenware ocarinas.  I use a five hole English style system which gives each instrument a range of nine notes, a full octave plus one note.

 

Sheila Chrzan – Functional Pottery 

My wife Sheila makes functional stoneware pottery.  Her pieces are primarily wheel thrown but she does some hand building as well as modified wheel work.

 

What the heck is an Ocarina? 

Ocarinas are a type of flute.  But unlike the more familiar flute that you typically see in an orchestra an ocarina is made from a hollow closed form rather than an open ended tube.  Ocarinas also employ a mouth piece called a fipple that directs your breath, similar to a whistle or recorder. 

They are very ancient instruments dating back thousands of years and have been found in many cultures around the globe.  Ocarinas are made from a variety of different materials including: wood, clay, bone, bamboo, plastic, metal, and even paper.  A good ocarina has a clear crisp sound and is easy and fun to play.

© David Chrzan 2014