Fanfare Ciocărlia at Stary Klasztor: Balkan rhythms from the Romanian brass orchestra

Fanfare Ciocărlia is a 12-piece brass band from the village of Zece Prăjini in northern Romania. The group began as an informal gathering of musicians who occasionally played at weddings and christenings. In October 1996, German sound engineer and record producer Henry Ernst visited Zece Prăjini and persuaded the musicians to form a touring band. They chose the name Fanfare Ciocarlia: “fanfare” is a Romanian word of French origin meaning a brass band, while “ciocarlia” means “skylark” in Romanian.

Since Ernst discovered the musicians and became their manager, the band has played more than a thousand concerts in over 50 countries around the world.

Rooted in the traditions of Austrian and Turkish military bands, Fanfare Ciocarlia features instruments including trumpets, baritone and tenor tubas, clarinets, saxophones, bass drum and percussion. Their lyrics are written in Romanian and Romani. Their musical style draws mainly on Romanian and Romani folk dance music, with Turkish, Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian influences also clearly audible.

They owe their popularity to fast, energetic sounds, complex rhythms and rapid clarinet, saxophone and trumpet solos, sometimes exceeding 200 beats per minute. The musicians are also known for performing without sheet music and playing old, battered instruments.