Jun
12
The Teacarina: Soothing Music in a Teacup
Few pastimes are as relaxing as sitting down to sip a steaming hot cup of tea. One activity that evokes a similar sense of serenity is listening to – or playing – the simple, soothing, flute-like notes of the ocarina.
The ocarina is a little wind instrument that fits in the palm of your hand, like a teacup. Since both are most often made of pottery, my husband Dennis and I got the idea to create a teacup that also makes music.
That is the concept behind the Teacarina, a pottery teacup that can be used to play simple tunes between sips of tea or coffee.
The Teacarinas produced by our company, STL Ocarina, are hollow-walled, handle-less teacups that double as intriguing instruments. As with all ocarinas, music is played by blowing through an air chamber, changing pitch by fingering four holes of various sizes on the side on the cup.
The Teacarina stays cool to the touch when filled with hot liquids. Like other ocarinas, it is very easy to play and does not require formal lessons. With the instructions included and a little practice, it doesn’t take long to learn to play simple and familiar tunes.
The little teacup/ocarinas come in eight colors, from star dappled dark blue to two-tone metallic bronze. Their soft and soothing sounds fit the mood of drinking tea and relaxing with friends. They are bound to spur conversation due to their uniqueness and primordial sound.
The ocarina belongs to a family of instruments called vessel flutes that developed independently across ancient cultures worldwide, from China to the Andes. Clay ocarinas were played by the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas of South and Central America. Ocarinas shaped like birds and animals and dating from as early as 5,000 BC have been found in India. The Chinese version is called the xun (pronounced zoon).
The word ocarina comes from Italy where the instruments gained notoriety in the 1800s. Because the ocarina was very popular in Italy during this time, it developed as part of the culture with a very distinct Italian sound.
The ocarina was popularized in the United States during the first and second World Wars, when servicemen were often issued the instrument. Later it fell into obscurity as other wind instruments took center stage. Then in the 1990s, the release of the video game “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” helped to popularize the ocarina with a whole new generation. Today ocarina aficionados worldwide swap tips via the Internet.
One great thing about the ocarina, and the Teacarina, is how it appeals to all ages from young children to senior citizens. These instruments are also affordable, portable and versatile enough to play many styles of music.
The Teacarina uses fingering exactly the same as playing a 4-hole ocarina to produce eight notes. We have created a special booklet (with pictures) to show how to play some simple songs. You can see and hear the Teacarina playing “Scotland the Brave” and “Blue Bells of Scotland” and check out the different models at http://www.stlocarina.com/teacarina.html.
About the Author: Laura Yeh is a performer and music educator trained in the Suzuki method of instruction who teaches violin and ocarina at the St. Louis School of Music to children as young as 3 and adults. Laura and her husband Dennis have collaborated with ocarina makers around the world to produce new models of the ocarina, an easy-to-learn wind instrument with ancient roots. They have designed and produced many unique and innovative ocarinas sold by STL Ocarina (http://www.stlocarina.com).
