Ocarina business benefits from renewed interest
With its various shapes and sizes, the ocarina can appear more like a piece of art than a musical instrument. The flute-like instrument dates back to ancient civilizations, where it played a significant role in ceremonies and rituals. The owner of Songbird Ocarinas in Boyle Heights says his biggest customers are preteens who discovered the instrument through a video game. "[They] are interested in going beyond the virtual world of gaming into the real world of music." Read more on Boyle Heights Beat.