Orchestra Jacarànda

Jacarànda is a young World Music ensemble with the objective of renovating the repertoire of traditional Sicilian music, through cross-contaminations with contemporary artists and traditions from all over the world. A very flexible ensemble that according to the context can be composed of a variable number of 5 to 15 musicians, all of them young and versatile multi-instrumentalists who are united by a strong bond with musical tradition in their homeland and by the love of traditional instruments from Sicily and the whole world. “With our Piccola Orchestra we like to compose and perform original songs to tell simple stories, but with relevant underlying social themes. Striving to connect Local and Global in a culturally-polyhedric world that still manages to be “One”.

Jacarànda tree is medium to large in size with panicles of violet-coloured flowers that cover the fronds and the ground below.
Its wood, called rosewood, reddish in colour, is also used to make the body of guitars and other musical instruments.
The plant is found in many parts of the world, such as Kenya, East Africa, South Africa (Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique) Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, but they are also abundant in Catania!

“One spring, we were still searching for the name of the orchestra and spending a lot of time rehearsing in the historical centre of town that is full of Jacaranda trees (…)”, the young musicians recall, “it just seemed so obvious! Also, our music is made of sounds and vocals from all over the world, just like this tree (…) Let’s hope like the tree we can travel the world with our music!”

Line Up

Simone Ardita vocals, guitar, and bouzouki
Giulia Fassari vocals and percussions
Nicoletta Nicotra vocals
Alessandro Pizzimento plectrums, guitar, bagpipes, whistles, bass and vocals
Francesco Messina plectrums, guitar
Luca Bordonaro clarinet
Andrea Mirabella flute, percussions
Gabriele Ricca accordion, vocals and percussions
Giuliano Ursino electric bass guitar and guitar
Francesco Castrogiovanni muted tammorra, pandeiro, and frame drums
Sara Castrogiovanni darbuka drum, percussions, vocals

Puccio Castrogiovanni director

About Us

Jacarànda performed in Catania and Messina at the SabirFest 2017 and with the youth Collettivo MoDem of the Compagnia Zappalà Danza at the premiere of “Muddica non ancora pane”.
Composed the score for San Berillo web serie doc.
From September 2017 the Orchestra Jacarànda starts collaborating with MoDem PRO and with the Collettivo MoDem of Compagnia Zappalà Danza composing a range of music for contemporary dance performances: from “Dance Attack” performed at various locations in the city of Catania, to stage performances at the Scenario Pubblico theatre such as for the premiere of “Muddica non ancora pane”.
In December 2018 they collaborated with the autobiographical writing workshop at the Juvenile detention centre in Acireale (CT) that produced the lyrics for theur first Album “Jacarànda”, published on Viceversa Records in winter 2020.
In February 2018 they produced the music for Trinacria sulla luna a theatre piece written and directed by Gaspare Balsamo.
In May 2018 they produced the music for “La cité des Tiroirs”, a new production by the QBR international dance company.
In summer 2018 they were artists in residence for Musica nel Borgo – L’irresistibile contemporaneità della tradizione at the Atelier sul Mare managed by Antonio Presti in Tusa (Me) and at the hermitage of St. Anthony in Gangi (Pa) with the support of the MiBACT and of the SIAE, under the project “S’illumina – Copia privata per i giovani, per la cultura”. The project came to a conclusion with a concert that premiered at the SabirFest 2018.
On 5th May 2019 they premiered their CD of previously unreleased material at the Garibaldi Theatre in Avola (SR), that was then officially presented on 22nd June at the Benedictine Monastery in Catania (CT) during the X edition of the Marranzano World Fest.
On 19th July 2019 they performed in the courtyard of the Juvenile Courthouse in Catania to commemorate the death of Paolo Borsellino.
On 19th September they take part in the VI edition of Ursino Buskers in the Castello Ursino square in Catania.
In October 2019 a new project commences at the juvenile detention centre in Acireale (CT), supported by the Fondazione Treccani that also involved the poets Jaroslaw Mikolajewski (Poland), Moncef Ghachem (Tunis); the singer Faisal Taher (Palestine) and the Syrian artist Diala Brisly, that resulted in their Second CD and published by Viceversa Records.
On 10th November 2019 Jacarànda performed at the charity concert at the Massimo Bellini theatre organized by the foundation Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca del Cancro (cancer research) together with Paolo Fresu, performing material from their first CD.
On 4th September 2020, Jacaranda took part in “Lithos – Via col venti – The 20th Rassegna Nazionale di Musica Popolare, Acustica e Contemporanea” (national festival for contemporary acoustic folk music) that took place in Ferla.
In September 2021 they present the Iu arringraziu videoclip at the Marranzano World Fest, on which the Palestinian singer Faisal Taher participated.
In 2021 the ensemble performed on a promotional video called “Scent of Zagara” for the Sicilian Citrus Fruit Federation.
In spring/summer 2021 the group is selected by the Tremolo, project, supported by the Unione Europea, and takes part in the Marranzano World Fest, a residence in Kecskemét in Hungary and at the Malomfesztivál in Orom in Serbia.
In June 2022 the group is selected for the tremolo_forte project, supported by the EU, and participates in the Wazamme the Accordeon Festival in Lille, France and holds a concert at the Petite Fabrique in Tournai, Belgium
In July 2022 the group participates to the thirteenth edition of the Marranzano World Fest
On 13 December 2022, during the Etna Folk Club festival at the Centro Universitario Teatrale, the orchestra, together with singer Faisal Thaer, presents the second CD “Jacarànda volume 2″with the support of Treccani Foundation in collaboration with the autobiographical writing workshop of the Criminal Institute for Minors of Acireale coordinated by Girolamo Monaco and with the participation of young prisoners, poets Moncef Ghachem (Tunisia), Jaroslaw Mikolajewski (Poland), Biagio Guerrera (Italy), the Palestinian singer Faisal Taher (Dounia and Kunsertu) and the Syrian artist Diala Brisly who created the Murales on the CD cover
On 28 December 2022 the group held a concert at the juvenile prison of Caltanissetta
On 2 May 2023 the orchestra, together with singer Faisal Taher, presents the second CD “Jacarànda volume 2“, at Zō Centro Culture Contemporanee
In May 2023 the group goes into artistic residence in the medieval village of Sperlinga (EN) where he dedicates himself to the work of writing and arranging a series of new tracks in view of the realization of the third CD
In June 2023 he performs as part of “Ricomincio da te” an event organized by COPE that presents several cultural activities for the disabled carried out between Sicily and Tunisia
After a mini tour of three concerts in Gangi, Belpasso and Lavinaio in August 2024 the group returns to Sperlinga for Musica nel Borgo, a festival organized by the AME to enhance the historical and artistic heritage of the place of the Medieval Village

Orchestra Jacarànda

Line Up

About Us

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